The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-04-09
ALAND OE SNOW.

ALAND OF SNOW.
A party of gentlemen lounging owe
their wine at Delmonico's and ponder
ing how they should kill the interven
| ing hours between dinner and the lat
| or early period assigned Tor sleep
found sleighing Indispensable pre-
cious because extremely rare sprinkline
of snow upon the avenue must be en-
ioyed. The only question was how bes
to enjoy it.
Chow would it do" said young
Browne, "to go for the country mate
rial-three feet of the solid, you know
no grinding over dirt and stones, OF
slushing through mud and mire-just {
regular d-fashioned sweep through
cloudy landscape, the trees and tops
of hedges dressed all in white for us
and nice little CLINT of rose color il
the evening sky? Eh? how about that,
boys?"
"And stop at a comfortable inn, -
said Smytbe, "with gables and sloping
roof, the out-houses painted glowing
red, wherein our painting steeds could
rest and partake of home-raised oats,
while we, perchance, within the hospit-
able portal, might trip the light fan
tastic with some beautiful child OF
nature, innocent of rouge or pearl pow
der, where a felicitous sentence might
bring forth the rarG avis of a veritable
blush? Eh what do you say to that?'
But Robinson dallied with his glass,
now held it to the light, then put it
down untasted, or slipped little from
it's brim.
"Not any for me-" he said at last.
GIVE been through all that, and ex-
hausted it"
Browne and Smythe looked at each
other significantly.
"Would it be indiscreet to ask when
and where ?"
81 will tell you the story, gentle
men," said Robinson, "because " it has
a moral"
''Hear ! hear they cried, and tapped
upon the table with gentle irony.
1t was land of snow," began Rob
inson, "where the houses were scat
tered far and wide, and many an acre
loomed between, with scarcely land
mark to guide the weary pilgrim on his
way. The trees mostly of pine and
fir, their scraggy branches half hidden
in avalanches of snow. The whole
landscape was waste and sterile, and
unutterably sad. How and when and
where I found myself on that wild
night, wrapped in robes of fur and
buffalo skins, pair of noble grays
bearing me over this artificial surface
of the earth, it matters not, nor has
aught to do with my story.
/" At last / reached this veritabIe inn
of which you spoke, with gables and
peaks, dormer-windows and quaint tur-
rets, and wide oaken doors through
which passed with greatfulness, and
sense of infinite rest and ease.
"After a substantial supper I went
out to the stables to see how my travel
spent beasts were faring, and found
that there had been some fresh arrivals.
A rude and almost gigantic slsd upon
heavy oaken runners barred my passage,
and on all sides [ found a variety of
home made vehicles, of all sizes and
shapes, filed with blankets of white
and scarlet wool, home-spun coverlets,
and sheep-skine.
"An old French hostler busted him
self in dexterously untying the leather
thongs that constituted most of the
harness.
"There fell upon my ear a faint
twanging in the distance, suggestive of
a stringed instrument.
Dancing?' I exclaimed to the
hostler.
"'But yes he replied; in truth, it
is the dance.
"' Within there?' pursued, point
ing to the house.
"' Without doubt, he answered, and
[ FASTENED in the direction of this phan
tom music. Making my way through
dimly lighted corridor, with many q
subtle turn and tortuous declivity and
height, guided alone by thenow distinct
of a violin, at length found
myself in spacious, low-ceiled apart
ment Immediately under the peaked
roof, of the whole breadth of the hos
belry. A quantity of candles in tin
cast a Pickering light upon the
scene, and moving hither and thither
in the mazes of singular country dance
were about q score of rustics, of a class
of humanity altogether strange and new
TO me-a race of Titans, strong of limb,
with muscles of iron and sinews of steel,
a bovine cast of feature, mild and ru-
with eyes wide apart, straight
noses, expanded nostrils, and lips curved
like those of Grecian statue.
ct watched them for a time move
slowly and with rude dignity through
an intricate dance, which left one couple
almost hidden III the darkness of a far
corner. Suddenly this couple came
swiftly down to the centre of the group,
and stood almost directly before me.
10 With fbaca hauo IN do
tlemen. One of them-the lady, if l
may cell her thus-was the most beau
tifnl creature [ ever saw. So young she
seemed to me, 1 involuntarily smiled
upon child. She wore simple bodice
over blue petticoat. Her arms and
neck were covered by a chemise puffed
and starched, and white as the snow it
was bleached upon. Her hair, only
bound by chain and silver arrow. fell
far below her waist. Its color was hard
to define, but seemed, in the smoky
glare of the candles, ayellowish, creamy
white.
'''Her feet. beneath her petticoat,
Like little mice, stole in and out,
And oh, she danced it such a way, O.
No sun upon an Easter day,
Was half so fine sight
eyes, gentlemen, she was theme
Tor poesy. l watched her with mute
but expressive admiration, so that when
aer eyes met mine 1 fancied there grew
4 gentle recognition in them. She
looked up to her Titanic partner and
5milingly drew his attention to me. l
,an not describe the benevolent patron
age of his manner when, as if taking
pity upon my loneliness, and apparently
pleased with my evident appreciation
Of the lovely being that seemed in
some way to belong to him, he brought |
her to my side, and with noble hospi-
5ality left her, as he said, to beguile the
time of the stranger. Good fellow that
he was, I hope this kindly trust be-
brayed did not impair his simple faith
in humanity.
sc Her name is Lulu, he said, and
mine jean
"And while cast about for some
thing to say to this little maiden in the
patois of her country, she began her
self, in voice sweet, low, and sonor-
Gus
"It is, then, your sleigh in the stable
below? How beautiful it is 1t is