The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1894-03-30
HIS LADY COMPANION.
Story of a Cold Ride and a Ro-
mantle Ending.

! had just finished a hearty supper
and had ordered my horse brought up
! To the door when the landlord of the
/ country ian entered the room. rubbing
! his hands in an awkward manner. as II
! he did not know just what To saw
still continuing his rubbing. Il thing
! which always eXasperatcd me, lac re-
! piled to my exclamation by saying:
1t is an odd request have to make,
sir, considering the state of the roads,
but"
Say on--what is it?"
There is a lady here tonight who
Is desperately anxious TO get to Bren-
ton by tomorrow morning."
why doesn't She go?''
That's the point sir; she cant All
my horses are .storm-staid somewhere
in the country, and you can't hire
team hereabouts, as you may know"
How did the lady get here, in
Heavens name?"
--'She came just b efore you did, si-,
with one horse
Driving, herself2''
NO; a young fellow drove for her-a
silly-loolling chap"
"As he brought her here it seems TO
ME he might drive her there-eh?''
We'll, so he might, sir, but he's
almost killed the horse. and it would
finish it for certain to send it out again
on these roads. 1t wouldn't be human,
would it?'
am not naturally disobliging, but
to be asked to take lady in your
sleigh when the snow is deep and likely
to be drifted is not pleasant, and a
woman is apt To be a burden in case of
any difficulty on the way.
Moreover, Since Kate Mcdonald and
| had quarreled over the attentions
paid her by her handsome rich cousin,
which she either could not or would
not explain, | never cared for woman's
society.
Where was Kate now, often won
dercd. At her home in Kentucky. per
haps, and married To the rich cousin.
y lot of things may happen in two
years.
The drive l was now taking was on
special business for my head contrac-
tor, who said that certain papers just
received from England must reach his
partner, a confirmed invalid living near
the little town of Brenton, by certain
day.
'.She really seems to be in great
trouble, sir, because she cant get on"
said the landlord as | paused to con
slider.
'Wcli, tell her to get ready. sup
pose l must say yes"
by the way, sir, if you have not
been over the road before You want
when you get near the burned land,
ten miles from here. to keep a sharp
lookout to the right for a road that
turns off there; take that The straight
road leads to Brenton, but nobody lives
on it,"
IAN right But tell the lady to hur-
ry; the horses are coming"
When had donned my overcoat, fur
cap and comforter l caught a glimpse
OF myself in the glass, and laughed at
the Thought that my intending pas
senger would not be able To tell wheth-
er she had a young man or an old
one for n companion-scarcel in
deed, whether l was black or white
man.
Going out to the sleigh / arranged
the robes to my liking, and was just
beginning TO get impatient TO go when
an animated bundle of clothes, with n
suggestion of femininity about it, came
out followed by the landlord.
The lady took her place in the sleigh;
| Spraug IN beside her, the landlord ana
the hostlcr tucked in the robes, bade us
good night, and we were off under the
shining stars with much tinllling of
bells. the sleigh runners singing over
the frosty snow. 1t was twenty-four
miles to Brenton and the loneliest road
in the state.
The going was heavy, but not espe-
cially 50, for the way lay through the
forest and was not drifted.
1t soon appeared that the road here
was a succession of drifts, not deep,
but solid, and that if any teams had
been over it during the day their tracks
had long since been filled in.
The horses could no longer trot but
settled hoyrr - a walk, the wind whist
ling through the harness and blowing
their names and tails till they projected
almost horizontally
How cold it was, The bright disk of
Venus shone with wonderful splendor
and the pitileSs wind seemed To come
straight from that star. There seemed
TO bc a mcrcilcss glare in the splendid
planet, and longed for a cloud to cover
it from sight
'.Are you cold?" j shouted, for the