The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1869-08-27
Now Series. .5avol. XVII. No. So.


esssiYs hardness, and would soon rende
! blaBt both batcbst and knife. Tbs brigE
@ hope that had been born within him wa
: daFksDsd By DO such shadow. For the Gim
being he knew that be was safe. He va
accustomed to the cold, was warmly clad
could use the skin Of the ibex. in case Q
need, and its flesh would drive away th
Wolvss Of starvation for many a day. 4
brief rest and he began the task, and toile,
faithfully until darkness forced him 10 stop
A night Of uneasy rest, 3 breakfast Of The raw
eesb Of The ibex, and he resumed his Iabors
Another day Of toll, and be again stretc6e.
himself upon the skin Of the beast, wrapping
it around him IS much Is was possible, ans
slept long and heavily, although there hac
been 4 sudden fall in the temperature, snd /
vas now excessively cold. 'hi oins@ =
For four days be tOiled thaS, his only food
the raw and frOsen Aesh Of the ibez. for foui
nights be slept within the hole he had cuI
away in the thick ice walls, cloaing up the en-
trance, and thus obtaining partial shelter
from the chilling blasts. And once he heard
the firing of guns, aud his heart beat wildly
within him. BE dropped his dullsd hateHst,
craWlCd TO the Ohasm, and shouted with ell
bis remaining strength-shOutsd until his
strained voice was reduced to thsvery ghost
Of hoarse whisper, He knew that his
friends we're in search of him; imagined be
could hear bis name called; could do nothing
to attsact their attention; aud as the firing
grew fainter and further and further aWay,
flung himself down, weeping and Wriugihg
his hands. The last plank 70 which be had
elung had been shiveredl BIS. neighbors and
friends had eOme-and gone. They would
never search that part Of the mountain again.
None would ever know Of his fats. Hswas
buried in an icy tomb until the last trump
should sound, and hot flashes Of aame dis
solve the frOst-Work around him.
with his mind trembling upon the Yergs
Of madness, Oysrpowsred by sorrOw; crushed
BY bitter agony he fell back .inseaible, sud
lay for long time upon the cold, damp
s0OW, that soon must be his winding sheet.
The black vuIEuFe Tapped its wings above
him. and be knew nothing SSit bBots after
some hours, the hunters consciousness re-
turned, though be was far too much crushed,
in the body and soul to resume his lsbOrs.
He cFspt into the little cavern he had exea-
waited would It not be to him tomb7), and
gave passionate vent to hisgrisfs. For many
weary hours nothing passed his lips; and
With aching head and fsvered brain, with
trembling limbs and cOnYulsivs sObs, he pray,
ed for deliverancs, if by no other hand, at
least the skeleton one OF death. 81 an
Lives rayless, sunless, atarless, darkness.
in the ice cavern, when the springs of his
life again became capable of action. He was
ravenously hungry and arose to satisfy his
hunger with portion Of the ibez he had lett
remaining outside in the chasm, He felt
around, but could discover no outlet, Had
he bean frozen in-shut ! out from Gods
blessed sunshine forsverl Nothing but
smooth ice met bis burning and blistersa
fingers, Then, after an hours, search, he
found q soft spot, and instantly solved the
mystery, he knew there must have been a
heavy fall Of snow in the night, and that it
bad drifted into, and blocked up the opening;
and with the strength of despair, be soon
dug through. It was still showing heavily;
the fakes fell ike great feathers around; and
be drew the remnant Of the CARCASS Of the
ibex into the cave, and made another rude
meal. And thus refreshed. new hope. vas
born within him; aud sgsin the ice walls re-
sounded with She blows Of his little hatchet.
But It was slow work, and much Of the time
was taken up in clearing the chips from the
little grotto. shls' s5aH is4e fIsai at
s AFeek psssed--a week Of the most severe
toll and terrible suxiety-and yet, he vas
not dishearted.- His trust in God had re-
turned; and love for his wife and dependent
children kept olive bis often sinking heasirt.
He was yet in hopes Of reaching the upper
air--of seeing his dear ones again Bueevs6
as he was thinking thus, with something of
his old time chserfulness, a new anxiety
took possession Of and nearly oEerpowered
him. The carcass Of the ibex, that had been
tbeiinnOcsnt cause Of all his trouble, was
picked almost to the bones. T.i B.. i1sH sI5
With dire starvation staring him in the
face, he bowed his head and. wept like q
child. Starvation, that is dreadful, even in
thought Starvation, that has IN it more Of
honor than thousand other deaths. He
could almost see it silently approaching, and
for . time despair alone had possession Of
him. Then his trust in the Supreme Being
returned, and be committed himself unto his
Holy keeping. Heavenly Father!". be
nhurmursd, from between his psrched and
blaekensd lips; at is Thy hand that has
sustained me 80 far-has saved me from al
danger. Thou givess food to the young ra-
vens, and markest even the fall of the tiny
sparrow. None but Thou can hear or help.
Hear my praysrl Save me, o Godl Save
me" .o{ fu
Something Of sweet consolation came
with the uttersnce of the words, and he
laid down to sleep more TRANQUILITY then he
had done for many previous nights. Yet,
it vas only to be awakened by a new fear.
Il needed no seer to tell him that the fOhh,
or hot south wind, was sweeping over the
glaries and snow fields Of the high Alps; and
that the rain was falling in torrents; and the
enormous blocks Of iCs melting, as by the
touch Of fire. The cavern be bad dug with
inieite labor was almost bresst-deep with
water, aud it was rushing in with all the
sWiftness of a mountain torrent. Instantly
he was vet to the skin, and stood almost
pslalyzed with terror. Then he breasted
bis way cut into the chasn, but, IT was Ouly
to return again as quickly as possible.
Never cataract rsged more tiercely than the
surging water there. Cutting littel inches
in the ice-waIl, he climbed beyond the Fescb
of the water, and trembHngly awaited. his
fate. The waves rose rapidly, higher and
higher. He had climbed until his head
rested against the top Of the csve-cOuld 60
no further. And yet, the waves rolled up
ward around him. They reached his waist
--surged higher to bis bresst-cTept to his
throat, and despite all his efforts, began to
trickle in his mouth. In another moment he
would be Strapgled by them; his hold would
6e torn away, and his body dashed hither
and thither against the sharp points Of the
ice. 70 GOdl Save me! Save He?' burst
from him in the terrible agony ofthe instant
the moment Of time that lay between, him
and death.