St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1877-08-17
VOLUME 41---NUMBER 2O9O.

uihu US DcioIe ioHS IL WAS udrh.
little Rose had grown very quiet; l
myself scarcely spoke. 1 was anxious
concerning her exposure to the gather
ing storm, concerning her solicitude.
We were in hill country now and
then light twinkled far up some slope,
but we passed no houses at all our
hearts rose and sank with the unwind
ing lengths of the rising and sinking
road. The snow still fell, and now it
was drifting sadly; everything was
weird and strange; it was no longer
possible to distinguish the way. 1 left
it to the instinct of the horse he stop
ped stone still, at last, in the middle of
hill pasture, on the edge of wood,
unable to proceed another rod. | struck
my last match, and looked at my
watch; it was already half-past IL.
There was no help for it. Here we
were to stay till morning, if we lived
so long. | was full of apprehension,
and, although 1 had done my best, |
was mortified to the quick. at is not
your fault, Mr.. Ferguson" said Rose,
tremulously. II ought not to have
ventured it,
Sand you can't imagine what Mrs.
Burbank will say" l exclaimed, reck-
lessly.
She burst out crying. ''Oh, what
shall do what shall do 2" she said.
got out and broke down the drift a
little before the horse, and then led
him cautiously just within the wood.
''How comfortable !" cried Rose, be-
tween her sobs. Cit is almost like
getting home.n
sit is the heart of the great mother"
said L.
1t was going under real shelter the
wind hushed, the cold sOfteneu; only
the great pine bOughs murmured, and
the snow fell quietly. L unhitched the
horse, blanketed him, broke such boughs
as | could for his bed, and bent and
bound others partially over him. And
as l was doing it l heard voices. !
listened, hallooed, and the reply told
me that the other team found itself in
exactly our position. Crying that l
would be with them directly, l went
back to Rose. ''Dr. Wilder and his
friend have brought up in the wood
toO,n said l.
81 heard them," said she.
"And that is much more cheerful"
'.Oh, not in the least,n she said. ''Mrs.
Burbank will never overlook it any
way. Aud it will kill DR.. Wilder, too
that old man in this winter storm ~
''Well, really, l don't know that | am
to blame for his being here,n said 1.
"Oh, didn't mean that" she cried,
starting forward. "Oh, don't know
what do say-what with the disaster
and the ride and the worry. Don't
don't be veXed with me-"
''Vexed with your said 1. elbow
absurd AS if it were possible-the poor
tired child" And by that time l was
standing in the snow close beside her.
'Rose,n | began, drawing off one of the
small otter-skin mittens-''how cold
the little hand is!''
Portable"
"How cold the little hand is :" and l
pressed it to my lips.
She took it away hastily. ''No, no,
no." she murmured. "YOu mustn't
speak to me so-here.r
''And if it were not here" I cried.
Crosse, you will never dare go back to
Mrs. Burbank's now?"
She made no reply.
''Then why not go home with me ?"
''Go home with you ?" she repeated.
like some one in dream.
"With me-" l said "To stay with
me. Forever"
''Oh, you would never have asked me
if it had not been for this y she cried
''Do you think am so small, so pititul
as that 1t is my misfortune that we
are here but | shall not let it ruin your
life by burdening you with wife you
don't love-"
81 don't love ?" | answered her
Heaven knows what joy in my voice :;
and l told the rest in the dark upon her
dear, warm, dewy lips.
Five minutes later Tiffany and | had
pulled and tipped and tilted the other
sleigh, with the doctor in it, to place
close beside my own.
"My dear young friends" said the
doctor, with whom had now exchang-
ed few sentences, "this is very sud
den and very surprising; but, indeed,
as the son of my old friend, and as one
who has been under my care, in some
measure, since her childhood, think |
may say quite the best thing. Quite
the best thing under the circumstances.
| don't know upon whose parish l may
be intruding, but think may venture;
and as the state requires no license, and
we have witness" And here the
old doctors voice broke forth under the
sonOrous arches of the wood in the mu-
sic of the church service that he knew
10y heart. We had heard it lately in
the midst of flowers and light and
friends, organ strains and bell notes
but here in the solitude of the forest,
ell
snow, as the wedding prayer rang out,
it was inexpressibly solemn. We felt
as if great spirits were the company be-
fore whom we gave and pledged our
trOth, and if we did not kneel to the
blessing, nevertheless it seemed to fall
upon our bent heads like tender hand
as that voice cried out of the gloom and
shadow, "The Lord mercifully, with
His favor, look upon you, and fill you
with all spiritual benedictiOn and grace,
that ye may so live together in this life
that in the world to come ye may have
life everlastingm
care you sorry, my Rose 7" / whis-
pered. And for one moment two arms
thrown about me, and little cold cheek
on mine, were more eloquent than
words.
Then Tiffany and proceeded to cut
other boughs and pile them round the
horses and sleighs. Destitute of match
es for l had used my last in looking
at my watch-we could not build fire;
and, at length, we disposed ourselves
among the furs and rugs in our respec-
tive sleighs, to be as merry as we could
till sunrise, with the snow still falling
softly around us. And very merry we
were. We jested and spared and told
stories the old doctor recited the ad-