St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1879-12-05
Adventure on Lake Winnipisseogee

noon the sky had been clear, but as the
sur declined, a thick leaden haze had
Obscured his sickly sight, and appear
anoes gave promise of the coolest night
of an unusually cold season. The uI
train on the G. railroad was de-
tanned by the immense drifts of snow
which formed upon the lines; and il
was past nine O'Clock when the putting
locomotive came slowly and laboriously
up to the little depot at A., the
northern terminus of the route.
AS usual in country places, as well as
those more thickly settled, quite little
company had assembled in the princi-
pal room of the building to talk ovel
the severe weather, and discuss the
probability of the non=arrival of the
train that night.
With the first sound of the OminouE
whistle, the narrow door of the depo
was crowded with anxious heads eacl
striving to pierce further into the dark,
ness than his neighbor.
The usual variety of passengers
alighted ; each one anxious about his ol
her baggage, and each one particularly
certain that it was in just such place
that the baggage-master said it was
not; but it is with one Of this motley
assembly that we have to do.
She was a young lady, our heroine
and dressed with extreme elegance.
Springing from the platform, scarcely
touching the extended hand of the gen.
tlemanly conductor, she gazed anxious
ly around her for a moment, and theI
made her way to the window of the
Office, which was pushed back to allow
the official within to receive the express
boxes, and separate the mails; the man
started as her low musical tones fell Oh
his ear.
"'Can you tell me the distance tc
| WOlfboro 7"
"Twelve miles, ma'am and no pas
sage there for five days; roads com
pletely blocked !" and he was turning
away.
She put out her hand to stay him
"No passage? 1t cannot be ! | must be
in WOlfboro within four hours, sir My
mother is dying there ~
''SOrry-very sorry, indeed but it is
an utter imposSibility to think of doing
such Il thingl Why, ma'am, the ther-
mometer stands ten degrees below zero,
this very minute, and twill be still low
er before midnight
81 know the cold is intense dare
say the way is replete with danger ;
but my mother, the mother who brought
me into existence, is dying there, and
| must go to herm The voice of the
young girl became choked and brok Ell
as she ceased.
"lt's hard case, / must admit; but
| tn of oft 70
to WOlfb0rO tO-night-the coach road
is as impassable as the Alps, and the
only track is across the lake but nei-
ther man nor beast could live on that
bleak route half the distance ! am sor-
ry, ma'am, but l only speak the truth
about it."
The face of the young lady blanched
still paler, but her voice was firm, as
she said:
"Cold and perilOus though it be, |
must go to my mother. Were | sick,
she would move heaven and earth, but
she would stand by my bedside! can
not let her die and | so very near her,
and yet not in her presence. l must go,
if 60 on foot and aloneI"
Rash girl it would be no better
than suicide to attempt the passage of
the WinnipisseOgee on such night as
this, even with Il strong horse and an
experienced guide; and such cannot be
found who will brave the horrors of
the night for love OF money" !"
''Lady, will go with you !" and the
crowd parted before the tall, finely
built young man who came hastily to
the side of the strange girl. 81 am un-
L Tn nd .,
BILE; but if you will tIust me, the con-
tidence shall not be misplaced" He
removed his cap from his head, and
stood erect and dignifed before her-a
strikingly handsome youth, clad in a
rough garb of gray. There was the
fire of lofty spirit burning in his deep,
hazel eye, and around his classically
carved lips dwelt an expression half
stern, half tender. The clear blue eyes
of the lady met his fixed yet respectful
gaze, searchingly. She put her hands
in his.
"God bless you, sir! There is one
true heart in New Hampshire l will
trust you"
An expression of pride and gratitude
swept over the young mans face, and
he bent his head low before her as he
said ''ln half an hour will return for
you" and with firm, elastic step, he
left the depot.
The young lady dropped into seat
by the fire, and covering her face with
her hands, seemed lost in a painful rev
erie. The listless changers on" about
the place gathered together in a little
knot about the office window there
was new subject to discuss.
"FOol enough is Will Argensen to
undertake to cross the lake tonight |!
He'll be frozen stiff, in my opinion, be-
fore the day breaksT" exclaimed an old
man, evidently the oracle of the COM
pany.
"And the gal Its a shame, though,
for she's a sweet loOkin' critter! Heaven
pity her and take care of her, for she'll
need somebody's care before the night
is through ~
.'She's in good hands, though" said a
third member of the coterie, withdraw
ing his pipe from his mouth as he spoke,
''for Will is as noble lad as ever
breathed the air of Hampshire He
knows every inch of the Winnie, as
well as | know the road to the mill
and his horse is powerful deal more
intelligent than any human folks, any
howl"
"Argensen will do well enough if
there amt squall but it strikes me
the sky looks rather hazy, and depend
upon it, this lull amt for nothin'i" said
a fourth, peering anxiously into the
darkness "and if there should be a