The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1886-08-04
TIE SNOW BLOCKADE.


l.
In the fall OF 1891 was at St. Paul.
Ny friend, John Hall, conductor, had
persuaded me to so with him over the
Northern Pacific road to San francisco,
1t was late In tie season, and l feared a
blockade. However, provided myself
with basket Of provisions, for use in
case my fears were realized, and started
on my journey.
When l reached the depot, l found q
gentleman and lady seated in my sleeper.
l had scarcely time to take good look at
the latter-and in fact ! could not make
much out Of my Inspection, for she was
heavily veiled-when Hall entered, and
passing me with n hasty "good.morn-
ing, went up 10 the larly's companion.
] was busy storing away my numerous
traps, and did not hear what was said,
until, as it was getting near the time to
start, Hall observed that he must go and
see all clear. Then I caught these
words:
-Look well after Mrs. Forsyth, Hall,
and when you give up the train, speak
to the next conductor about her."
Il will do my best for the lady, sir"
Snid Hall, who q moment after left the
car.
-You1l have the drawing.room to your.
self" continued Mrs. Fosyth's escort,
"and need not DO bothered with any
one.n
My back was toward the speaker, and in
little side mirror between the windows
l saw that he cast a suspicious and sig
nifcant glance in my direction as he
spoke the lust words.
In moment more he was gone, and
we were startQl on our long journey.
My solitary companion retreOted to her
room, and was left rather dcsolate
master Of the situation.
With the help Of newspapers, books and
an occasional word with Hall as he
passed through the car, the morning
passed quickly enough. We were to
carry dining.car the first day or day
and half-a fact that also added tony
sense Of general satisfaction.
When the first call for dinner was
made, | was not long inanswering it, but
quick as was, many others had been
before me, and was fortunate in secur-
ing the last table. Scarcely had I com.
fortably seated myself and settled on the
details Of my dinner, when Hall entered,
plotting the lady who had been spoken Of
as SfS. Forsyth. Seeing that all the ia.
bles had one or mora occupants, he
brought her over to the one at which l
sat. He introduced me, placed her op-
positc, and to say that l was charmed
with her face would be to give only a
very faint Indication OF my feelings.
She appeared to be about % or 2i years
Of age, and was dressed in mourning,
though not Of a sufficiently distinctive
character to tell whether or not she was
widow, must confess, however, that
even ut the moment the question oc.
Cured to me, wished that it might 10
decided in the affirmative.
The meal passed of delightfully."-, at
least to me, and l managed to ascertain
that should have Mrs. Fonyth's com.
pany for the greater portion of the
journey, her destination being Seattle.
l took her hack to our car, when she
again withdrew into the drawing.room,
and | resolved to smoke the soothing
cigar. In search Of company and II chat,
l sought the smoker Of the next car,
which was occupied exclusively by men,
who after u time dropped one or two
quiet hints about the enViablcness Of my
position, and their desire to exchange
bOrthS, By.and.bye a little game Of
poker was proposed, and would have
doubtless helped to pass a good deal of
time, but a clergyman read us such a
lecture on tile sin Of gambling that no
one felt quite disposed to materialize as
one Of his terrible examples" So, after
a while, ! went back to my own car and
my books. At SuppeE time, as Mrs,
Fosytll's door was open, l ventured to
ask her II might have the pleasure of
taking her to the table, and wnS rewarded
with a gracious smile and a prompt
acquiescence. Although l tried, without
seeming to be inquiSitive, to skirt round
the subject, | did not succeed in gaining
any information as to her matrimonial
condition. The next day, however,
wnS fortunate enough to discover that
had twoor three times met Mrs. Forsyth's
single sister, when she had been visiting
some mutual Ncquaintanccs In San Fran.
cisco. THIS fact served as far better
introduction than Halls had been, and
in the more intimate conversation that
followed at last learned with delight
that Mrs. Forsyth was a widow OF over
years standing, and that she was intend.
Ing to make her future home with her
sister.
We lost Our dining-car, much toout re-
grCt, on the second day. The third day
saw snow necessarily descending, and
Mrs, Forsyth began to prophesy all kinds
Of disasters, and even suggested the ad.
visibility Of her lying over Mt the next
station Of any size. From following this
course she was, however, dissuaded by
the joint eloquence Of Hall and myself.
Each hour that spent in her society ad.
dcd to the charm that was rapidly steal.
ing over me- by discovering new similar.
tiles in tastes or ideas, and oven by an
occasional warmly contested argument
on slight points Of difference.
When ] Awoke on the fourth morning
the windowswero thickly crlsted with
ice, md though could not scrapc a
place through which 10 observe our rate
Of progress, l felt suro from the motion
that we were making little headway, |
began 10 feel q pensibley yeaTning to reach
the breakfast station, and was medltat.
ing getting n cracker from my basket
when Hall Cnna In and nxnnoSsod sn,,,a