Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1882-12-20

The Donnie t.e>suss


vain, to penetrate the Storm and darkness
without. 'Gri grant he may de ~" and
with this heariseir petition she turned from
the win"ow, seated herself and tObk up
her knitting.
C1eer.ni, bOmeiike wfs the Sspect OF
that humble apartment. Near the fire,
whose brisk bIaze ii!ed the rOOn with a
rudoy g.OH, sang the waiting 'es-kertle;
while Ieaily spread supper table Oc-
cup I'd the centre OF the iloOr,
slowly and distinctly the tall ciOck al
the back Part Of the room tod the hour
Of eight. The young woman put aside
her task, and once mere went to the
window The tempest had not IN the
least abated. but ragged with the fury of q
thousand uncaged lions, ana seemed still
increasing. F'irfull indeed was that eve
ning's elemental waafare over that bleak
Canadian plainl
yet he comes not-my husband. Merci-
ful heaven befrlend me! !" Tears gathered
In the eyes of the gentle, devoted WIFE
Then Hnpe repeated her whisperings, and
IN imagination The wife beheld the sturdy
form of her beloved nObly breastiny the
storm, and step by step nearing his home
IN safety. Already she seemed pouring
for him the fragrant, steamIDg beverage,
and listened to his expressions Of thankful
ness for surrounding blessings About
noon OF that day be had lett home on foot
| intending to transact business in village
| i've miles distant and return at DIghtfall.
At that time no signs of an immediate
| storm were apparent, but as the day drew
near lis close tne clouds began 10 gather
! thick and heavy. and the snow 10 fall in
huge, fea'hery tiakcA Faster and faster
it descended, till all the ar seemed filed
by one mighty ava auche. Three hours
had passed, and the storm god III all his
terrible fury was yet abroad.
A. length calmDess could be maintained
| by the waiting wife no longer. Hope and
! trust had died within her bosom
VaIniy dst she enGeaver to persuade
herself into the belief that the ierceness of
| the storm had prevented her husband from
leaving the village she would not be de-
ceived. tie would never voluntarily
abandon her thus 10 loneliness and awful
uncertainty. No, the Assurance was all too
undoubted, that the cold and the tempest
had Overpowered him on his way, and be
had sunk amid the drifting SHOWS to per-
ish.
Suddenly she psnsed, while every fea-
ture speaks desperate resolve. See, she
hurriedly envelopes herself in cloak and
hood, and now with firm steps moves to-
wa the door. Upon what is she deter
minedf Surely she will not expose that
frail form TO the strife that RACES without
But yes; she lifts the latch, Id uncloses
the door. On the instant furious blast
drove portion of the snow, which had
accumulated against the panels, 70 the op-
poslte side of'the room. Unable to COM
pete with its rape, the sgonized wife shrank
back, and applying her whole strength to
the door forced it sgain to Its place, be-
tween herself and the rough element with
out
She waited but moEent, however, the
next she had rushed forth, closed the door
behind er,ani was plunging wildly down
the snow filed path
The storm was over, the clonds were
beginning TO break, and let down the rays
of the moon, whose broad disk had JUS.
rlsen above the horizon. But while the
snow had ceased to fall, the cold had
grown more intense, and the wrath OF the
wind WAS nothing spent
Onward toiled The solitary female
through the binding, suffocating snow,
which was constantly being hur ed against
her; and ever and anon a blast, tiercer
than the others, compelled her TO halt for
a moment and bury her face in the folds
of her cloak.
II was dreary waste over which she
had to pass; no cottage window sent forth
q MI q
PLAN and barren trees in the distance
could be seen.
And now, when nearly a mile lay be.
tween her and home, the wife felt herself
exhausted and benumbed by cold to de-
gree that she could proceed no further.
The sharp winds pierced her garments as
if they had been but a role OF muslin, and
put TO the torture every fibre of her frame.
Her limbs refused longer to obey her Will,
her breath was gone, her very hearts
blood seemed turned TO ice She toitered
and fell, and the same blast that bore Ter
down wrapped her In a shroud OF snow.
But e1erting herself to the utmost, she
rose to her feet again, for her last glancs
had rested on dark object short distance
in advance, and the possibility of 1t being
him she thought nerved her TO make one
more effect. Fixing her eyes upon the OBJ
iect which had attracted her attention, she
struggled forward, and reached II Just as
her remnant Of strength was expended.
II was indeed her husband! He had
contended with the elements, until chilled,
weaned, and almost breathless, he had
sunk down in the path in order to recover
himself for further effort No thought
Of perisning had passed the strong mans
mind; but no sooner did muscular action
cease than the lethargy which, but for
timely breaking, would have ended iu
de,.ih, was upon him. All sense of suffer
Ing fled, gay colors fOated before his sight
and the sound of the angry blast seemed
sweetest music.
How long he had remained thus he
knew not, when suddenly the voice OF his
wife exclaimed, Thank God, we die to-
gether 2" sounded family in his ears; and
the same instant he felt her prostrate form
snd encircling arms. These quickly
aroused them to a sense warmed the coz
gesling hfe.cuuent, aud sent 1t lightning
like through its channels.
The knowledge of the dsnger-the Ger
tain death-to which his ldoliZed COM
psniOn was exposed, end from which he
alone could save her, at ence rsieG himself
above the power of fatigue and cold.
Starting to his feet, he folded her insensi-
bic form to his bosom and bore 81 toward
their horne, as II she had been the merest
infant