The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1876-08-25

own and his daughters horses resad-
died, and 10 set on,under my guidance,
in the direction indicated by Sing 81.
As we left the camp, lighted by a
broad, full moon, that bathed the steppe
with silvery brightness, observed that
the northern sky was growing very
dark, and that the long filaments Of
gray cloud had become knit together,
as though the Valkyrs were indeed busy
at the loom of death. The wind, also,
blowing in fitful gusts, had become
piercingly cold, and our very horses
snorted and shifted the air, rs though
they scented the approach of some view
less peril.
BY the time we had ridden, as
guessed, some two miles from the halt
ing-place, the northern sky had d, x
ened still more, and the slow sobbing
of the desert wind had sweiled into "A
shrek, while the temperature was per-
cepubly lowered, so that Ellen shivered
more from cold than fear. We pressed
on. Mr.. Merton, as | have said, had
been unwilling 10 take my counsel, in
opposition TO the SCOTS and remon-
strances of his friends, but now he said,
in an altered tone:
81 begin TO thinS, Richards, that you
and the Tartar were right. God bless
YOU. for your unseltish kindness, my
boy, whatever comes of this"
Before could reply, terrified out
cry from Ellen's lips made me turn my
head, just as the first quick snow-hakes
came whirling down, and there, behind
Us, throwing before il, rs il came, a
CHASTITY CLEAN of light, came from the
north shapeless whiteness, rolling pit
less on.
"The snow, the snow," we exclaim-
ed, as with one voice, urging on our
atfrighted horses 10 their fullest speed,
while behind Us, like the tide rising fast
over the sands of the seashore, swept
on the white wave, and burying beneath
ii, rs it advanced, bush, and mound,
and water course, and blotting out ev-
cry feature of the landscape to the north
ward
Then began race indeed, the alarm
ed horses straining every sinew to out
strip the pursuing fate; out with ali our
speed the drift gained upon Us, and
presently we found ourselves plunging
and Laundering, up TO our saddle girths
in snow. The moons radiance was
now totally obscured, but affair of, 10
westward, my eve had caught the rud-
dy glance OF a fire such as charcoal
burners kindle among the hills, and
never did stOrm-tOssed mariner watch
the welcome beacon of some harbor
more eagerly than | did this saving
light.
The fire, rs | had conjectured, was
burning high up on one OF the wooded
spurs of the mountain range near the
sources of the Amour, but To reach il
was no triling task. Our exhausted
steeds, worn out by the toilsome pas
sage through the snow, could scarcely
be urged 10 fresh exertions, while the
rush Of the deepening flood, and the
binding showers that dashed into our
faces, threatened at each instant To
overwhelm Us. We reached the Amour
at last, down the swollen current of
which were whirling masses Of snow,
and here Ellen's horse fell, and coBld
not be raised, while that of MIR. Merton,
gasping and spent, no longer answered
to the spur.
"Save yourself, Frank leave u.s.
why should all perish?" groaned the
merchant.
There was some strength and spirit
yet left in the gallant Turcoman that
bestrode, and, snatching up Ellen's light
form in my arms, spurred into the
river, and, struggling through, depos-
tied my precious burden on the turf be-
vond, under the shelter Of rocky
bowlder. then recrossed the ford,
and, bidding Mr. Merton 20 cling tightly
TO my horses name, for the third time
breasted the current, and, half swim
ming, half wadisg, we got through,
though on the further bank my noble
horse reeled and fell, with faint, low
neigh, and so died. The carcasses of
the others we're already buried beneath
the driving snow.
The rest Of our story-how, after
some fatigue, we scaled the rocky ravine
where stood the hut Of the charcoal
burners, and how these rough but
kindly beings warmed aud fed us, and
finally enabled us To reach Kiachta in
safety-is a tale Of mere commonplace
hardship. | have been for years the
happy husband of Ellen, and junior
partner in the thriving house Of Mer-
ton Il Paulovitch, although our sphere
of business has been removed to a less
romantic region than that Of Eastern
Siberia. OF the fate Of Count Amen
koff and the caravan under his charge
no survivor ever returned to headquar-
tiers TO tell the tale.-AH the Year
Round
A mischievous guack in Altoona
City, Penn, advised a young man with
more hair than brain TO use molasses
uafar tho tba,,-,s k.;n., tba, of,.~ 81