Photographer

f M Devoted to the Intei*ests ol the Soldiers and Sailors of* the late War. VOL 1. HARTFORD, CONN., DECEMBER 36,1868. NO. 25 W ith a heavy sigh, the woman did as he re and his heart boat w ildly within him. He drop- gently until his strength utterly failed. The ibex quested;;, and with his fond kiss still lingering p e d n i8 dull hatchet, crawled to the centre of was entirely devoured. H e had split tho bones and lo r fr g . upon her lips, she saw him climb the mountain the chasiUf and shouted with all hiB remaining sucked out the marrow ; had gnawed them over and side, until a turn in the path hid him from her strength—shouted, until his strained voice was over again to appease his hunger. For two .days b « view. Then she sank uponher knees, by the WAITING. reduced to a very ghost of a hoarse whisper. Ho had not tasted a morsel o f food. Tho liatchet slip bedside of her still slumbering children, and Long lines of white divide my raven hair, knew that his friends were in search of him; im ped from his hand Avhenover he endeavored to striko committed him into the keeping of that God who T h « first approach of gradual decay; agined he could hear his name called; could a blow, and he was forced to abandon the underta has thus far protected him in the midst of every These glossy curls with which he loved to play do nothing to attract their attention; and as the king. There was nothing Ipft him now bat to die. danger. Meantime, Ulrio hastened on with a In that far time when I was young and fair. fainter and farther away, flung him- Another day passed, and no help came. Ho lay light foot. It was still dark in tho valley; but tlown, weeping and wringing his hands, crouched in a corner, wishing the end would cohie, and And am I not still fair ? They toll me so. , . far aboTO him, ho could see the white peaks rhe Last plank to which ho had clung had been glittering in the dim light of the morning, and that swiftly. His eyes were already filmed, .and his W hat though the color from m y cheek took flight shi vered! His neighbors and friends had come— heart beat faintly. Then a strange noise aroused him. the fast paling stars. Higher and higher, he Upon that awful, well-remembered night, ^ and gone. They would never search that part of He looked aloft and saw a chamois vainly striving climbed; and soon the sun arose shedding its rays W hen first I heard that he I loved.lay low I the mountain again. None would everknow of of rosy ,gold upon the icy piles, and making to defend itself from the attacks of two old vultures his fate. Ho was buried in an icy tomb until that wore striking at it with wing and beak. them flash as if builded of myriad diamonds. Oh, G o d ! the sense of wild bewilderment. the last trump shall sound, and hot flashes of It was an unequal contest; and at length, the ani O f utter desolation everywhere! To a stranger, it would have been a dazzling flame dissolve the frost work around him. W ith mal, driven to desperation, attempted to leap the 'T w as morning ere my lips were fit for prayer— sight; to the bravo huuter ithad lost something his mind trembling upon the verge of madness, of its charm by familiarity, and ho i>ressed broad chasm. The effort was a noble ono but it fail- Months ere I felt my sorrow Heaven-sent. overpowered by sorrow, crushed by bitter agony, ed of success, 'fhe chamois missed its footing and onward and upward. The road grew more he tell back insensible, and lay for a long time But peace has come. M y heart is almost light, rough and tlifficult. He was obliged to pick his fell, mangled and helpless at the very feet o f the star upon the cold, damp snow, that soon must be Aud many think that time has cured the wound ; way, to climb up steep crags; but at last, he ving man. In an instant his knife was plunged into his winding sheet. Tho black vulture flapped Like him. who with his eyesnpon the ground, reached the edge of a largo glacier. He satdown, its throat and the warm blood was drained by his its Avings above him, and he knew nothingofit. now eager lips. This gave new life, and he renewed And halting accents, wooed me yesternight. and rested for a little time, satisfied his hunger, But, alter some hours, tho hunter’s consciousness his labor. It was almost a herculean task. More examined his shoes, aud the point of his alpen