Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1875-04-01

prOach, sorrow or fright, Dut sat, dear
child, quite still, while the white tor
rent fell upon her beautiful hair and
stiffened the border Of her hood. So
white and rigid she looked, she might
have been carved from the snow about
us.
"The only word that fell from her
sweet lips was the one that also tug
ged at my heart, filing it with the
bitterness of a vain remorse. Jean"
murmured the poor child; and two
big tears fell from her eyes and froze
upon the hard, stiff hairs of the buff
falo skin.
Il do not know what mad words of
regret and sorrow poured out at her
feet, hut remember still the woman
" eagerness with which she took sll
blame upon herself, and strove to in
fuse hope into my fainting heart
"The air grew sharp and chill; the
light of the moon was dimmed by
the storm; ard the wind gathered
tierceness and strength, beat louder
and louder in the fir trees, and writh-
ed and shrieked in their skeleton
branches. The snow came down as l
never saw it come down before; and
there in the drifts and the freezing
air alone and lost, were Lulu and |
and my splendid grays.
"The winds grew stronger, the
drifts grew deeper, and at last tloun-
dered down the poor horses; and
while l urged with painting breath
and gentle cut of the whip, every
thing was growing dim about me;
nv hands were numb; sharp bond
cut into my very brain. | heard as
in dream, the voice of Lulu, who,
delicate and beautiful as she was,
could stand this torture better than |,
for she was born and reared in this
snow desert.
"The last thing l remember was
drawing out my pistol, and, like one
crazed with last hope, firing it into
the air.
"Then, losing all power of will, !
sank back into the sleigh, now filed
with snow, and heard, fainter and
fainter, the gentle voice of Lulu
felt like an enraptured ghost, the soft
caress of her hands, and her breath
on my frozen cheek.
at would have been then merci-
full death to die, could | have known
that Lulu would have at last been
safe on the good heart of Jean; but
nv last sweet dream of conscious
ness was poisoned by the thought of
the bitter and lonely death | had
brought to this poor child.
'-Of course, gentleman, | did not
die, or should not have been here to
tell you this tale with a moral. When
| awoke to consciousness found my
self in huge bed, almost smothered
in coverlets of elder down, and II faint
idea that | was being manipulated
into some plastic material by an iron
hand led me to open my eyes and
find bending over ME the noble face
of Jean. Calm thyself, friend, in
answer to my broken entreaties;
Lulu is strong and well, and brew
ing for thee some soup to put
strength into that poor body. When,
thanks to the great God, we heard
thy firing, and at last found you,
Lulu was able to speak and move,
but thou vert as one frozen. And
one of thy grays is dead in the sta
BILE yOnder; the other / fear me will
not see the dawn of day. Thou
shouldst not have ventured thus with
those puny steeds-it was unwise!
That was all of reproaches received
from this noble gentleman. leave
you to imagine my remOrse, graft
tude, and the subsequent vows |
made when, through the kindness of
Jean, / was restored to civilization" D"
'But," said Browne, "We needn't
90 to the wilds of Canada to find
three feet of snow"
II thought you spoke of child OF
natureY" said Robinson.
''Well?" interrogated Smythe.
"There is not the article you de-
scribed within the limits of the Uni
ted States. ...