Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1880-01-01
BY VICTOR VERNON.
CHAPTER T.

CHAPTER I. ..
1t was a black, wild winter night. The
snow fell fast, and the bitter wind whistled
drearily over wide, desolate moor, across
which woman was toiling through the storm
A friendly wagon had brought her within a
short distance of this place, and set her
down, its owner having in vain tried to per-
suade her to accept the shelter, for few
hours, of his humble home not far off; and
she stumbled on through the darkness with
the desperate resolve to reach on foot, and
without farther aid, the goal towards which
she was pressing.
This was farm. house lying just beyond
the moor, whose twinkling light she could
even now family discern. They gave her
fresh courage, and clasping more closely a
bundle she held against her breast-a baby
wrapped in large shawl-she hurried on,
keeping her eyes fixed on the welcome bea-
con, and dreading lest it might be extinguish-
ed or otherwise lost to view, before she was
sufficiently near not to require its guidance.
AS if to renew her fortitude the storm present,
ly slackened the feathery fakes fell lightly,
blown hither and tbither by the wind, whose
keen, cutting breath seemed to penetrate to
her verv marrow. And her chief obstacle
now lay in the deep, uneven drifts, among
which her tired feet found no easy stepping
place. The farther she went, the more diff
cult her progress, became; and at last, just as
she had nearly reached the very verge Of the
moor, beyond which comparatively easy
foot-way stretched towards the farm, she
sank, overpowered, into huge drift, from
which it seemed impossible to extricate her
SELF She made a.desperate effort, struggled,
rose, and once more tottered on. But her
strength was exhausted, her limbs paralyzod
by cold, and in another moment she fell
again, this time with the despsiring convic-
ton that all farther effort would be fruitless.
The farmhouse, as she we'll knew-for she
had many times traversed this road before,
in by.gone days-was farther off than it look
ed; she still had some distance to 60, and
already she felt that her capabilities had been
taxed to the uttermost. But her child moved
in her arms, and gave a little cry. At that
cry all the powerful mother.love, newly
awakened, stirred her heart, arousing within
it might energy, a resolution to convey her
precious burden to place of safety and shell
ter, even though she should perish in the at.
tempt.
eff he is once safe, then all will be we'll, y
she murmured below her breath. at matters
little what becomes of me-"
On, and still on, having again struggled to
her feet; plunging blindly through the soft,
heaped-up masses of snow, feeling as though
every step must be her last, so intense was her
exhaustion, so frozen were her veins. Had
she had been alone, even, her situation would
not have been so hopeless; but the child she
carried, stout boy of ten months, was nc
light weight, and beneath it, it was no wonder
she sank.
81 cannot 90 on must rest" she exclaim
ed, at last, when with infinite difficulty she
had toiled few yards farther. And indeed
it was without the power to resist that she
dropped into resting place in the snow, and
there sat, cuddling her baby, and unconscious
that torpor was gradually creeping over
her, against which it would soon be vain tc
fight. Her child, screened from the weather
by the thick folds of the shawl, and deriving
warmth from her embrace, was sleeping sound
ly; over her senses also an irresistible drowsi.
ness began to steal. Her clasping arms, by de-
grees, relaxed their tension. Her heavy head
dropping forward, rested against the bundle
now lying on her knees. Soon she lost al
consciousness, and sat motionless, scarcely
breathing figure, helpless, forlorn atom O
humanity, alone, in the dreary, dreary night
at the mercy of the storm.
The snow presently ceased to fall tht
wind, still blowing in sharp ftful gusts, part
ed the dark clouds overhead, and permitted
stray glimpses of the moon, now nearly at it
full, which had for some time been struggling
to gain the mastery over its foes. These, nov
advancing, now seeming to retreat, at on
moment suddenly obscured the moons beam
ing face and in the next as suddenly melte'
before the efulgence of its rays, while tn
wind, treacherous ally, now rallied the fly
ing squadrons, and now in one blast scattered
them far and wide out of their course. Fo
some time the victory appeared doubtful
but at length the scale turned in favor of tn
Queen of Night, who, casting off the las
vestige of the darkness which had obscure
her, rode in triumphant beauty in the sky, il
Illuminating with a sudden magical splendo
the whole wide snow covered landscape below
The woman of whom have written ha'
remained for nearly an hour in the dangerou
lethary into which she had fallen, when he
child awoke. Frightened at its situation, itbe
gan to scream Justify; but though, in its strug
giles to free itself from its uncomfortable po
sition, it managed to thrust aside entirely tn
folds of the shawl from its head and face, ant
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