The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-11-29

weeping eno Wnnglng DIS hands. The last plank
to which he had chung had been shiveredi His
neighbors and friends had come-aud gone. They
would never search that part of the mountain
again. None would ever know Of his fate. He
was buried in an icy tomb until the last trump
should sound, and hot flashes of fame dissolve the
frostwork around him. ..r ~. 49,, +, 7,
With his mind trembling upon the verge Of
madness, overpowered by sorrow, crushed by bit
Ter agony, he fell back insensible, and lay for a
long time upon the cold, damp snow, that soon
must be his winding sheet The black vulture
Mapped its wings above him, and he knew nothing
OF 1t. But. after some hours, the hunters con-
seriousness returns, though he was far too much
crushed 10 body and soul to renew his labors. He
crept into the little cavern he had excavated
(would 1t not be to him tomb : and gave pas.
sionate vent to his griefs. For many weary hours
nothing passed his lips. and with aching head aud
fevered brain, with trembling limbs aud con-
vulsve sobs. he prayed to be delivered. If by no
other hand, at least by the skeleton of death.
ice cavern, when the springs Of his life again be.
came capable of action. He was ravenously hun.
CRY, and arose to satisfy his hunger with portion
OF the hex he had left remaining outside in the
chasm. He felt around, but could discover no out
let. He'd he been frozen in-shut out from God
blessed sunshine forever! Nothing but smooth
ice met his burning and bistered fingers. Then,
after an hours search. he found soft spot, and
instantly solved the mystery. he knew there must
have been heavy fail of snow in the night, and
ing; and with the strength of dispsir, he soon dug
through. 1t was still snowing heavily; the fakes
fell like great feathers around !; and he drew the
remnant Of the carcass of the ibex into the cave,
and made another rude meal. And thus refreshed,
ice waiis rssoundsd viii fhs Sis.s or bis little
Ratchet. But il was slow work, and much of the
time was taken up in clearing the chips from the
little erotto. Ita
A week passed. week Of the most severe toll
and terrible anxiety-and yet he was not dis
heartened. His trust in God had returned; and
love for his wife and dependent children kept
alive his often sinking heart. He was yet in hopes
OF reaching the upper ar-of seeing his dear ones
again. But even as be was thinking thus. with
something of his old time cheerfulness, q new
anxiety took possession Of and nearly overpow-
cred him. The carcass of the ibex, that had been
the innocent cause of all his trouble, was picked
almost to the bones.
With dire starvation staring him in the face, he
bowed his head and wept like child. Starvation,
that Is dreadful, even In thought! Starvation.
that has in it more of horror than q Thousand
other deaths He could almost see II silently
approaching, and for time despair alone had
possession of him. Then his trust in the Supreme
Being returned, and he committed himself unto
His holy keeping. " Heavenly Father !" he MUIR
INJURED, from beneath his parched and blackened
lips:'" 1t is Thy hand that has sustained me so far
has saved me from all danger. Thou givest food
to the young ravens, and markest even the fall of
the tiny sparrow. None but Thou can hear me or
help. Hear my prayer! Save me, o God! Save
mel"
Something of sweet consolation came with the
ut'erance of the words, and he laid down to sleep
more TRANQUILITY than he had done for many pre-
vious nights. Yet, it was only to be awakened by
a new fear. 1t needed no seer to tell him that
the fohn, or hot south wind, was sweeping over
the glaciers and snow fields of the high Alps
and that the rain was falling in torrents and the
enormous blocks of ice melting, as by the touch
of fire. The cavern he had dug with infinite labor
was almost breastdeep with water, and it was
rushing in with all the swiftness of mountain
torrent. Instantly he was wet to the skin, and
stood almost paralyzed with terror. Then he
breasted his way out into the chssm, but it was
only to return again as quickly as possible. Never
cataract ragged more fercely than the surgng
he climbed beyond the reach of the water, and
tremblingly awaited his fate. The waves rose
rapidly, higher and higher. He had climbed until
his head rested against the top of the little cave
could 90 no further. And yet, the waters rolled
upward around him.. They reached his waist
surged higher to his breast-crept to his throat,
and despite all his, efforts began to trickle into
his mouth. In another moment, he would be
strangled by them his hold would be torn away,
and his body dashed hither and thither against
the sharp points Of the ice. 30, God Save me !
Save me ~ burst from him in the terrible agony
of the instsnt-the moment of time that lay be.
tween him and death. '.lr
noise like thnnder-a shivering crash-re.
the very foundations of the world were tottering
beneath him. Nov, indeed, he felt that his end
had come. No! Terror was instantly changed to
rapture. The water rushed out of the cavern
with the most amazing velocity; he could des-
cend and stand upon the bottom without fear.
How this had been accomplished, he was forced /
to wait until the morning light to determine and,
with the first beams, he saw a great assure had
been opened. through which the imprisoned wa
tiers had found their way to the valley below.
IA upln nEod finp in
with con6dence-rendered more firm his trust in
God. Through that tunnel, he saw q way to free
dom. II was small, to be sure, but he could en-
large it and he worked diligently, until his
strength utterly failed. The ibex was entirely
devoured. He had split the bones and sucked cut
the marrow; had knawed them over and over
again to appease his hunger. For two days he
had not tasted morsel Of food. The Ratchet
slipped from his hand when he endeavored to
strike blow, and he was forced to abandon the
There was nothing left him now.
but to die.
Another day passed, and no help came. He
crouched in corner, wishing that the end would
come and that swiftly. His eyes were already
noise aroused him. He looked sloft and saw
chamois vaiply striving to defend itself from the
attacks OF two vultures that were striking at it
with wing and beak. II was an unequal contest; |
and, at length, the animal, driven to desperation,
attempted to leap the broad chasm. The effort
was q noble one, but 1t failed of success. The
chamois missed its footing and fell, bruised and
helpless, at the very feet of the starving man. Ia
an instant his knife was plunged into Its throat,
and the warm blood was drained by his eager
lips. This gave him new life, and he renewed his
labor. 1t was almost herculesn task. More
than once be fell fainting beside 1t. But hope was
very strong within him. Still he would have
utterly failed had not heaven assisted him.
Again the fohn was busy at its work of destruc-
ton; again the windows of heaven were opened,
and the trains descended and the floods came.-
and accomplished more in single night than his
hands could have done in q month. With the
morning light be crawled through the now large
tunnel; but when he reached the outer end found,
to bis horror. that he was on the top of mighty
precpce. HIS blood boiled; bis brain seemed
on fire; bis heart beat as II it would break through
ribs and flesh. He was. If possible. more desper.
ately imprisoned than before. How was be to get
down? Through his bewildered mind suddenly
dashed the thought Of the skins Of the ibex and
the chamois, and be was not long in making q
rope of them. He then cut deep hole in the ice,
drove down his alpenstock. fastened one end to
Il, and swinging himself of reached the bottom in
safety.
With cry Of joy and prayer of thankfulness
be hsstened along the well known path, and when
he bell of the little chapel, that reared its gded
cross in the Matter Valley, was tolling for the
evening prayers. be staggered like drunken man
INTO the very midst Of the sstonished worship
RS, even as the voice Of the good priest was re-