ng couple who had casually met on the
western side and were obeying the mandate of the heart and of friends in
proceeding to the east to effect their happy union. The three weeks they
were compelled to pass together, under these cold and trying
circumstances, must have given them a famous insight into each other's
character, and this before the knot was tied.

"The story is told of one resolute man who, though but newly married, had
been compelled to take a business journey. He was most impatient to
return home, and was awhile confounded with his unfortunate imprisonment.
When he found that little chance existed for an early escape, his heart
prompted him to a bold enterprise. He was still two hundred miles from
home. He had no guide before him but the telegraph posts. He could
expect little provision on the way, as the stations were frozen up; but,
sustained by conjugal affection, the good fellow set off on his lonely
walk over the snow. Notwithstanding terrible sufferings, and some free
fighting with wolves, he did his march in five days only. What a
greeting he deserved!

"Those who had not his courage and strength were compelled to endure the
cars. Americans are not folks to whine about a trouble; they succeed so
often that their faith is strong. Though the most luxurious of people,
the men--and the women too--can bear reverses nobly. But they never
dream of Oriental submissiveness. They struggle hard to rise, and make
the best of things till a change comes. So with those in the cars. They
soon found amusements; they chatted and laughed, played games and sang;
the best jokes were recollected and repeated, and the liveliest tales
were told; charades were acted; a judge and jury scene afforded much
amusement; lectures were given to approving assemblies. The Sundays were
decently observed, and services were held morning and evening; reading
was dispensed with, and the sermons were extempore perforce.

"The worst part of their sufferings came when for forty-eight hours they
were under a snow-shed without light, and with the stoves empty. As, for
the maintenance of warmth, every crevice in the cars was stopped, the
misery of close and unwholesome atmosphere was added to their sorrows.
The writer, as an old traveller, has had some experience of odd sleeping
dens, and has been obliged at times to inhale a pestiferous air, though
he has never endured so much from this discomfort as in his winter
passage on