Rapides gazette. (Alexandria, La.) 1869-187?, 1873-06-21

miners, life to him so abounded i'm pleas.
ures that he had no time to grieve for the
loneliness Of his mother. 1t is inherent
in the nature of man to love children, and
Johnny was the recipient of the affections
of camp, and so it was when the days
grew short, near the close of the year, ,and
the boy fell sick of the mountain fever,
the labors of many were forborne and
business was in part suspended, that the
miners might sit watching around his sick
bed, or stand waiting in the hope of an
opportunity to do him service.
Slowly the disease triumphed over
health and strength slowly the lad
wasted, until, one evening, at the close of
his visit, the doctor called Hemming from
the bedside to an adjoining room, and
said, with averted face, "Johnny will
die" As Hemming returned to the sick
room, Johnny opened his eyes for the first
time In twenty-four hours, and said,
"Papa, take me to my mother"
Yes, Johnny" said he, 81 will. God
forgive me that ] ever took you from
her."
1t was the fall of 1S61-the beginning of
that season which has passed into history
as the wet winter of California. For
thirty days it had stormed almost inces-
santly-rain in the valleys, snow on the
hills. The lowlands bordering the Sac
ramentO River were inundated; the
SUBMITS of the Sierra were burdened
with twenty feet in depth of snow. ALI
communication of mountain towns with
each other, or with the plains below, was
shut of. Trails for animals could neither
be made nor kept open; and the usual
winter method of transit by means of
snow-shoes was forbidden by dense pail
OF clouds SO obscuring the vision, that the
hardest mountaineers deemed it madness
to attempt even five-mile journey over
familiar trail. So, when it was an
nounced that Hemming proposed to carry
the sick boy thirty miles across the coun-
try to Howe's Flat, the miners said, at
is Madness" The doctor-familiar with
travel in the mountains, in winter as well
as summer-deemed it next to an impos-
sibility for man to find his way between
the two points; and discouraged the at
tempt, saying, 'It matters nothing to
JOhnny-his stupor will continue, with
scarcely any interruption, till death en-
sues; then why should you peril your life
for what, If successful, he cannot appre-
ciate?''
John answered.: SIT is not for the boy
alone; it is due to his mother that make
this attempt. Whether she kiss the living
child's lip, or lay down my life, the ef-
fort, perhaps, will atone in part for the
grievous wrong did her in taking away
her child"
There were not wanting heroic spirits
who volunteered to accompany John on
his journey; but he sternly forbade.
The preparations for the journey were
made with the assistance of many ready
hands. Blankets were cut, shaped, and
sewed, to shelter and support the boy,
and attach him to his fathers shoulders;
while the champion of the snow-shoe
adopts of the district volunteered his
favOrite pair for Johns use, and made
them ready by applying his choicest
dope" the composition of which was
well-guarded secret.
When the dawn of Christmas Day ap-
peared, John, with his burden, sailed
forth. Hemming was fully conscious of
the desperate nature of his undertaking.
Thirty miles in a short winters day,
dragging heavy snOw-shoes through the
moist, yielding, new-fallen snow, and bear
ing such burden as he carried, he well
knew was sufficient TO tax to the utmost
the physical powers of the hardest man. |
severe the perils a thousand times what |
they are," said John to himself, 'still |
would | venture. She has borne and nur-
tured the boy, and, If he lives till night, |
she shall see him once again, alive; or else |
he and l will sink into these SHOWS, to lie |
chill and frozen until spring-then to feed |
the coyotes and buzzards.'
Hemming had "raised the hill" as the |
term it, from the bottom of |
the canon where Jasper Creek lies hid |
and now, safety and success were depend |
ent on his always choosing (where the |
frequent alternative was presented) the |
ridge which led to Howe's Flat, and avoid
ing that which led astray; in crossing the |
numerous rayines at the proper point
and, finally, in making, at or near the
proper place, the hazardous descent |
from the mountains brow to Howe's Flat |
In the depth of the canon below. Ever
and anon he listened for the troubled
breathing of the boy, and sometimes, in
his anxiety, he spoke to him when the
faint Eyes, papa" that came from little
Johnny's lips, fell on his ear like a knell.
Admonished, at length, by the fast-fall-
ing shadows of night, as well as his rap
idly waning strength, John determined
TO make the descent into the canon from
the mountain along the brow of which
he had for an hour tOiled. He felt no
certainty that Howe's Flat lay below;
lhoOONs hC cOdiC CCiy udiCu ~ AuCus
. But what matters it," thought he,
. whether we perish on the hill above
Or in the abyss beneathr'
In the haste of preparation, John had
forgotten nothing. He undid from bis
own waist wide band, or surcingle;
passed it around Johnny and himself,
outside of all wrappings, and buckled it
As tight as he dared, to prevent the boy
being thrown from him In case of acci-
dent. He shuddered to think of himself
cropping for the lad deep-buried in the
snow, where disaster would hurl him.
Hemming was too familiar with the
mountains in that vicinity, and with the
use of snow-shoes, to attempt to pick his
way down the canon's side. There was
but one way, and that was, to make dash.
With cautious steps, and rigid muscles,
Hemming approached the mountains
brow, and launched himself on It's slope.
Away he sped, swifter than the torrents
If spring, that course down those hill
'ides-swifter than the flight of an eagle,
Is he stoops on his prey. Scarcely seen
n advance, and deity avoided with skill
Known only to the adept in the use OF
the few scattering trees fled
A. lclxs id al nd