Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1858-10-06

forest, our nights shelter being in the natu-
raj caves formed by projecting rocks, which, |
as a matter of course, were on that part of |
the mountain where there was no wood We |
strained every nerve to finish our task on |
Friday evening
"'Fhree or four hours more would have
done it, said Picurio, in a despondihg tone,
as darkness overlook US, and large stack of
timber still lay before US,
'' Well. then, let US be up by peep of day,
cried I, and we may all be back at Bellin-
zona by the evening
Con the morrow, We only mustered FIVE;
three OF our party were missing. Had they
deserted, or only gone On in advance?
We shall soon know, said the remain
ing Burratori, and with ole accord they sent
forth such wild. unearthly yels, ending in
. shrll pea!s of mad laughter that, though
had heard of their mode of holding commu
nication with their comrades at distance, [
was nevertheless disagreeably startled These
yels can be heard au incredibly long way off
! When there could be reasonable doubt
tha: the missing men had deserted US, many
! were the smothered exclamations of, 'Oibo
! gatto dj n,arn,o' ('cat of MARBLE meaning
lazy fcllow,) you shall pay for this
The loss dspirit d US, for the work still
to be done required all our original strength
! of hands to get II finished in the time propo
! sed. The dawn was just whitening the hO-
rizOn when we began our ascent and little
breeze, barely enough to make the pine
branches quiver. was blowing from the west
PIcurios only son. stout. handsome young
man, the-wag of our party, prophesied we
should have fine day; but as the light in
creased. great black masses of clouds came
up from the southeast.
"A bad sign, | say cried Picurio: we
bad better turn back
II was soniew hat vexed at this advice and
answered hastily, Those who afraid may
20 back. | shall keep my promise to my
uncle. if send down the rest of the wood
uuassistcd, and walked on; the rest follow
ed, Int 10 silence
Our path up the mountain now winding
in and out through pines, now passing under
steep bare rocks perforated with caverns,
ran along the edge of ravIne several hun
drcd feet deep, the bottom Of which lay,
silenced under a huge snowdriit one Of the
great mountainous streams which 10 summer
could be heard miles away, As it dashed and
roarcd IN lis precipitous descent 10 Join and
swell the wide Ticino' Far above, as high
as we could see, We're mountain tops bristling
ea-green ice, which. as | gazed, were gilded
by the rays of the rising sun.
1IOOh StISi ID h't tiat iclIloS VI
il fine day?
'-Old Ficurio shook his head az before. fol
at the instant pale, watcry SUI, encirclco
: by a ring OF vapOr, shot into view. Ii
D another moment it was entirely obscured b,
: the clouds which speedily covered the Who'll,
, sky. The sighing breeze suddenly grew int,
: turbulent wind, and some prlckIng s!cc
fell
. The meh stood still looking uueasil,
: about tkca, mutteying between their teeth
= '.ih racca d'un rc1' mostro! Cow eff
monsfrous WIND y
\ q. Il told you so, cried Picu:io; 'thos
= clouds are sign OF evil Let us go back
e we have no time to lose The holy Virgi
f project US from an avalanche =
c e. Nonsense, father ? rcpiiel the son; 'yo
/; know thCro never ayalauchos thi
e mountain
n :. Don't say 50, my SOD; I rcmembo
n hearing my father speak of terrible one.'
/. AS b,g as my band, answered the youu
il man, laughing"
Y Nevertheless, the old mans words ha
? prod uccd an etfect for as if with one accorC
n we all turned round and began to descen
lie towards the village. The wind would cca.
h as if by magic, then come rushing from ever
of quarter of the heavens, "a mighty and stron
vind;' the seet changed to thick, fast-fallin
as snow, which, whirling in mad eddies, an
at fyiug mp and down, almost blinded US. w
r walked as quickly as could, following 2
e. curio; who had assumed the lead; but VIII;
w with the teasing of the wind, and the sli,
be periness of the path, We could scarcely l,e;
ut our feet After enc blast, which near
ed hurled US down the ravinc we joined arm
1g and kept as close together we could n
a word was spoken; for by this time the br
la vest heart amongst quaked with fear al
en- many an anxiou. glance was cast around
er search of any signs Of the dreaded disaster
at I'VE had reached point about half W;
k. down the mountain, where the path pass
H. through mere cleft between two rocks
Ike Here we were forced to go two by two. !
re that instant, boom like that Of a dista
he waterfall struck on our ears. We stoppe
lis raised our eyes il terror, and saw right abo
RS; Us. large white mass, like living thin
nd rise slowly with a convulsive heave from t
as edge of rock. hover FOR a second, topp
in then come crashing down.
en- - The avalanche the avalanche bu
re; from every lip. To the left to he cave
his shouted Picurio, dragging ME along vi
gi- him. In the twinkling of eye down f
the enormous white mass in front of our r.
az uge; there, we were unhurt, but shut In |
en- tween wall of rock behini, wall of ice
"a, front
lot After the first moneus. Of bewildermeI
le- Picurio cried out " no is here besides N
/ 1t was ptcby dark-no seeing even ones o.
'er haud.
rio Mine was ths only voice that replied
on '' My son my son p exclaimed the {
,st man, .ob. that had died for thee. my so
DIV and card him weeping. kwful were tht
"a moments Buried alive-a fathers ago
is. The only sign OF life breaking the stiffness
L. IL 81 h.. Il : l.