The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-12-22
70, IF DISPATCH.
4 THRILLING STORY.
RURIE ID A LIv T.

~. vss then eiSbseen,' ana - ~ Ma no
yssrs yoangsr.. Oar uaas sr ma s ana would not
Sosioren, gre. 80 ,ben; they sstkcd OF adopting
- ian" ~. and Of taxing ne .nto ,ns 49,
\. .tnsss. We on oar part Nese -, % srassn so
ssav Win them; for never pes ,is AN =, no,hins
nus . :. md daughters, The winter ., - -
W 49, 80 ,han usuaily severe; the snoWFy ueep
!. -. valley; oil the small streams ~c'o
- A. 80 mills could work. Oar unc.e 49,
sss m oisr. He he'd several large erdcrst
~ IA - uuessy ~ the delay he Was iereso 70
--xs a. sxecutfne thsss. You must Know INA.
The wood 10 sslled in susBH1er, bus NOS removed u
Water, whsn, ~ n,esns .1Ss s, E.s.r noared
Is nrocurs coating Of ice, the timber conveyed
a the foot OF the mountain. Now, that winter
not one among the steutest hearted OF tne bui, TN
tori-she men are % called who cut sno Dfiog .ne
vaos 10 thS lake-would venture up to the torests.
There Was nothing for it bat TO wait TIL the eoid
modersss&. Bat February, With fts wsld e'eak
lAys came 80 pfssed, aud still the men seiusee
20 work. Al lAst Sonic War a suruy days nsnerca
in the month OF March me snow .ss ,ne s~vs
cuits away. The sunshine 1ftaocs crcught US
snushiue within; my aans's husbsna now whistied
about the house, making each OF his nnsers 90 OF
in small reports ~ sort OF Jca ae wN. ee'ss
Du<mtort na6 agreed 70 90 up the mountain. AZ
durfng the Last three weeks there had been Meth
or 4 hcsh fall Of SNOW, nor any INDICATION Of
shaw, the weether-wise declared no Danger Was
20 b apprshended. In fact, the mountain, from
3ts nature, was little subject to svalauches, nor
Nsd any worth speaking Of occurred within the
memory Of man.
Tired out By such long Inactivity, was wild to
Jolu the intended expedition, and at last wearied
ny uncle into granting me permission 70 Degin
nv apprenticeshp at once. was put under the
ere of an old fellow called Picurio, generally re-
coguixed ~ the chief Of the Burratori. We we're
20 scs ont on the Monday morning, and 1t was
hoped the job would be completed BY the follow
ing Saturday.
We had, however, forgotten to ask Ia fetites
Consent. She, Who had never been separated from
me even for day since her birth, was in tears
from morning till night at the idee Of my leaving
her fof whole week. Ny uncle was, In truth, a
Softsbssfted rBsn, so he agreed to 60 with us
himself, and take the little Eirl also as far as
Asusi, . village In the Tai Biesno, lying at the
base OF the mountain to which no were bound
This arran cement pot end to my sisters tears;
though 90 the Burratori stop out night and Gay
I'll tie work 10 flushed, she would SEQ as little of
me A. ~ abe had remained at Bellipzona. We
we're we'll provided with wooden wrappers and the
mssps of kidding fire, and as you may believe
shs Thought of this bivouac had Infinite charms
for my imagination.
vas perhaps % iufehss as IL had been during the
winter; but as there wss no wind, the men Kept
70 their engagement. cannot afnrm tnat steep
ins under rock as delightful in reality as In
nm. and never complained. On the Wednesday odd
Picurio declared it was beginning to thaw, and cn
Thursday il perfectly clear ihas the frost mad
bfodks no; indeed, we heard the snow slipping
dowu tbs grooves cut in the mountafns side by
tia snrins and summer torrents. The Burratori
did not seem to care, for the pine trees prevented
any dangerous accumuiation OF snow IN our In:
mediate vicinity. Our only danger lay in going to
and fro,ths forest our nights shelter being In tine
ae,ursl caves formed by projecting rocks, which as
. matter of course, were on that part OF the moun'
tain where there was no wood. We strained every
nerve to finish our task on Friday evening.
"rhses or four hours more would have Deen II,
said Picurio in q Responding tone. rs darkness
overlook us, and large stack OF timber still lay
before rs.
