The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1873-01-15
THE STORM IN THE RANGES.
A Thrilling sketch.

A Thrilling Sketch.
All night long the wind shrieked
and whistled through the tents; the
men, tired out with their exertions,
did not wake. But the women did,
and lay and trcmbled. David's wife
awoke. David !" she whispered, but
he did not hear her. What's the
matter, mother ~ murmured her
daughter. Nothing, child, nothing.
Its only the wind. Hush we mustn't
wake father. Go to sleep darling"
The sun rose late the next morning,
and a dim blood veil was in the sky,
which made some of them think that
it was night still. The miners found
the snow round their huts to be three
feet deep. They looked anxious at
this. eve can master the snow" ("
they whispered to one another, "but
the snow-drift will mast er u.s." Even
as they spoke, the wind, which had
lulled, began to moan again, and be-
fore they had been working there an
hour shoveling away the snow, the
wind-storm. bringing the snow with
it from the heights over which it
rushed, blinded them, and drove them
into their huts for shelter. They
could not hold their feet. Let us
hope it'll not last long" they said
and they took advantage of every
lull to work against their enemy, not
like men but like heroes. What
makes you SO downcast, Saul ~
asked David; be had not begun to
lose heart. Saul looked in silence at
David's wife and daughter; they
were at the far end of the hut "You
are not frightened, Saul, surely ~
said David "Not for myself, David y
whispered Saul But tell me-
What kind of love do bear for your
wife and child ?n David's look was
sufficient answer. 81 have a perfect
love for woman also, David. If she
were here, as your wife is with you,
| could bear it, and so could she.-
David, We are beset by q terrible
danger. Listen to the wind. | am
afraid we may never get out of this. "
David's lips quivered, but he shook
away the fear. 1--WE mustn't lose
heart. Saul and we must keep this
danger before US, and we must do it
Like men ~ Trust me, David
said Saul; my heart beats to the
pulse Of willing band;v and said no
more The wind storm continued all
the day with such violence that it was
impossible for the men to work As
the day advanced the blood-veil in
the sky died away, and when the
night came the moons light shone
clear and cruel, bright and pitiless-
Worn out with hard toll and anxiety,
Saul Fielding lay down that night
and tried to sleep. Il must have
strength for tomorrow" he thought
The fierce wind had grown faint, and
it moaned now among the hills like a
weak child. Saul smiled gladly, and
accepted it as good omen. He hug
ged his gold close. and vowed that he
would not risk another season of such
danger. "If | do not get an ounce
more" he thought, II will be content
What l have win be sufficient for the
home and for Jane. Jane, deal
Jane p Her name always came to
him like prayer, and with Jane
Cd his lips, and "Jane" in his
thoughts, he fell asleep and dreamed
of her. my God !" he
heard David's wife cry. and at tina,
moment he awoke, and rising swiftly
to his feet, saw candle alight in his
tent, and David's wife standing in
her night dress on his side of it Her
face was white with terror. "My
God ? she cried again, eve are lost. y
The storm that had arisen in his
dream was no fancy. go into your
room,n said Saul hurriedly. 81 will
be dressed in minute" In less
than that space of time he was up and
dressed, and then David tore the green
baize aside. SAUL" he said, "this
is terrible" And stepping to Saul's
side whispered, IF this continues
long our grave is here" Saul went
to the door of the tent and tiled to
open it; he colud not. The wind had
brought with it thousands and thous
ands of tons of snow. from the
heights, and they were walled up
Saul felt all round the sides of the
tent. The snow was man-high.-
Only the frail drill of which the tent
was made kept it from falling in and
burying them. In an instant Saul
comprehended their dread-peril.-
''The tree !" he cried, as if an inspi-
ration had fallen upon him 'the tree. y
just on side the tent, between it and
the tent next to it, stood great pine
tree, the only tree among the tents.
Many time had it been suggested
to|cut down this tree for iirewood
but David had prevented it. "Wait,
he had said, "until we want it when
firewood runs short, and we can't get
it elsewhere, it will be time enough. y
So the tree had been saved from the
axe, and stood there like a giant, de.
flying the storm. Saul piled up the
rough seats and the table which CON-
prised the furniture of the tent, and,
climbing to the top of them, cut q
great hole in the roof of the tent 1t
was daylight above, and the snow
was falling fast. Saul saw the noble
tree standing fast and firm in the
midst of the storm. With dcsper-
ate leap he caught branch, and rails
ed himself above the tent And
when he looked upon the awful scene,
upon the cruel white snow in which
the tents all around him were imbed-
ded, and nearly buried, his heart
throbbed despairingly. But this was
no time for despair. 1t was the time
for action. When he had secured bis
position in the tree, he stopped over
the tent. "Davidp' he cried. Da-
vid's voice answered him. This is