Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1875-04-01
1HarDer's Weekly.l


A party of gentlemen lonnging ovel
their wine at Delmonico's, and pon.
dering how they should kill the in.
tervening hours between dinner and
the late or early period assigned for
sleep, found sleighing indispensa-
ble-a precious because extremely
rare sprinkling of snow upon the
Avenue must be enjoyed. The only
question was how best to enjoy it.
"How would it do" said young
Browne, ''to 90 for the country ma
terial-three feet of the solid, you
know, no grinding over dirt and
stones, or slushing through mud and
mire-just regular fashioned
sweep through a cloudy landscape,
the trees and tops of hedges dressed
all in white for us, and anice little
CLINT of rose-color in the evening
sky? Eth? how about that, boys"
''And stop at comfortable inn,
said Smythe, "with gables and sloping
roof, the out-houses painted glow
ing red, wherein our painting steeds
could rest and partake of home-raised
oats, while we, perchance, within the
hospitable portal, might "trip the
light fantastic with some beautiful
child of nature, innocent of rouge or
pearl powder, where felicitous sen
tence might bring forth the rdra dcis
of veritable blush? Eli? what do
YOU say to that?''
But Robinson dallied with his glass,
now held it to the light, then put it
down untasted, or sippeda little from
its brim.
'sNot any for me-" he said at last.
'Pve 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
q moral"
Hear! heart they cried, and
tapped upon the table with gentle
irony.
at was a land of SNOW began
Robinson, .'wherc the houses were
scattered far and wide, and many an
acre loomed between, with scarcely n
landmark to guide the weary pilgrim
on his way. The trees mostly OF
pine and fir, theirs craggy branches
half hidden in avalanches of snow.
The whole landscape was waste and
sterile, and unutterably sad. How
and when and where l found myself
OH that wild night, wrapped in robes
of fur and buffalo skins, pair of no
bic grays bearing Inc over this artl-
fetal surface of the earth. it matters
not, nor has aught to do with my
story.
''At last / reached this veritable
inn of which you spoke, with gables
and peaks, dormer- windows and
quaint turrets, and wide oaken doors
through which | passed with great
| thankfulness, and sense of infinite
rest and ease.
"After a substantial supper weni
out to the stables to see how my trav
el-spent beasts were faring, and fount
that there had been some fresh ar
rivals. A rude and almost gigantic
sled upon heavy oaken runners barred
my passage, and on all sides | founo
Il variety of homemade vehicles, o
all sizes and shapes, filled with blank
cts of white and scarlet wool, home
spun coverlets, and sheep-skins.
San old French hostler busie'
| himself in dexterously nntying tn
leather thongs that constituted mos
of the harness.
''There fell upon my ear lain
twanging in the distance, suggestiv
of stringed instrument.
"'DancingY l exclaimed to tn
hostler.
"'But yes he replied; in truth, i
is the dance
"'Within there? l pursued, point
ing to the house.
"EWithout doubt he answered
and / hastened in the direction G
this phantom music. Making m
way through dimly lighted corrido
with many a subtle turn and tortuou
decliyity and height, guided alone b
the now distinct scraping of yioliI
/ at length found myself in spaciou
low-ceiled apartment Immediately III
der the peaked roof, of the whol
breadth of the hosiery. A quaint
ty of candles in tin sconces cast
. fiickering light upon the scene, an
moving hither and thither in tt
mazes of a singular country -dant
were about score of fustics, of
> class of humanity altogether strans
and new to me-a race of Titan
strong of limb, with muscles Of irt
|. and sinews- Of STEEL a bovine cast
feature, mild and Illuminating, vii
eyes wide apart, straight noses, e
ID panded hostrils, and lips curved Ill
those Of Grecian statue.