"well, then, let rs be up by peep of day" cried
I. "and We may all be back at BelinzonA by the
evening""
our party were missing. Had they deserted, or
ave shalI soon Know" said the remaining Bur
rAtori and with one accord they set forth such
Wild unesrthiy yeis, ending IN shIili peais OF mad
Laughter, that, though had heard OF their mode
of holding communication with their comrades al
n distance, l was nevertheless disagreeabiy star
sled These yeils can be heard an Incredibly long
way Of. When there could be no reasonable
doubt that the missing men had deserted US, many
were the smothered EXPLANATIONS OF 'Oibo gait,
di nsrmo," ('cAt of marble" Gaming lazy fellow,
"you shall pay for this
The loss dispirted rs, for the work still to be
dana reoairsd ali original strength vi hands tr
sst il fuished in the time proposed. Tho dawn
was lust whitening the horz On when We began
our ascent, aud little oreeEs, barely enough 4
m AXE the pine branches culver, was blowing from
the vest, Picurios only son, stout, han Isons
young man, the wag OF our party, propbesied VI
shouid have q hne day; but rs the light Increased
great black masses of clouds came mp from ;h'
South west.
"a bad sign, I ssy," cried picurio; eve had BET
vas somewhat vexed at this advice, and an
svered hastily: "rhose who are afraid, may q
back; I shsll keep my promise to my uncle. II
send down the rest Of the wood unassisted, aud q.
walked OF; the rest followed, but in silence.
Oar path no the mountain, now winding In aut
ont through piues, now passing under steep, barr
rocks perforated With csyerns, ran along tue eds
Of q raviue several hundred feet deep, at the bot
tom of which lay ,eilenced under huge snowdrifs
one Of the great mou ntain,streams which in Gum
mer could be heard miles away, as il dashed ant
roared in its PERCEPTIONS descent to join and swell
the wide Ticino. Far above, as high as We coalt
Sea- Wsre nou ntain.tops bristling with spears .
sss.sreen ice, which, as gazed, were g:lded BY
the rays Of the rising sun.
"Loeki" criod l, sis not that the promise of q
hne day"
Old Picurio shook his head as before, for at the
iastant Q pale, watery sun, encircled by ring Of
vspour, shot into view. In another moment il
vas entirely obscured by clouds which speedily
covered the whole sky. The signing breezs sud.
dsaly grew into turbulent wind, and some prick.
Ing slest fell.
The men stood still, looking uneasily about
them, muttering between their teeth: "Ah vaccs
dun VEN nostrr!" c'Oow Of q monstrous wind ny
81 told you So" cried Picurio; "those clouds are
Sign Of evil. Let as go back-we have no time
70 lose. The holy Virgin protect rs from an ava
lanche!"
aNonsense, fatheri" replied the son; "you know
there arc never avalanches on this mountain
"Don't say 90, my SOD; remembered hearing
nv father speak of terrible one."
"As big a. my hand" answered the young man,
laughing.
Nevertheless, the old mans words had produced
IN effect; for, - il with one accord, we all turned
round and begxn to descend towards the village.
The wind would cease as IL by magic, then come
rushing from every quarter of the heavens 50
mighty and q stroug wind" the sleet changed to
thick fast falling snow, which, whirling in mad
eddiss, and lying mp and down, almost blinded
us. We walked as quickly as we could, following
Pfcurio, Who had assumed the lead, but what with
the teasing Of the wind and the slpperiness of tho
path, No could scarcely keep our faet. After one
Blast, which nearly hurled rs down the ravine, we
Joined arms, and kept 40 close together as We
could. Not word vas spoken; for BY this time
the bfavest heart amongst US quaked with fear,
and many On anxious glance was cast around in
search Of any sigas of the dreaded disaster.
We had reached point about half way down
the mountain, whore the path passed through q
mere cleft between two rocks. Here we werc
forced 10 60 two by two. At that instant, . boom
like thato . distant waterfall, struck Our ears.
We stopped, raised our eyes In terror snd saw,
right above ns, large white mass like living
thing,ssrtse slowly with . convuisivc heave from
the edge Of rock, hover for second, topoe, the
come crashing down. -.. -
'.fhs avaisnchel tho avalanche" burst from
every lip. ITO the left, to the caves" shouted
Puceste, dragging me along with him. In the
twinkling ofan eye down fell the enormous white
mass IN mont Of orr refuge; thers, were unhuri;
but shne 10 between wall Of rock behind, and q