roturuod, though he Avas far too much crushed, in than once he fell fainting beside it. But hope was Oh ! ’twas not thus that thou wert wont to woo. stock, and again set bravely forth, leaping the both body aud soul, to resume hi^ labors. He very strong within him. Still he would have utterly W ith feeble platitudes aud’wildered sense ; yawning chasms, aud guarding against the crept into the little cavern he had oxcaAmted failed had not Heaven assisted him. But with a noble flood of eloquence, treacherous cracks. (would it not be to him a tomb *?) and jj;iwe pas. Again was busy at its work of destruction. And honest eyes that looked me tlirough and through. A. wall of polished ice arose before him, and he the fo/in sionate vent to his jjriefs. For many weary Again the windows of heaven were opened, “and kuew that he would have to scale it before he hours nothing passed his lips; and, Avith achin<r tho rains descended, and the floods came,” and accom H e thought I had forgot thee- Oh, my love! could get within shot of the coveted game. With head and fevered brain, with trembling limbs plished more in a single night than his hands could W hat knew he of the dew that drops unseen. great diiUculty it was accomplished; and, fin aud convulsive sobs, ho prayed for deliverance, have done in months. W ith the morning lijrht he And keeps thy tender memory fresh and green. ding the tracks of the ibex, he followed them, it by no other hand, at last by the skeleton ono crawled through the now large tunnel; bnt when he Until that day when we shall meet above. until suddenly, turning a ragged point, he found o i death. reached the other end, found to his horror that he was himself within easy shot, aud iu an instant, tho It was rayless, sunless, darkness in the icy-cav- on the top of a mighty precipice. His blood boiled; W h at knew ho of the vows that make my life report o f his ride had aw akened tho echoes o f tiio eru, Avlien the springs of his life again became his brain seemed on fire; his heart beat as if it would A long, sad secret, ne’er to bo revealed-- mountains. With tho “thud” of the bullet, the Afast-closed casket with thy signet sealed— capable ot action Ho Avas ravenously hungry, break through his ribs and flesh. Ho was,if possi- • beast sprang forAvard; but its tail Avas dropped, and arose to saisty his hunger Avith a p o rtion ble, more desperately imprisoned than l)efore. How was A widowhood, ere yeti am a wife ? its head hanging heavily down, its gait slow, and o t the ibex he had left remaining outside the he to get down ! Through his bewildered mind sud step nucorbaiii. ilo knew that the whizing lead Each day I live again our last adieu, chasm. Ho felt around, but could discover no denly flashed the thought of the skins of the ibex and had reached its mark; ami tiie aniiuul \vi)uld The long-drawn sighs, tlie kisses, and the tears, outlet. Had ho been frozen iu—shut out from soon die; aud ho paused to reload his rilio, bo- chamois, and he was not long in making a rope of The hopes— the giant hopes— the little fears. God’s blessed sunshine forever'? Nothing but fore he followed him. “I will surprise my g.)od them. He then cut a deep hole in the ice and drove O f that last evening undorneatii the yew. smooth ico met his burning aud blistered fin- down his alpenstock, fastened one end lo it, and Avife,” he thought, by roturuing sooner than she gcirs when, attor iin hour’s search, ho found a soft swiii'^'ing him self off, reached the bottom in safety. expected; aud 1 will have a hearty laugh at tho O h ! when, at last, thou ask’dst beneath thy breath spot, and instantly solved the mystery. He cowardswho dared not A^eiitnre from tueir snug With a cry of joy and a prayer of thankfulness, ho I f 1 would wait a maiden for thy sake ; know that thore must have beon a very heavy cottages for fear of storm.” hastened along tho well-known path, and when the And, conscious of the answer I must make, fall of snow in the night, and that it had drifted With a smile upon his lips, he liastened to bell of the little chapel that reared its gilded cross in Smiled, ere I whispered, Ever, love, till death !” into, and blocked up the opening; aud w it h the Matter Valley, was tolling for the evening where the ibex was lying, and raised it' in his the strength of despair, he soon dug through.

Load more