Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1890-11-08
ONE SLEIGH RIDE.

ONE SLEIGH RIDE.
Where Aleck Found a Lost Love
and a Wife. II.
had just finished a hearty supper,
and had ordered my horses to be brought
to the door, when the landlord OF the
country inn entered the room, rubbing
bis hands in an awkward manner, as il
he did not lnow just what to say. In
fact, he was so slow about speaking
that removed my pipe from my mouth
long enough to exclaim:
"Well?'
Still continuing his rubbing, . thing
which always exasperated me, he re.
Piled to my exclamation by saying:
ut is an odd request l have to make,
sir, considering the state of the roads,
but there is a lady here tonight who is
desperately anxious to get to Brenton
by morning"
"Then why don't she go?"
That's the point, sir; she can't. All
my horses are storm-stayed somewhere
in the country, and you can't hire a
team h%ereabouts, as you may know"
As there was no house within three
miles, the landlords proposition seemed
incontrovertible.
How did the lady get here?" l
asked.
"She came just before you did, sir,
with horse; and the young fellow
that drove don't appear to have much
sense. Leastwise, he's most killed the
horse, and it would finish 1t for certain
to send it out again on these roads"
am not naturally disobliging; but to
be asked to take a passenger in your
sleigh when the snow is deep and likely
to be drifted, and you are in consider
able of a hurry, is not the most agree
able request in the world, especially
when the passenger is a lady, and there
fore more apt 30 be a hindrance than an
aid in case Of any difficulty arising on
the way. Moreover, since Kate Mac
donald and had quarreled over the
attentions paid her by her rich and
handsome cousin, which she either
could not or would not explain, l had
never felt in the mood for ladies' So
ciety: and that ~was-could it be pos.
sible? two years ago.
Where was Katie now? ! often won
dered. Perhaps at her home in Ken
lucky; possibly married to the hand
some cousin. A good many things may
happen in two years. True very little
had happened to me; but then not much
is to be expected when one is on q rail.
way survey outside the limits of civil.
sation. The winter drive ! was now
taking was not on regular business, but
was undertaken as a special favor for
the head contractor, who said that GER
tain papers just received from England
must reach his brother, a confirmed in
valid living near the little town of Bren-
ton, by a certain day. Brenton was q
long distance from any railway; for in
the days of which l write. they had not
penetrated everywhere. Hence, l had
to travel by team; and SO bad had the
roads proved, that l was very near being
behind time. As it was, if every thing
went well l would get through in good
season. My plan was to drive through,
If possible, but, il the roads should
prove impossible, ! resolved to leave
the horses at some farmhouse and walk
in on snow-shoes. Under these circum.
stances to be asked to take a lady pas
senger was certainly the last request l
could have desired.
"She really seems in great trouble,
sir because she can't 90 on" said the
landlord, as l paused before replying to
his previous remark.
"Well, tell her to get ready" l said.
~ suppose will have to say yes"
by the way, sir" said the landlord,
'if you have not been over the road be.
fore, you want, when you get past the
burnt land, ten miles from here, to
keep a sharp lookout to the eight for a
road that turns off there. Take that.
The straight road leads to Brenton, but
nobody lives on it. Oh, yes, it il
travelled some," he added, in response
to my question, but in case you have
to leave the team, you know"
"All right; I'll look out. But tell thu
lady to hurry; for the horses are com
ing"
The Landlord vanished. and | pre-
pared for the drive. When l had donnet
my overcoats, turned up the collar o
the outer one, pulled down my fur cap
and taken two turns around my necl
with a huge comforter, / caught
glimpse of myself In the glass, ant
laughed at the thought that my intend
ing passenger would not be able to tel
whether she had a young man or an old
n for a companion-scarcely, indeed
whether ] was black or white.
Going out to the sleigh, l arrange,
the robes to my liking, and was just be
ginning to get inpatient to be of, whei
an animated bundle of clothes, with
suggestion of femininity about /,
emerged from the inn-door, followed b,
the landlord.
Here's your passenger, sir" he cried
adding: by gracious, but it's a coll
night!'
A muffed voice from out Of the bun
die Of clothes said something that l di
not quite catch; but | made no reply +
either. The lady took her place in tn
sleigh, Isprang in besids her, the land
lord and the hostler tucked in the robei
babe us goodnight, and we were O
under the shining stars, with muc
tinkling Of bells, the sleigh-runner
singing over the frosty snow. 1t wa
twenty-four miles 10 Brenton, and ID
loneliest road In the State.
] did not feel sufficiently reconcile
70 having q companion to be much di
vsssl " conversation; but, rs the win
came with more than unusual hercsneI
through an opening in the trees. 4