I Had Learned The Art
Of "Being Agreeable" So Well At The Chalmers's, And Practiced It
So Successfully During The
Two hours I was there, by paring
potatoes and making scones, that when I left, though the hosts
kept "an
Accommodation house for travelers," they would take
nothing for my entertainment, because they said I was such "good
company"! The storm moderated a little, and at one I saddled
Birdie, and rode four more miles, crossing a frozen creek, the
ice of which broke and let the pony through, to her great alarm.
I cannot describe my feelings on this ride, produced by the utter
loneliness, the silence and dumbness of all things, the snow
falling quietly without wind, the obliterated mountains, the
darkness, the intense cold, and the unusual and appalling aspect
of nature. All life was in a shroud, all work and travel
suspended. There was not a foot-mark or wheel-mark. There was
nothing to be afraid of; and though I can't exactly say that I
enjoyed the ride, yet there was the pleasant feeling of gaining
health every hour.
When the snow darkness began to deepen towards evening, the track
became quite illegible, and when I found myself at this
romantically situated cabin, I was thankful to find that they
could give me shelter. The scene was a solemn one, and reminded
me of a description in Whittier's Snow-Bound. All the stock came
round the cabin with mute appeals for shelter. Sheep dogs got
in, and would not be kicked out.
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