The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1872-08-27

Hill afforded. He had placed it nearly
mile away, on a bench of a hill overlooking
the little ravine in which he toiled alone,
his nearest neighbors being out of sight
and hearing. His cabin, built of logs, was
sufficiently rude externally, but was arrang
ed inside with some approach to taste and
comfort. Everything within it was clean
and neatly ordered; the walls were lined
with muslin, and, in addition to the usual
furniture of such an abode, the occupant
had improvised stationary wIiting-stand
and some shelves for books, of which he
had quite number in tongue to me un-
known. He also received several news
papers through the newsdealer at the Hill,
one of which was from Norway; whence l
concluded that Copenhagen was Norwe-
gian, although he avoided all associa-
tion with the Norwegians in the camp, of
whom there were several.
He worked very industriously, but no
one except himself knew with what sue
cess. He always paid his way, and gave
literally to such objects as appealed to
public or private charity. But whether
his claim was paying five dollars per day
or fifty-whether he had amassed twenty
ounces or twenty thousand dollars-no one
but himself had any idea. He never COM
planned of his luck or boasted of having
"struck it rich;" he never made remit
tance; and if Adams & Co., had have failed
at the time of which write, they would not
have owed Copenhagen cent.
Notwithstanding our friendship, he never
confided to me the cause of his melancholy,
or even remotely alluded to it, during the
first three years Of our acquaintance. Yet
he seemed to be as certain Of my sympathy
as if had known everything. But one
Sunday afternoon, when was sitting with
him in his cabin, he opened his trunk, and
placed in my hand miniature on ivory of
a young girl of exquisite beauty of the
blonde type.
"Ah r' said he, as gazed upon it with
unfeigned admiration, sis not she beauti-
ful?'
"She is certainly very lovely" replied.
"Yes-very lovely-very lovely ~ said
he, softly, taking it from my hand and
covering it with kisses and tears. Then,
having subdued his emotion, he restored his
treasure to its hiding place, and neither of
us alluded TO it again. The scene, however,
impressed me as revelation. l was GER
tain Copenhagen was the victim of unre-
Quilted affection; and /, as yet untouched
by shaft from Cupid's quiver, marveled
much that strong man like my friend
should permit himself to become infatuated
with an object which he could never hope
to attain.
The days passed rapidly on; summer
mellowed into autumn, and autumn con-
gealed into winter-for Monte Hill is perch
ed upon the western slope of the Sierra
Nevada at an altitude which scorns the
mild temperature and balmy airs which
winter brings to the lower valleys of Cali
fornia. With us the season was very rig
orous, with boisterous winds, nipping
frosts, and snow covering the ground for
months to the depth of from ten to fifteen
roads and the depth of the snow put sleigh
ing as pastime quite out of the question,
and no one was enterprising enough to in
stitute askating rink, we passed our winters
as merrily as the inhabitants of regions
apparently more highly favored. The Nor
wegian miners had introduced the pastime
of snow-skating, so common in the noun
famous parts of their native land; as the
great bulk of our population was debarred
from employment during the greater part
of the season, old and young, great and
small, adopted the exciting sport with such
zest, and practised it so assiduousIy, that
after two or three seasons many of the
American-born skaters surpassed their in
structors in the execution of feats involving
hazard OR requiring special dexterity.
The snow-skates are made of ash. spruce
or other tough and flexible wood. They
are from six to twelve feet in length, ac-
cording to the weight of the skater; about
four inches broad, and half an inch thick,
and turned up forward like ordinary steel
skates. Leather straps hold the feet OH
the middle Of the skates, the soles Of which
are anointed before use with "dope," COM
pounded of resin, tallow, hanback,, etc.,
the object of which is to cause the skates
to "take hold' in ascending hill, and to
retard their speed in descending. Armed
with a long staff, similar to the Alpinestock
used by the Swiss m0untaineers. the OK
pert snow-skater ascends hill or traverses
a level space about as rapidly as he could