Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-03-21
Skating for Life.
III II. EALLARAE.

II say Uncle Fred, how is it tina
you have attained the nge of five and
tangled in the meshes of matrimony?
asked Charley Summers, one morning
as he found himself alone with hi
your fine form and handsome faca ough
to insure your favor with the tender
| sex"
For an instant, Mr.. Frederick Sum
mers remained silent while an expires
sion of pain passed over his counter
nance, and then said:
Charley, my dear boy. you know
not what bitter memories you have
aroused; what o painful episode in my
hfe's history you have touched, anC
one which for years has made he {
wonderer on the face of the earth.
will tell you, nevertheless, why have
never married:
"It is now fifteen years since the
incident which I am going to relate
occurred, and which overshadowed my
whole existence with gloom in strong
| contrast with my previous joyous,
careless life.
81 had Just finished my college edu-
cation, and my health having become
somewhat impaired from too close an
application to study, I had decided on
accepting the pressing invitation of
one Of my classmates, to accompany
| him to his home, in the northern part
Of Scotland, and there in its bracing,
mountain all, r,.recuperate my exhausted
! energies, before returning to nv own
home, in England.
''It was toward the close .f q lovely
day in the latter part of August that
we arrived at Gerald Walters home,
where we We're met in the door by
| Gerald 8 father, fine looking, elderly
gentleman, who after giving his son
warm greeting, and extending to my
| self q hearty welcome, conducted us
into the house, where we were received
By his wife and daughter. the former
confirmed invalid, rs noticed at
| FIRST sight, The lstter q young girl of
| about nineteen Summers, with form
| and face of such surprising loveliness,
| that [ was momentarily bewildered.
'sWhile in college Gerald had often
| spoken to me about his mother and
| sister, a1d now on my first visit to
| their quiet, happy Scottish home 7 re-
| allied the truth OF what he had said.
"Mrs. Walters was q woman of rare
personal charms, somewhat heightened
by the look of weary suffering brood
ing in her eyes for as have said, she
| was an invalid. and had been one for
years.
Her broad, intellectual forehead be-
spoke culture and refinement, and oyer-
set 4 face of sweet, ethereal beauty.
''tennie Walters had ell her mothers
beauty il its freshness, with advantage
Of The rosy hue which perfect health
always ;Inparts to the countenaace.
She had. combined, the gentleaeas of
the dove with the goodness o. an an
gol, and her :1Dwaverina sweet d;spo-
sition charmed I'll vita who,n she came
i'll contact
"Whcn [ accepted Gerald NTaltar's
invitation to accompany him home. I
had intended to make my stay there
very brief but my visit 1npereetihly
lcngthencd through, the golden dsyt of
autumn, and the Christmas-titse stii!
found me all inma5a Of that happy
household. Those bright days were
the happiest of nay life.
The feeling OF warm admiration
which experienced on first heaoldiH
Jennie Walters had strengthened into
deep. strong love, whiol nar:ook OF
my very nature--a love which was
fully reciproeated by the object OF nv
alteration, and the merry Christmas
tine found her my bethrohed wife.
''One fine evening i'll January, ha--
ing exhausted our ingenuity i'll devils
ing indoor amusement, and having
learned that Gerald ana his sister were
experienced skaters, l proposed that
.e-ls A,,x, III
ness on the giEtening ice. They ac-
cepted my proposition. we took our
skates and proceeded for about quar-
ter of 3 mile tt. :, marrow river which
branehed off from the sea. in a west
erly direction.
Upon reaching it we found it as
hard and CLASSY as We could wish. and
having adjusted oIir skates. we shot off
at q given signal up the rive.
accomplished as thought myself
in the att, I soon discovered that /
conld bnt Just keep mp with my COM
panions, who seemed to fiv over the
smooth ice.
''On we went, mile after mile, the
full moon Lighting up orr way with an
almost midday brightness, and throw
ing into strong relief our spectral
shadows.
1--WE must have gone on thus for
about three miles. when suddenly, as
If by conlman consent. We checked our
headiong course and listened.
From afar off there came borne
upon the still night air aiong low,
mournful howl, whieh struck upon our
ears with fearful import.
.'ft was almost immediately taken
up and repeated by aoore ut throats.
For few moments Ha rem aimed
matloBless, paralyzea with terror, at
The harrurs of our situation. Three
miles from home, and less than half
mile separating us from al pack of
fierce, hl0odthlrsty wolves, which, de-
seeming from the northern highlands
in winter, roam In vast numbers over
the barren plains, devouring all that
come in their way.
Gerald was first to break the spel,
which eatLsalled us.
''quick. for Heavens sake he
cried; ''let us about and make for homo
as fast az possible The wolves will
be upon us, / fear, before We reach
there; and # they overtake us VIC are
arc lost
HE little dreamed how neasj, pro-
phetIc We're his words.
AT this iul,uturr Il howl, clear and
distipHs, and nearer than before. broke
nron our ears, and with one impulse.
we turned and commenced opr fearful
race for life.
''0n we sped, the rninntes seeming
lentlened to hours, ard still, despite
ali our efforts, o,lr rcE.ntiess pursuers
kept steadily On. each minute lsssen-
ing tho distance betweai, e.a aad them.
''Ocraslo,suN aue er other of rs
w2c.al.. iook hel,in,i, half expecting to
sec the !org, lank bodies o. Our pursu-
ers As they came boslntsing Oh in their
swift, untiring gaiiop.
We must have kept on thus for
about two miles, when. kef.:y.c ing to
look around, ] hehvld to. InF horror
the forms f,r half d dozen wolves not
: forty. rods behind, bearing down anon
Us with fearful yapidity,
Though tEefnbti1ss tor the effect
whieeA il Aaight produce upon my he
trathei, / communicated the fact to
Gerald and herself, and proposed That