The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1889-11-01
A Winter Niglt;
Found in a snow-Drift.
/.

things In n silent, shroud-like way. The
Newport-rOad, in Roath, a suburbO of Cardiff,
was a sheer sheet of untrodden snow, for it
fell fast; and the time was two o'clock in
the morning. The rough stone fronts of the
pretty villas were frosted like fairy castles,
the trees reared their bare branches newly
begemmed by King Frost.
A deadly chill was in the air, a deadly ST.
lence on the earth; and walking along,
weary, alone, was the tall slim figure of a
young girl wrapped in a long fur-lined
cloak, the hood of which was drawn over her
head.
Her fair childish face was white and set
with a look of determination mingled with
despair. Hers was a%desperate venture, and
she knew not where it would lead. She
seemed possessed by one idea, and that to
ret over as much ground as possible before
day dawned.
Her little bare hands, blue with the cold,
gathered her furs close about her; the snow
almost blinded her. Her knees knockedto-
gether; she was half persisted with cold and
fatigue.
On, on, footsorc and heartsick, past the
pretty pleasant home-places to where the
road was edged on either side by snow-laden
hedges, and the everlasting hills showed
family afaT off, crowned with the purity of
the unsullied snow; the meadows stretched
away on either side smooth sheets of white.
Nothing stirred in this still night-season;
all was silent and cold as the grave.
Still, with %undaunted spirit, the girl press
ed on, n fire of indignant resentment burn
ing in her poor heart, her head hot with the
wild excitement that hadtaken her out from
warmth, ease, and luxuriant living to pass
the night tramping the snow to whatever
destiny awaited her, since she had taken
fate in her own hands, and flown from what
she felt to be worse than q thousand deaths.
Truly, she was "mad from life's history"
nh, and nearer than she knew to deaths
mystery" How cold it was, how hard to
breathe the heavy air! The girls chill lips
parted once to give vent to an exceeding
bitter cry:
"Oh, mother! you are near to God; pray
that He may give your child peace-merci-
full peace!'
Then the pretty dimpled chin dropped on
her chest, and she staggered on. After a
time she reeled unsteadily, and her head
felt dazed. She stood still q moment, with
her hand to her heart, then fell back in a
dead faint on a snow-drift.
The wind walled above her, the bare
branches of a bonnie oak dropping with
crystal-clear icicles hung above her like the
crown of cruel King Frost.
'Confound the SNOWY said a horseman
at the Cardiff end of the Newport-road, as
his horse slipped dangerously.
A fine Newfoundland stopped as he was
urging on his mac career to come back with
a bark of sympathy.
go ahead, Drift, good dogl We sha'n't
be home by daybreak. On, Blanche, boil
ME one"-this to his beautiful mare, with a
white star OH her forehead.
The rider was q noble-looking fellow of
about three-and-thirty, buttoned up to the
chin in a fur-lined ulster, with q yachting
cap of blue cloth on his head. He had a
clear-cut face, tanned by the sun, black hair,
closs-cropped, a heavy moustache, and clear
steel-blue eyes.
He was covered with snow, had tarried
too long at Il club at Cardiff, and was max
ing great speed for home, with a big doll
under one arm and a bottle of cherry-brandy
under the other, given to him as a Christ
mas-box by a buxom landiady. who adored
his clear boyish blue eyes. and felt for him
as a mother, or one who would wish to be n
mother under fit and proper auspices.
Blanche put her best foot forward; the
dog Drift ran on ahead; the horseman
whistled, He had ten thousand a year.
Tiddy-folfol; :" the snow fell faster; not q
window In all the gentecl villas afforded a
light.
Pierce Penfold lighted q black pipe, wish
~ n1 " ''io'hei s."sso "i,shy MI eeu-
.'.a iis s4uale clli Ill MS coiia,' aho gaNe
with orders TO move on ~quick-sharp."
The road was heavy and long, and the sky
his 49, o. q, alu uleaiN. !ieise iu,s0S
, rs w. a.qu'ieu iu,ny s.ories Al" s"atp
$3.50 az is uesoia,1 anu ouiI. - os
sis," " se..ou " h,a p'pe' oplu''eieu'
Asseu' "iu o"nlpea us iia'he' AheA o"ino
" nnsty wlisper'
on' hsls ..e snow! nat cohiouiiueo
sohs oau ,iiis Is! VII, b,arcne, NY oe"u'y'
VI w.. s'ail oe frozen 70 uea,l.
DIV .he mars stooo SUM- 'ney h"u passeo
.ne Tvs. pupi'c, anu were on lle arealy ,ish-
i ns.t. WIN holllns p"' SNOW apout .neii.
snoxy.drift hooh 10 ~. mas+or ava seemed
a. onuaa. -. " aas GIN 'eeiAo
p;asoa I'LL I'm p"uae ~
10 10. s.i.,.s ~ ~ ois Wv oo ~
on the m.hitanaa. uI H s.ouu h n.sIot INV
~ .ne mnl.eness Oh tiie sho"-o"hk' e'eh OK
M,1es.is y ,se'y
uns.:,i uou' ~ - " "oihah! 49,
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60 - pu.,eu "aise = o'o.A w seo pe"u.l.
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W. :. 49, 49," "IIaus' mins ~, ios ~, en- ins, np,
= u'as oean niisns MSS any nlsus as
49, se ~sma WIS ~ ."lns y. .ao
en- us OK any p"'e nv ioNeiS
..,ssa a..
meiI'i4' uoa, ~ IS d Woiia'' anu what q
IN snnw.d,ift G nops1 dop nv mr,ft, Sod
my marc, THANK He,Tsn fo, tho fair Viii
ow,s Christmns.hnyi Sha ,s no,a &c Too INT
she can,t he dad Thai ,.srs Too Iresdfni
moor chiIdw N WY
He hastily lifted hor from ber low bed
chafed her hands and fnca wifi tho soft
hroke,, .now InocLoI +ha nooL om tha not
flo and norred some Of ths IiTe-ai,ina amid
80 ~, nv ~ $50 WIN AZ A's''n'A nu'o
She Voc Sow f. rovive and he oo+ FRIGHT
u.oa 80 -. .,a ~, NV = 80:
Tn" au :. a, mss o. Sou.s' "
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y ~ ~ tea,. WI = ~ ~ ~ az S''oM W. Ii,
hn nI ,ooN VII : ala az s AIMS, su'm as,,ii siisns
saataa uA' '" VIZ "o' u'''oso 'hose
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