Daily Kennebec journal., 1875-04-10

THE HIGHLAND SNOW STORN.
BY JOHN WILSON.
EcoNrINUEp FROM rHURspAY.1

! CONTINUED FROM THURSDAY. az
Hannah Lee had been servant for more
than six months, and it was not to be
thought that she was beloved in her mas
ter's family. Soon after she had left the
house, her masters son, youth Of about
eighteen years, who had been among the
hills looking after the sheep. came home,
and was disappointed to find that he had
lost an opportunity Of accompanying Han
nah part of the way to her fathers cot
tage. But the hour of eight had gone by,
and not even the company of young
William Grieve could induce the kind
hearted daughter to delay setting out on
her journey few minutes beyond the
time promised to her parents. II do not
like the night" said William there will
be a fresh fall of snow soon, or the witch
of Glen Scrae is liar, for a snow-cloud is
hanging DER the Birch-tree lin, and it may
be down to the Black-mess rs soon as
Hannah Lee." So he called his two sheep
dogs that had taken their place under the
long table before the window, and set out.
half in Joy, half in fear to overtake Han
nah, and see her safely across the Black
moss. -use- .sse,s.4
The snow began TO drift so fast, that be.
fore he had reached the head Of the glen.
there was nothing to be seen but little
bit of the wooden rail of the bridge across
the Sauch-bura. William Grieye was the
most active shepherd in a large pastoral
parish; he had often passed the night
among the wintry hills for the sake of a
few sheep. and ali the snow that ever fell
from heaven would not have made him
turn back when Hannah Lee was before
him, and, as his terrified heart told him.
in imminent danger of being lost. As he
advanced, he felt that it was no longer a
walk OF love or friendship, for which he
had been glad OF an excuse. Death stared
him in the face, and his young soul, now
beginning to feel all the passions of youth.
was filled with frenzy. He had seen Han
nah every day,-at the fireside, at work,
in the kirk.-on holidays,-at prayers,
bringing supper to his aged parents, smil-
ing and singing about the house from
morning till night. She had often brought
his own meal to him among the hills; and
he now found that though he had never
talked to her about love, except smilingly
and playfully. he loved her beyond father
or mother or his own soul. II will save
thee. Hannah" he cried, with loud sob,
''or lie down beside thee in the snow and
we will die together in our youth" A wild,
whistlng wind went by him. and the
flakes whirled so fiercely around his
head, that he staggered on fer q while in
utter blindness. He knew the path that
Hannah must have taken, and went for
ward shouting aloud, and stopping every
twenty yards to listen for q voice. He
sent his well-trained dogs over the snow
in all directions; repeating to them her
name. Hannah Lee," that the dumb an
ima!s might, in their sagacity, know for
whom they were searching; and rs they
looked up in his face, and set off to scour
the moor, he almost believed that they
knew his meaning (and it is probable they
did). and were eager to find in her bewil-
derment the kind maiden by whose hand
they had so often been fed. Often went
they off in the darkness, and as often re-
turned, but their looks showed that every
quest had been in vain. Meanwhile the
snow was of fearful depth, and falling
without intermission or diminution. Had
the young shepherd been thus alone,
walking across the moor on his ordinary
business, it is probable that he might have
been alarmed for his own safety; nay,
that. in spite of all his strength and agility.
he might have sunk down beneath the in
clemency of the night and perished. But
lnow the passion Of his soul carried him
with supernatural strength along, and ex-
treated him from wreath and pitfall Still
there was no trace of poor Hannah Lee:
and one of his dogs at last came close to
his feet, worn out entirely, and afraid to
leave its master; while the other was
mute, and, as the shepherd thought, prob
ably unable to force its way out of some
hollow or through some foundering drift.
Then he all at once knew that Hannah
Lee was ad.-and dashed himself down
in the snow in fit of passion.
1t was the first time that the youth had
ever been sorely tried; all his hidden and
unconscious love for the fair lost girl had
flowed up from the bottom Of his heart;
and at once the sole object which had blest
his life and made him the happiest of the
happy was taken away and cruelty de-
stroyed, so that, sullen, ,wrathful,, baffled.
and desparng. there he lay, cursing his
of PRAYER. God" he then thought, ''has
forsaken me, and why should he think on
me, whenhe suffers one SO good and beau
tiMl as Hannah to be frozen to death ?"
God thought both of him and OF Hannah,
and through his infinite mercy torgave
the sinner in his wild turbulence OF pas
sion. William Grieve had never gone to
bed without Joining in prayer; and he re-
vered the Sabbath day and kept it holy.
Much is forgiven to the human heart by
him who SO fearfully framed it; and God
is not slow to pardon the love which one
human being bears to another, in his
frailty even though that love forget or ar
raign his own unseeping provideEce. His
voice has told as TO love one another; and
William loved Hannah in simplicity, in
nocence and truth. That she should per-
ish, was a thought so dreadful, that, in its
agony, God seemed ruthless being
"Blow--blow--blow. and Drift ns-up for
ever,-we cannot be far asunder. . Han.
nah.-Hannah think ye not that the
fearful God has torsaken US ?"
As the boy groaned the words passion
ately through his quivsring lips. there was
sudden lowness IN the air, and be heard
the barking Of his absent dog, while the
Zone at his feet hurried off in the direction
of the sound, and soon loudly joined the
cry. 1t was nota bark Of surprise. or an
| .xar or fear hut of reco0nitinn and love-