Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1851-02-27

as circumstances would permit, where to pass
the night. The snow, as before remarked, was
three feet deep: the darkness was profound, and
the wind from the northwest broke in like a
hurricane above her. With no company but heE
child, and no protector but her dog, her condi-
ton was lonely beyond the imagination to con.
ceive.
Fortunately, she had with her some extra clo-
thing, in the shape Of cloak, and a shawl
Removing, as well ss she could, the snow from
beneath large tree, she took her apparel, and
made the best disposition possible with it and,
with her child and her dog, she composed her.
self for the night.
Sister Bearer stated to me, that for week
previous to the undertaking this journey, she
was unusually exercised about her spiritual well
fare, and very frequently took an old prayerbook
and read it.
Now, far from home, desoate and distressed,
she felt the need of close communion with God.
The prayers which she had read the week before
came fresh to her mind, which she offered fer
vanity to her Maker. The night was long and
dreary, and she spent it without sleep. Very
shortly after fastening her horse, the animal be.
came uneasy, and breaking his brldle, started
off at full speed. This greatly added to her
misfortunes, for she had hoped by him to have
reached some settlement the next day.
At length day dawned, and though, BY the
help of her clothing and her dog, she kept her
self and child from freezing, yet she was SO be-
nunbed as almost to be unable to walk and
carry her infant daughter with her. This was
Saturday morning. She now left part of her
clothing and made an effort to return to the
point where she left the great road. After trav-
elling until she was nearly exhausted, she con-
cluded that unless she reached the settlement
she must perish with the cold. Indulging the
hope, however, that she might keep herself from
freezing, or be found by some one, she thought
it best to return to the spot where she passed
the previous night Accordingly she started
back, and on her way, hung up her apron on
bush, and afterwards handkerchief as signs of
distress, in hope, though indeed but faint one,
that some passing hunter might see one or the
other, and come to her relief. Late, in the af-
ternoOn Of Saturday, and with great difficulty,
she regained her lodging place.
But feeling now the dread of passing another
night in so desolate a place, and summoning
that indomitable spirit of courage peculiar to
her sex, when in difficulty and danger. and see-
ing the sun fast declining, she determined to
change her course, and make one more desper-
ate effort to gain some settlement. Throwing
off part of her apparel, in order to be less en-
numbered, she began to contend with the snow,
rocks and caverns of the mountains, and at
length came to deep, narrow gorge, down the
sides of which she could not descend with her
child.
She looked up and down, but could see no
place that offered an aaaar nasss1s~ 'L.n H.
before her. She hesitated moment, but having
no other alternative, she threw her child over,
then followed herself. BY taking hold Of the
laurel bushes on the opposite side Of the ravine,
she managed to crawl up to the place where her
child lighted, which, to her great joy, she found
unniured, save by slight scratch on its face,
caused BY its falling on the crust of the snow
Resuming her journey, she came upon hog
path, which led to a cleft ol shelving rocks,
where these animals were accustomed TO sleep.
She had now travelled--as was afterwards as
certaned-one mile and half. Here she nigh
have remained sheltered for the night, but fear
ing the return of the half starved hogs, and tina
herself, her child, and her dog, might all becOm
q sudden prey to their vOraciousness, and he
family never learn her fate, she Immediately re
sumed her march, and weary and faint, mad
her way about three hundred yards off, to tn
side Of the mountain. Finding her stocking
entirely cut up by the crust of the snow, ar
her limbs and feet all bleeding, she yielded II
struggle, and, under some pine bushes hard b
she obtained place to sit down; but the sno
sinking beneath her, rendered her situation nc
critical and desperate.
She took care to wrap her clothes around
feet and body as well as she could; then clas
. ing her babe warm to her bosom, she commit
herself to God.
Her faithful dog had not left her, and Il
night would lay down just where she bade hi
sometimes on her feet and limbs, and sCmetiu
!. at her back, changing alternately as if to ke
her from freezing. During the night she fell
sleep, being exhausted with labor and want
food. This night it showed and blew, until
new fall of snow was ten inches deep on the
Vf the former. When she awoke she heard
chickens growing at the foot Of the mounta
and the dogs barking, so near was she
J, lhouse but the wind was blowing directly tr
them to her, which proved extremely uDtavC
bile 10 her. About the same time she thou
nv the heard the people feeding their CATTLE.
1d called as loud and as long as she could, but
Vi. one came to her relief. This morning
il found that her feet and limbs were badly swell
and the skin, in many places, broken.
bis This discovery went home to her heart,
nd she commenced to make her peace with {
th. and gave herself up to die. She thought if
IN. infant child were dead, she too could di
he peace; but, to leave it to perish with cold
ry hunger was a thought more than motl
Tho heart could bear. She laid the little thing
"a. 10 freeze to death before she should die her
She but when it wept, she would take it up and c
zen it to her bosom. Desparing at last to q
,ius harself heard, as the wind continued to bloV
ex. Olently in contrary direction she vesOrte
Tvs another expsdient 1t was this: She p
erv the childs bonnet around lhe dogs neck,
the cent him to solicit help The poor animal,
the perfectly understanding hor meaning, Starte
Rht Immediately, and was afterwards tracked Il
house nearest TO his distressed mistress, and
fore to mill but, it being Sunday, and extre
ase- cold, the dwellings were all shut up, and nj