Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1890-01-11
A Winter Niglt;
or.
Found in a Snow Drift.
1.

the morning. The rough stone fronts Of the
pretty villas were frosted like fairy castles,
the trees reared their bare branches newly
oegemmed by King Frost.
A deadly chill was in the air, a deadly 81
Hence 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 wasdrawn over her
bead.
Her fair childish face was white and set
with a look Of determination mingled with
despair. Hers was adesperate venture, and
she knew not where il would lead. She
seemed possessed by one idea, and that 10
get over as much ground as possible before
day dawned.
Her little bare hands, blue with the cold,
gathered her furs close about her; the now
almost blinded her. Her knees knocked to-
eether; she was half persisted with cold and
fatigue.
On. on, footsore and heartsick, past the
pretty pleasant home-places IL where the
road was edged on either side by snow-!aden
hedges, and the everlasting hills showed
family afar OF, 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. a fire OF indignant resentment burn
ing in her poor heart, her head hot with the
wild excitement that had taken her out from
warmth. ease. and luxuriant living ~ pass
the night tramping the snow 10 whatever
destiny awaited her, since she had taken
fate in her own hands, and flown from what
she felt 20 be worse than thousand deaths.
Truly. she was mad from life's history"
al, and nearer than she knew TO deaths
mystery How cold It was, how hard TO
breathe the heavy airl The girls chill lips
parted once 10 give vent TO an exceeding
bitter cry:
ION. mother! you are near TO God; pray
that He may give your child peace-merci-
ful peaceT
Then the pretty dimpled hin dropped on
her chest and she staggered On. After a
time she reeled unsteadily, and her head
felt dazed. She stood still a moment, with
her hand 10 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
erys,al-clear icicles hung above her like the
crown Of cruel King Frost.
''Confound the r. said a horseman
at the Cardiff end of the Newport-road, as
his horse slipped dangerously.
A fns Newfoundland stopped as he was
urging on his mad career 10 come back with
Q bark OF sympathy.
Go ahead. Drift, good dogI We sha'n't
be home by daybreak. On, Blanche, bon
ME one'-this 10 his beautiful mare, with a
white star on her forehead.
The rider was a noble-.ooking fellow Of
-. - - sIs.k. a. A.
chin In a fur-lned ulster, with a yachting
cap Of blue cloth on his head. He had a
elear-cut face, tanned by the sun. black hair,
close-cropped, a heavy moustache, and eiear
steel-blue eyes.
He was covered with snow, had tarried
too long at a club at Cardiff, and was max
ing great speed for home, with a big doll
under one arm and a bottle Of eherry-brandy
under the other, given To him as a Christ
mas-box by buxom land!ady, who adored
his clear boyish blue eyes. and felt for him
as mother, or one who would wish to be a
mother under fit and proper auspices.
Blanche put her best foot forward; the
dog Drift ran on ahead: Inc horseman
vhistled. HE had ten thousand q year.
Tiddy-folfol. = the snow fell faster; not q
window In all the genteel villas afforded a
light.
Pierce Penfold lighted a black pipe, wish
ed he had another glass Of whisky hot, set
tied his square chin in his collar. and gave
his good black mare a flick with his whip,
with orders 10 ''moye on quick-sharp."
The road was heavy and long, and the sky
above was dark and dreary. Pierce forgot
his newly-aequired funny stories and sharp
Jokes, feeling desolate and dull. A big
snowflake settled In his pipe, spluttered,
hiss.1, and damre1 its flame. Then came
a-tsty whisper:
'Oh, hang the snow! What a COMPOUNDED
long road this Is! On, Blanche, my beauty,
or we shall be frozen To deathF'
Bat the mare stood still; they had passed
the last public, and were on the dreary high
road with nothing but snow about them.
Drift barked Justify, and flew from the
snow-drift back to his master, and seemed
TO entreat him 10 pause.
Pierce reined in his horse, and looked
where his faithful dog stood beside a blot
on the whiteness of the snow-bank, then ex'
claimed hoarsely:
'Merciful God, Il Is q woman
Hastily ~dismounting, he bent over the
prostrate form. The whitene1s Of the earth
Ssesned to diYuse a light about her.
He pulled aside her cloak TO see a beauti-
1ul white bosom bare above a square-cut
black velvet dress, with a cross of gems up
on 1t that Jews might kiss and infideis
adore" so beautiful was the lustre OF the
gems, so fair and pure the lovely breastt they
adorned.
''Mercifnl God. 1t is a woman, and what a
womanl never hoped to find such a pearl
in a snow-drift. Good dog, Drift. Steady,
my mare! Thank Heaven for the fair wild
-ow's Christmas-box! She is cold rs Ice, but
she can't be dead. That were too dreadful,
poor chlldv'
He hastily lifted her from her icy bed,
-chafed her hands and face with the soft
broken snow, knocked the neck on the bot
tie. and poured some OF the life-giving fluid
down her throat.
She was sluw to rcyive, and he got fright
.ened for her: she was go Young, so peauti-
full; II was as though a Princess Prettyface
had been born ( r Lin Of the snow-dkft.
He took her In his arms, snch aslim slight
burden. Why did she not uncloss those
sealed eyes?
Suddenly the snow ceased, the sky lost It's
black gloom, and the moo flashed out Ike
an oricnt pearl that had been delayed by
measures In Paradise from did using Its pale
rrays upon the cold earth.
"What shall ! do with the girls She Il