Year: 1862

"Let us 60 by the lake-shore." cried the
bridegroom; ''then You'll see the tumble.
and we will be home yet before they are.' -


The idea was highly approved by the
newmade wife, and as was somewhat
weary myself Of the monotony of the
woods. / readily agreed. Between MS aud
the shore was winding gully filled with
frozen snow. which soon brought us to the
broad belt of ice bordering the land. Be-
yond was the lake. which, SO far as we
could see. stretched vast expsnse of blue,
refreshing to the eye. wearied by the uni
versal whiteness. and troubled by a recent
gale, it heaved and rolled in the heavy
swells. whose very action was cheering
amid the deadly stiffness. Meanwhile we
boweled merrily. OF over the wavy ice.
which flashed and sparkled in thousand
binding and gorgeous rays beneath our
horses feet; while on our left the land rose
into lofty promontories. crowned with bat
dement's of snow. or swept back into deep
bays bordered with pine forests. on with
vast expanses Of dreary swamp. where the
loon made her nests among the moss. and
the water-snake lulked beneath the rushes.


At length deep rcverberat;on announc-
ell the tumble-s succession of foaming
cascades. by which the waters of lofty
river found their way into the lake, and
whose picturesque beauty was enhaced by
the long lines Of glittering icicles which
fringed the overhanging rocks, and the
glacier-like cone of ice the spray had rais-
ed before it. This duly admired, we press
ed on, for the short day was drawing to a
close, and just as the sun sank behind the
pine-crsst OF distant headand. we came to
wide estuary. whose further point it
formed. Beyond was the farm. and we
urged the horses to swifter pace. for with
the suns departure came great access of
cold.


The estuary, some eight miles wide,
stretched deep into the land. and to save
time. we drove across the vast sheet of ice
which briGged it. Night fell as we pro-
ceeded, but though the moon had not yet
risen, the misty reflection Of the snow
lighted us on our way. and ahead was the
promontory. showing darkly against the
starlit sky. We had about reached the
centre of the bay. when a sudden report.
like discharge Of artillery. filed the air.
and rolling back over the ice, was repeated
by the thousand echoes of the vilds. 1t
was the unmistakable sound of cracking
ice; and, without word. put the horses
to their speed. The next moment yet
louder and sharper concussion broke on
the silence, quickly followed by third,
which sounded as If it rent the ice assun-
der.


At once. the truth flashed upon us. AS
often happens. the heavy swell of that
great inland sea was breaking up the solid
ice, and SO far from land the shattering
fragments, we were in position of the ut
most peril, in which our only resource was
flight; and again urged on our bounding
steeds. Meanwhile, my companions peer
ed eagerly into the dimness, seeking to dis
cover where the danger lay. but the silvery
haze baflled them. and we could only speed
on blindly.


AT length, our horses stopped, and look
ing before them, we perceived dark belt
of heaving water. The crack was across
our path, aud the chasm was too broad for
our horses to leap; all left us, therefore,
was to turn land ward, and hurry on. il
happily we might outstri2 the danger
But with each step the gap beside us wild
ened until it almost rerembled river; then
it turned again la<eward, and, to our con-
sternation. we discovered that the ice had
parted on either side Of us. cutting us of
from land. and leaving us floating on a
large island Of ice. which the swift current
Of the river was already driving rapidly
ont upon the lake. ri la iue eseg


Wbat.a sudden dismay came over us as
We gazed at the Increasing chasm no effort
of ours could bridge! The Bridegroom
was eager to swim the space. and bear I'll
dings to the farm; but it would only have
been useless sacrifice of lie. for long ere
he had gone half the distance. he would
have died in his frozen clothes. There was
but one chance left-that we might yet
hit on some projecting point Of the lake
shore. But as our raft fioated steadily AMI
further and further out from land, that last
hope vanished; and before long. we who
had lately been so Joyous, stood sadly
watching the white outline of the hills fade
into the night. as they whose last sight OF
land it was. and with the sorrowful knowl-
edge that the only doubt remaining on our
doom was. whether we should perish mis-
erably upon our frozen resting place. or
be swept off into the ice- cold waters Of the
lake! rht 80 % - m.A
81 It was q terrible prospect; and the re.
membrance that we had in manner bro't
the evil upon our own heads. increasing its
bitterness tenfold. Had we but apprised
any one of our route when we divsrged
from the usual track. we should undoubt-
edly have been sought for in canoes, and
most probably rescued; while as it was,
the blind path by which we turned off to
the shore would put them all to fault
The bridcgroom's self-reproaches were
keenest of any. for he felt himself the de-
stroyer of the bride SO lately committed to
his care; while the poor girl wept in utter
abandonment of spirit. not only for the
blighting Of her bright hopes. and, for the
young life she must shortly render up. but
for the sudden parting from the beloved
loved ones she should never see again. 81


Meanwhile. the moon rose in the deep
blue SKY. making night beautiful, flooding
our iceraft with It's silvery light. quivering
in broken rays on the broad lake, which
now rolled in waves around MS, and shin
/ ing like q glory on the distant, hills, Civ
| ing as one more glance at earth. - =