Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1874-09-30

might bp, with broken furniture and wool
work torn from the walls. still no help
came. Perhaps the people at Troy were
powcrlcss to afford it. More likely il was
taken for granted that the Stewarts and
their servants had effected a timely escape TO
some place Of safety If so, and should not
a speedy thaw set IN death was inevitable.
Some hours elapsed. and still there was no
sign that the blocked up household had not
been forgotten. llal what was that
shot, surely, and then another. and cheer
Of friendly voices, and hope sprung up in
every heart. and was kept alive by the occa-
sional report Of distant firearms, aud the
the sound Of shooting.
Yes, rescue was at hand. That much was
certain. An attempt to penetrate the gird-
ing wall Of snow was about TO be made, but
what were the numbers or resources Of the
adventurous band those within the house
knew not. There were now but some four
or five windows darkened by snow wrcaths
and pendent icicles. whence partial view
of the outer desolation could be obtained.
And il was not on that side Of the villa that
the shouts and shots Of the explorers had
announced their presence. Several hours
Of painful suspense, during which. at
intervals, the sound of voices could be
heard, succeeded then by the sobhing. of
the omnious wind changed into a shril
scream, and man who had yenturcd
few PAGES from the door came in 10
bring the evil tidings that the snow had
again begun 10 fall. The air was now full
Of fcathery flakes. and the most anxious list
encr could now hearnothing but the monoton-
Gus vail that chilled every heart as IL rang
around the doomed house. II was beyond
doubt that the well wishers on the outside
must have desisted from their iabors, beaten
of by the strong wind and binding snow
fall. The latter lasted through the miserable
night and soon after daybreak ceased again,
but those in the house had almost bid fare
well to hope. Probably the rescuers would
not, until the weather should improve, renew
their efforts, toilsome and perilous as they
must needs be. And then il would be too
late. Privations and care were telling upon
the heloaguered inhabitants of Stewart's
Flat, on none more more than Caryl Win
throp, whose sunken cheek and unnaturaly
bright eve told Of extreme exhaustion.
ave shall be happy together in heaven,
dear-not on earth, " he said, more than once
as he looked wistfully into the face of his
betrothed one, and chafed her cold hands
between his. at has become a question,
not of DAYS, but of hours and minutes"
terror, caught the faint, low sound of the
clinldng of iron tools, mingling with the
wall Of that dismal snow-shrek. Her com
panions in misfortune, however, could not
hear it, and she was easily persuaded that
she had been tricked by her own excited
fancy. Hours went by the snow falling
still, though not so heavily, and there was
no sign from without. All prepared to per
ish for now the scanty store of food was
gone, and Caryl and Metella. as they knelt
and prayed, side 10y side, felt that their we'd
ding must indeed be in the world to come.
not this.
There is one thing ought to tell you,
dear Caryl," whispered the girl, as they stood
side by side in the porch al have not been
willfully untrue 20 my pledge, but--bnt there
was one who left us but the other day, on
whom my rebellious thoughts would dwell,
do what could to school them. II was not
that'I did not love you-indeed not--but, il
was different when thought of Alberto
Panell. | shall never see him more. lie
will learn TO forget me, and, had lived, it
should have been my daily task to forget him.
You are not angry, CarylY"
He kissed her on the forehead, saying
gently, "lndeed | am not angry. Love,
fear, will not be always reasoned with. Iti
not your fault, my poor child, if you saw in
Panell what you have never seen in me. |
was 10 you as brother, was notg And
you learned, too late that liking was not
love 1t matters little, dearest, ON the brink
of the grave, as we stand now, but believe
me lIa the noise without is real enough
this time"
And so it was. There was a distinct clash
and rattle of spade and shovel, of ak and
f.I .
men, and the thud of falling blocks of snow,
and then a cheer, hearty and triumphant,
which was echoed in feebler accents by those
within the house, while the door was eagerly
opened to admit the deliverers. And now u
creyice, soon enlarged TO cleft, appeared in
the snow wall close in front, and revealed
the dark outlines Of human form, hewing
TO right and left, with broad-hladcd hatehet,
as il cutting path through the ranks OF a
resisting enemy. Then a tall, strong man.
wet and dripping, and with a dark beard and
hair full of glistening snow-crystals, came
leaping from the aperture, and reached the
threshold. Ii was Alberic-Alberic l'arnell,
and the next to struggle through the breach
in the SNOWFALL. spade in hand, was the
gaunt figure of Hiram Pell, the hunter, while
from behind came crowding up the rest Of
the cold and hardy band.
Then followed a scene OF indescribable ex-
cltenent ana CONFUSION IN Whleh thahks TO
Hod ana man Tor tlis tlnely rescue were
freely uttered ny those VINO now saw thchl-
selves restored 10 the iiVihg Woria; bu'
Meteila' VINO han seen notiihg Out aiperlc
lace IN ail uhal ,nlngied group was overpo"-
ered ny the r1si OF h.r eiaotlohs, ana was was
SINKING seIseiss on the moor, Wnen ,he
young man sPraig FORWARD anu ehugn' her
iaihtlnS IN ms strong arms Nheil sue re-
covered rom ,lle sWpoh her parents were We're
WIN her' ana near lhs SOFA On Miiloh tney
l iaid her' st"od tiie olu hunter hiram reii'
lhefe was loou Oh .apie near ioI tie res
euers haa not CONF EN- y-hanueu put aiiss
stewart nad i3rgV''sn her munger iorgo'eh
all save mat sle ha1 seen Aioerle again i4I
one nfiei moment oil happiness; Hhe drank
N ihlrstl,y' however ule words oi ,he oin
packMoodsi,lah'
| hahk MN 'olonei-Mr' rarheii mean
not me- ior true as guspei us 10 nm you.
owe your hNes' ialh OF srl'i th9ugni
knew Wlat bravery, was, put never uie ike
oil that young chhps' iie shalilel us ihio
sticking to II squire hghting every men %
the way against cola ana iatigns' anu Work
ing more hke Young giant uiaii mere
man says Mr' Alpenc, Whcii there was
ialk oI giving III i@. Wil9 VII nliion @ aho
leaNe heilhess women 'o PerlSii, 60 on aiohc
ana whoever deserts me At thls plncll, never
ie. nun ,1u up us l'ai "'ppnH 'iol'St nl,ll