The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-11-26
al N. mountaius. In spite OF

VA fict y s8ii, "thi4 immense fall OF snow
did not come all a. once. On the frs', the
second, and eS'a fl@ third day ofour captivity,
they u aha, oue wonid think have cleared a
path up 20 tsse chalet"
81 ara ee-tAia," said nay grandfather, thaI
Francois hasGou s all he conid nnt ptfhsp.
he could NOT pet our friends and neigh bors 10
share hia fears, and II was our "a hS io"e' ~
rescue o. without; assistance ....,,.
"Do YOU believe that. II IT had oeen porslpe
~ fa,cb ux away they would have left as here.
q, tina risk of finding US dead IL the spring
Can they be less humane IMAM we peIsons on
v,bora va read In the newspa So VINO n,aSr
m, greatest exertons, often th' peri OF taeir
uvas 70 save some for innate leilow-cTe3-
turs VINO Is buried in mine. in digginga well,
or upier vault which has fallen In y
al grant, ray asar i.put@ that our position Is
vary SD: but after al, they know that YEA
under shelter, aud nave some provisions
We went Ou tor same time in this strain
When my grandfather was silent, HOOK HE
hands in niue, and said
"i{ide nothing from me-, entreat you. Tell
me- ara you not quite as uneasy "a l am
SpeaS frshEiy. l sIa able TO bow with resig-
nation to the Will OF Hod; therefore deserve
Nuur confidence. AcquairI me Wita youfsur-
positions and do not let me torment myself
with my own aion.. had rather look misfor
tuue fuil In the facS, and know what you
really think "
well !ny p5oc bow l Csnuot deny that |
faar some accident has happened 10 your Ia
her. Now il has come 10 mis-, had batter
tell you 80 81 once. But, in short, hardly
CT him, Other persoas ought to have borne rs
In mind"
At this. l souii not restrain ny fears aud
sobs no longer. My grandfather allowed me
to give way 10 my grief The fire went out as
we sat before ill., We remained there in the
dark, iii IL was quite late. My Grandfather
kspt ole OF my hands In has, pressing Il from
time 10 time
~ have told yon nv fears he said, 1t last;
"but 40 not forget That | still have hones. We
cSuG0t tell " hat Unforeseen cause may have
preyeut ted their coming. All may yet turn
cut we'll. PAT YOU trust in Providence"
Dtef:aosr ii cannot conquer ne terror
" hich ssizes me as write this date. II some
OF the NoVem Der days appeared SO long ana
wear!Some what will they he his mouth AT
least II would b. fearRble II we Wers sure this
vgeT.. the las; ofour captivity! But no longer
dare Tx any term 70 Il. The snow Is heaped up
10 such 4 height that II looks As II II wouid
take the whole summer long 10 melt IL. 1t -
now On = eSel win the root and IL dId NOT
get ny every Day - clear the chimney, we
should soon be unable ~ open the trap or to
high; a fire.
II ,exes me that my grandfather cannot
sometimes step out Of this confined vault into
the open air. l asked him this morning what
be longed for the most, and be said, "a ray of
sunshine. Nevertheless; he added. Our LOTS
much less wretched than that Of very many
prisoners, a number OF whom have not de-
served Imprisonment any more than we have.
We enjoy a certain amount OF liberty IN our
seclusion and We find subjects of amusement
OF dungeon we are not visited every day by
= suspicious or cruel or even an indifferent
isier. The evils which we suffer from the
hand of God have never the bitterness OF those
which we believe we may attribute 10 the IN
Justice of men and lastly my boy, we are not
IN solitary confinement; and, II your presence
here causes me 10 feel regret for your sake,
which l make no attempt TO conceal, it also
sustains me, and is almost necessary to my eX-
istence. do not think you are very dissatisfied
with your companion; everything about us,
even up 10 Blauchette, Is some alienation to
our captivity, and l assure You 1t Is not mere
ly for her inik's sake that l feel attached TO
her"
These last words set me thinking, and pro-
posed 70 let the poor creature live more in our
company. "She is uncorp Portable all alone In
the stable" said "she bleats freq uently, and
that may do her harm, and US also. What Is
there 10 hinder Us frCm letting her have
corner herel There is plenty OF room for all
of US. She will be much obliged 10 for
the honor we do her" / nailed L title manger
against the wall, in the corner where she
would be the least in our way, liking II firmly
with couple of stakes and, without further
delay, introduced Blanchette into our sitting
room.
