Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-05-16
SNOW.BOUND.

~@NN VIZ NAhNA AlONlON uAlO
shrieked across the prairie, driving
the snow in great white clouds,
drifting it against the fences and
filing the track of the already be.
lated night express, that, after re.
peated efforts came to stand still
at last, unable to proceed. There
were but few passengers, party of
countrymen, boisterously indiffer-
ent, a few gentlemen, mostly COM
mercial travellers, a family party
and a lady travelling alone.
The conductor passed through
the train, speaking cheering words
of comfort there was nothing that
could be done but to make them
selves as comfortable as possible un-
til morning. They could at least
keep warm.
Then followed a very natural
scene-men swore, women fretted;
and children screamed, at the same
time each in his own way prepared
for the night, and through it all,
the lady withouta companion, COM
fortably resting among her fur
wrappings, looked on with half
Scornful, a half-indifferent manner.
They were quiet at last; most of
them dropped into uneasy slumber,
disturbed only by the rapid stride
of gentleman who walked rest
lessly up and down, causing many
an eye to follow him angrily Snd-
denly this lady, throwing aside her
cloak, and with it apparently her
scorn, stood before him. "Charlie,
don't you know me?" He looked
at the flushed, lovely face for an
instant, then taking both her hands,
said: Helen! what brought you
here?' She explained that, think
ing to gain a days time, she had
taken this cross route, then mo-
toned him to a seat at her side.
Old friends as they were, glad as
they doubtless were to meet, they
sat in silence. at is long time"
he said at last, and she repeated
softly, ga long time, ten years."
"You are married." "I have been
a widow for two years" she replied,
with ayerted face. The dark
stormy night, the dreary surround
ings, her own widowhood and lone
ly state, all passed from her mind
and she chatted and sang with her
handsome lover. Once more she
went on long rambling walks, or
quiet moonlight rides, always with
one companion, her handsome lover.
Oh, that blissful, happy summer,
could she ever forget those days
that seemed to partake more Of
heaven than of earth. Then she
remembered the parting, that drea-
ry day, just ten years ago. Once
more she felt the pressure of those
strong arms, once more felt those
burning, passionate kisses on her
face and lips, once more she felt
those caresses, SO hearty, evidently
so sincere, and now her lover was
leaving her; sit is only for a little
while, my darling" he had whis-
pered, but she clung to him, Sob
bing, weeping with a pain that he
could not comfort.
To-day this proud, magnificent
woman bowed her head and wept
for pity for the bright afectionate
girl, whose heart had died SO long
ago, for there came no word. In
vain she watched and waited until
her eyes were weary and her heart
was sore, for letter that never
came. Then she sent a note, chad
he forgotten herr" but no answer
came, and her cheeks grew pale,
and her step listless. at last she
humbled her pride and wrote a
long, pleading letter, begging him
to come back to her, promising to
be t" tender and true" but he never
came, and that, too, went unans-
wered. Fierce anger burned in her
heart now, and she vowed the world
should never know her sorrow. She
studied, travelled, entered society
and was at once reigning belle.
A wealthy suitor sought her hand,
and she, knowing the triumph that
wealth would bring, had yielded a
willing consent. How well she re-
membered the last night of her girl
hood she had wept through the
long weary hours, but the morning
found her unchanged.
She had been pre-eminently a
successful woman; but to-day a
prisoner in a battered car, on a
branch ard almost unused road,
with the wind bowling without, she
felt that her brilliant life had been
like Dead Sea apples, fair to the
view, but bitter to the taste.
Her musings were broken by her
companion, who asked, T" Helen,
viii you tell mel have no desire