Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1891-12-04
A Winter Niglt;,
or,
Found in a Sn0W-Drift.
CHAPTER I.
OR.

CHAPTER L.
Christmas eve, and the chill air full Of
snow-flakes, that fall softly, clothing all
things in silent, shroud-like way. Tho
Newportroad, in R0ath, a suburb of Cardiff,
was 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, deadly ST.
lence on the earth; and walking along,
weary, alone, was the tall slim figure of a
young girl wrapped in long fur-lined
cloak, the hood of which was drawn over her
head.
Her fair childish face was white and set
with look of determination mingled with
despair. Hers was desperate venture, and
she knew not where it would lead. She
seemed possessed by one idea, and that to
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 snow
almost blinded her. Her knees knocked to-
gether; she was half persisted with cold and
fatigue.
On, on, footsore 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 affair 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;
ell was silent and cold as the grave.
Still, with undaunted spirit the girl press
ed on, ere Of indignant resentment burn
| t,or In har hax hot x.,It q h.
wild excitement that had taken 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 thousand deaths.
Truly, she was mad from life's history"
an, and nearer than she knew to deaths
mystery" How cold 1t was, how hard to
breathe the heavy airl The girls chill lips
parted enoe TO give vent to an exceeding
bitter cry:
"Oh, motheri you are near to God; pray
that He may give your child oeace-mercl-
full peaceP
Then the pretty dimpled chin dropped on
her chest and she staggered on. After q
time she reeled unsteadly, and her head
felt dazed. She stood still moment with
her hand TO her heart, then fell back in q
dead faint on asnow-drft
The wind walled above her, the baro
branches Of bonnie oak dropping with
crystal-clear icicles hung above her like the
crown Of cruel King Frost.
"Confeund the snowr said q horseman
at the Cardiff end of the Newport-road, as
his horse slipped dangerously.
A fine Newfoundland stopped as he was
urging on his mad career TO come back with
. bark Of sympathy.
Go ahead Drift good dogi We sha'nt
be home by daybreak. On, Blanche, bon
ME one'-this to his beautiful mare, with a
white star on her forehead.
The rider was noble-,ool1ing fellow of
about three-and-thirty, buttoned up to the
chin In fur-lined ulster, with yachting
cap of blue cloth on his head. He had a
clear-cut face. tanned by the sun, black hair,
close-cropped, heavy moustache, and clear
steei-blue eyes.
He was covered with snow, had tarried
too Long at 4 club at Cardiff, and was max
ing great speed for home, with big doll
undsr one ann and bottle of cherry-hrandy
under the other, given to him as Christ
mAs-bo1 By buxom landlady, who adored
his clear bsyish blue eyes, and felt for him
as q mother. or one who would wish TO DO q
mother under ft and proper auspices.
Blanche put her best foot forward; the
dog Drift ran ON ahead; the horseman
whistled, "Ho had ten thousand year.
Tiddy-folfol;" the snow fell faster; not o
window In all the genteel villas afforded a
light
Pierce Penfoid lighted black pipe, wish.
ed he had another glass Of whisky hot, set
lied his square chin in his collar, and gave
his good black mare q flick with his whip,
with orders to move on quick-sharp."
The road was heavy and long, and the sky
above was dark and dreary. Pierce forgot
his newly-acquired funny stories and sharp
Jokes, feeling desolate and dull. A big
snowflake settled in his pipe, spluttered,
Kissed, and damped its fame. Then came
hasty whisper:
"Oh, hang the snowi What COMPOUNDED
long road this Isl On, Blanche. my beauty,
Or we shall be frozen to deathp'
But the mare stood still; they had passed
the last public, and were On the dreary high
road with Nothing bot snow about them.
Drift barked Justify, and few from the
snew-drift back to his master, and seemed
to entreat him to pause.
Pierce reiAed In his hsrse, and looked
where his faithful dog stood beside blot
- tuo WILLINGNESS 81 tlo SuOW-Dank, LnCn eX
claimed hearseiy;
''Merclful God, II Is womanp
Hastily dism0unting. he beft ovev the
prostrate form. The wilderness of the earth
seemed to diffnso a light about her.
He pulled aside her cloak to sea a beauti-
ful white bessm bare above a square-out
black velvet dress, with q cross Of gems up
on II that Jews might kiss and in6dels
ADORE" 50 beautiful was tho lIfstre Of the
gems, so fairand pure the lovely breast they
adorned
''Merclful God, IL Is woman, and what
wcmani Inever hoped to find such pearl
In snOw-drift- Good dog. Drift. Steady,
my marei Thank Heaven for the fair Wild
ow's Christmas-boxl She Is cold as ice but
she can't be dead. That were too dreadful.
poor childw
He hastily lifted her from her Icy bed,
ohafed her hands and face with the soft
broken snow, knocked the neck of the bot
tie and Aured some OF the life-giving fluid
down efthroat.
She was slow 10 revive and he got fright
ened for her; she was go young, so beauti.
full; It was as though Princess Prettyface
had been born for him of the snow-drift
n Il. IL n A