The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1872-05-17

down at the rate of an inch minute,
and already covered my shoulders and
was piling close up about my mouth. i
dare not make the slightest move to rid
myself of the drift which was about to
bury me. Should the snow get over
my eyes could not see the light in the
cabin, and could only call out by guess.
AS 50 slight an exertion as calling out
in loud tone set my rotten platform to
cracking, did not wish to call for aid
till was certain it was near. AS the
snow began rising about my mouth
discovered that / could keep it away
with my breath. saw that / still had
chance of keeping my eyes free, and 1
kept constantly at work blowing away
the accumulating flakes. This gave me
something to do, and was relief to my
mind. So jealously did 1 keep guard
that would hardly allow two fakes to
lie before my lips.
Thoughts of home, my friends, of the
| little l had ever done in the world, and
Of the jagged rocks lining the side Of
| JllC OIull, WIFI tllC pun III llo DOp-
tom, passed and repassed in my mind.
In this circle my mind seemed swiftly
revolving, dwelling but for a moment
upon any one thing. / would strain
my eyes to see the light in the window
till they were ready to start from their
sockets. Sometimes 1 would see sud
den red flash, and with joyous throb
of my heart would say, "It is there !"
but in a moment after would groan in
spirit at discovering the flash was only
within my strained and weary eyeballs.
From straining my eyes and ears for
some sign of the arrival Of my partners,
1 would fall into my old circle of
thought, and round and round in il as
in whirlpool my brain would whirl
till some moan of the wind or creaking
of trees would arouse me to thoughts of
escape from my fearful position.
After the Erst few efforts 1 made to.
wards extricating myself, my whole
care was to remain as motionless as pos.
sible, and keep my arms stretched out
to their fullest extent in order to grasp
for my support every twig within my
reach, were it no larger or stronger than
e.stalk. Time seemed to move on
leaden wings, and it appeared to me that
must have been suspended over the
shaft for many hours. began to fear
that on account of The storm my part
ners had concluded to "turn in" at the
cabin of our neighbor. The moment /
thought of this it seemed to me almost
certain that such was the case.
My escape, now began to think,
rested with myself. / thought there
might be before me pole across the
shaft strong enough to bear my weight.
Slowly began rising my right arm, in
order to feel for some such support, but
startling swapping of twigs, when this
-1s'+s,1- s,sniaht u,ae fhrnu,u upOn NV left
arm, caused me very quickly W u.,s....
"Great God" I groaned, as 1 settled
back into my former position, chow
long is this to last?"
Just at this moment heard the sound
of voices. This time there was no mis-.
tuhC iilC iOuNl, IllS
ing laugh of my jovial partner Tom,
and heard bean-poker loving Bob say
something about game they had been
playing at "the other cabin" AS they
came nearer 1 heard Tom say, ~ won.
der if Dan has got back from town"
They spoke in their ordinary tone of
voice, and this gave me great joy, as l
knew / could make them hear without
shouting too loudly. heard them at
the door, scraping the snow away with
their feet, and that now was the time to
call-for once they had entered they
might not hear me. "TOm !" / cried,
''Tom !" There was noansWer, and my
heart felt cold within me. "Tom ~ I
again cried, and this time to my great
joy both of the boys in breath sung
out, "Hellov' "Tom !" i cried again,
in as loud tone of voice as ] dared use,
"Tom come here!' "Blessed if that amt
Den" cried Bob; "what the deuce can
be the matter?" and both came as fast
as their legs could carry them down to
near where 1 was hanging. Don't
come too near !" l cried, "fOr Gods
sake, don't come too near! l have
| fallen through the brush over this shaft,
and it's just ready to break and let me
down; get rope, quick-the windlass
rope, you know"
Tom ran to the cabin, and in less than
minute-though it seemed an hoar to
me-was back with the rope. Both
were rushing to the shaft with the rope,
when stopped them.
"Stop right where you are, boys !!
Now listen, or you will kill me. Don't
come near the brush about the shaft, or
you will break it and let me down.
Take hold of the rope about twenty feet
apart and walk so as to bring it across
the shaft, so that / can reach it,"
They did as directed, and the rope
was soon against my face. 1 began
slowly to lift my right hand to clutch it,
but cracking of the bush oil which l
hung suspended startled me so much
that had not the courage to try and
grasp the rope. thought of making a
sudden plunge for 1T, but feared might
fail to catch it, when 1 would most cer-
tainly break through and fall to the
bottom of the shaft.
"What is the matter?p asked Bob.
Cant you get hold of the roper"
l replied, "No; will break through
if even lift one finger"
"Take hold of the rope with youl
teeth!" cried Tom.
This was the very idea. "Hold the
rope little lower" said 1, ''and viii
try-lower yet-there, hold oni'
"Have you got it ?' asked Tom.
AS well as l could, answered "Yes.'
"Now try for it with your hands,
cried Bob.
AS quickly as l could use my stiffened
right arm made clutch at the rope,