Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1868-12-25
PARIS, MAINE, FRIDAY,

u
ished his hunger, examined his shoes and
the point OF his Alpons,ock, and again act
bravely forth. leaping the yawning ehasms.
and guarding az ainsttb treacherous cracks.
A wall of polished ice arose before him.
and he knew that he would have to scale Il.
before he could get with shot OF the COW
eisd game. With great difficulty. !, was
accomplished: and. finding the tracks Of the
ibex. lac followed them, until. suddenly
turning ragged point, he found hiaiself
within easy shot. and IN an instant. the
report Of his rifle had awakened the echoes
OF the mountains With the '',huI- of III,
bullet. thd beast sprang forward but its
tail was droored. its head hanging heavily
down. It's gai; slow, and step uncertain. He
knew iha, the whizzing lead bad reached It's
marx that the animal would soon die and
he paused 10 reload his rifle. before he fol
lowed him. Il will surprise nv good wifu.'
he thought. ''by returning sooner lhan she
expected; and will have hearty laugh at
tho towards who dared not venture from
their snug cottages for fear Of a storm"
With smile upon hi, lips, he fastened
to where the ibeN wa. lying. and raised il
IN his arms. Then, with cry OF borrow.
he felt his ioo,in. give way anil bun;cr and
game were swallowed up in crevasse of
almost unfithomable depth. The ,h.n COW
eTing Of ice had been sufficiently strong TO
bear The weight Of the beast but that o (
Ch;c added. had sbivcred il as II /, had
been an cEg she'll
Dorn down. Hunter aud hex. through
the do bfis OF snow and ice. lying there for
thousand years lie llncisi that the bot
tom would never be reached Th. most
profound darkness, enveloped hio, la. hands
could clutch nothing but dampness-but
chilling lakes Fortunately, the cArcsss OF
tic bcast was beneath him Yet. for al
that safeguard. he lay tor long time in.
sensible. When conGcousness returned,
another day bad d4Wncd. and its golden
glories hal found their way even to the
bottom OF the yawnug gave in which he
.as y ing. lie thought upon the utter
hslplcssncss OF his situation, that be must
perah from cold and hunger. oi The linger.
Iag .oTtpres ke NoulI bS forced to endure,
before death cams to put En end 10 has
misery and every nerve IN his body qgivsr
. I'd Wi,h AoJ ror. lie looked around. to see
u there were not .ouc possible chance Of
= escape Ga either side smooth ice walls
arose. emitting blush steel glitter. lie
b ielt that he was buried alive 20 God WHY
4: was not Instantly killed." hc exclaimed in
, agony Of despair; and then, as better
| thoughts swAyed him, be thanked the
Almighty with whom nothing is impossible.
t ior his salety tLus lar. and prayed 10 Him
D for guidance and dsliSsrAuce.
His next thought va. OF has gau When
D.. 1t was found that be did not return, hi.
. neighbors would certainly search for him,
. and by firing tho gun, he could attract their
t attention. Vain hope Sear-has no would.
, b. could lind nothing Of It. Eysn II lie had
: discovered Il. IL would have been se.ess Tor
n Lis powder horn ~as gone as well! Over
. and over he turned the snow, down deep
:, Lo dug into il. uuul h.s hand, burned like
d d'c. and great drops OF pcrspirAtion rolled
' from bis iorehead, until bis arms grew stiff
y aud sore. aud be was forced 10 giyo up the
n uselsB. labor "A ON sheer exhaustion. W itn
j his back against the frozen prison walls. be
,ooksd aloit. and saw the greA, sultule sal
IL my upon IT'S immense aud trelc~s wings
2 around the mouth Of The chAsm; and tie
u strong man shudJgrcl, as he shook b., Est
q dsHan !J AID sEuruared. with lis holrsc
4 voice, Your time has not come yct!' llu
!. thought also oi h!s happy home, aud hi,
dear vile and children, aud then. naturally.
IS ior he 80, FAINT and hungry. he thought oil
ths food h.s vile Lad prepared for him.
e Having eaten Of lbs bread anl goats mil.
q cheese and drank OF ,ha li.ir bottle Of wine
- (Which strange to ,hy bad remained unbrok
]. en-, ho reasoned that il would bc 90 .saTdJ
.e to lic down and die. uihou, an effort anl
ho remembered Ib- goodness Of God. and
c once more ieryendy implored his help
% Then q b ID idea came 90 bim. Nhy might
% be not cot BIS way hrougl the solid zee; IL,
Do bad A ha'obot, such q, bis class never trlsc
,- without Al bIi Lo was l,rgetiui that d.,
,I v,.i. might be- hundreds OF feet ibiak tAa
i they uots 1i,Sbessiye hardness and wou,.
10 .olu reader blunt both bst,bet auI kniir
D.. The bright bop. th4. bsI been ..ra silbt
- brn sls dark ened by no such sha..W POI
ie the line being ~ knc~ that Lc 20. safe
le lie was accustomed TO tie oJld. and warm,
OF clad. could uss The skin oi ihe ibcs, iu ca,
. of need. and its hcsu vouid drive aWay o.,
Ju voIscs Of Starvation Tor many a DAY.
lJ hrIs rect aud be began the iass. and tode'
81 nubmlly. until darkos.. force d him to stop
AL-.Lt I un.a.N re.i. hr.lkfa.f nl "a.