How delighted she is at the change, She
does nothing bat thank US, i'll her way. II 1t
went on SO, she would become tatiguIng; but
when she is accustomed to her novel post ion,
she will be quieter. AT this very moment,
while L am mmitting these details TO paper,
she is lying on some fresh litter, chewing the
Is that she :eens To guess thai L am writing
her history. Hitherto, she has wanted for
nothing. and at least there is one happy being
inside the chalet.
Decs5Hbs,3-The sunshine to-day attracted
me out on the roof. Gold dry weather has sue
ceeEed ~ the continued snow storms. How
nv eyes were dazxled By the great white eX-
panse, and how beautiful the forest looked |
hardly dared mention 10 grandfather the de-
| light It gave me; but il sugges ted that might
dig away the snow IN front OF the door, and
maize & ST ping path upwards from II 20 the
surface OF the snoW-0rif:. l have already set
70 work, and my grandfa her y III soon enjoy
what ne has long been wishing Tor, Il ray OF
sunshine.
Dscsnibe7 s-My task progresses; l labor 1T
IL rs long 80 my grandfather will allOw. The
idsa had struck him before IL occurred 70 me.
aud have scoIded him for not communicating
il. tie vas afraid that the exertion and the
moisture 10 my feet might DO Ins harm
DEesr.hsv 5.-We can step ont OF our mouse
the pain Is made; l havs had t.Ie pleasure OF
leading my grandfather along II, supporting
him GA che side. We remain d several minutes
al tho end OF our avenue, when IS not Ionsi
but the day was gloomy. and II made US very
SD TO see the black forest, the cloudy say. aud
the snow surrounding us with the silence OF
death. We b+heid only one living creature.
bird OF prev which passed at r distance with q
Lnarse cream. 1t few down towards the val
ley in the direction of our village. The pagans
would have derived some omen from II, but
We have no such superstition.
December 9.--Whata dreadful day l had get
yet to learn what - hurricane up in the noun
lains was like. l can hardly describe what
PASSED out OF doors. We heard 4 frightful
roaring. When We tried TO open the door ajar,
the chalet was filled with whrlwin nd OF snow;
The wind rushed in with snch Jury that we hdd
q eat difficulty III closing the door again. We
were obliged 10 drop the trap OF the chimney;
and, besides II was i'm possible TO light 4 lire,
because the smoke was continually driven
down again. We ate our milk without boil
ing. My grandfather keeps up my courage by
his calm behavior, as well as by his grave and
pious words. AT the time when one would say
that ths wrath of God was hanging over US, he
speaks 20 me fills compassion and His mercy.
On trying second time to open the door, we
found that q mass Of snow had fallen back
upon II, SO that we are com pleteiy i'm prisoned,
as before. What l most regret is my window;
IL is drlfted up again. Decidedly, as soon as
the weather permits, will make fresh at
tempt 10 regain little In mt and liberty.
December 1.-THE cold is much sharper AL
though we are buried under the snow, which
perhaps prevents orr hearing the storm, the
frost strikes 10 our very bones. My GRANDPA
ther says thai, to be FELT 50 keenly inside the
chalet, the cold must be extremely intense. He
supposes that The wind has changed to the
North.
December i3.-I was milking the goat, while
my grandfather lighted the fire. Suddenly, she
pricked up her ears, as If she heard some ex-
traordnary noise. She trembied violently
from head 10 foot.
What is the matter, Blanche,ter, l asked.
caressing her. / could not hear the noises
they were low and distant howlings, which
gradually grew louder and louder We then
heard hundreds OF feet pattering on the crisp
snow overhead we heard u rush OF animals, q
fierce struggle above us, mingled with horrid
cries that made my blood run cold.
What 10 that p asked, though ! knew
what IL must be without asking.
Hush The wolves !" said my grandfather
in a whisper, blowing out the light and extin-
gushing the fire. Keep Blanchet,e quiet;
take her in your arms, and give her a little
salt TO lick to keen her from bIeatingp