The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1877-04-05
APERlLOUs POSITION.

A PERlLOUs POSITION.
In the winter of 1858 I was mining
Or rather sojourning, and waiting tor
chance to mine in the spring, in the
town of Omega, Nevada County. Snow
fell in the town that winter to the
depth of eight feet. Three Of us were
living in a cabin about half mile
out Of town, near the head of Sour.
Krout Ravine. We were in the habit
of spending our evenings in the town,
or at the cabins of our brother miners,
generally remaining from home till
ten, eleven, or even as late as twelve
o'clock.
happened to be in town the very
first evening that the first great fall
of snow began. l saw that the
snow was coming down very fast, and
knew, before starting home, that the
trail would be hidden; but this gave
me no uneasiness, as knew the course
we'll, and could keep within a few rods
of the trail the whole distance, if not
in it.
When I finally started homeward it
was about 10 clock and there were six
or eight inches of snow on the ground,
and flakes coming down as big as sau-
GERS. Knowing my course, l rushed
along, paying but little attention to the
trail and, was within two hundred
yards of the cabin, when there was
a sudden breaking Of twigs and brush
under my feet, and felt myself sink
ing into an open space. Instinctively
stretched out both arms to their full
est extent, and clutched the snow with
both hands. Instantly-in fact, be-
fore had fully settled into this posi-
toni knew where was, and fully
comprehended the danger of my posi-
ton.
know that l was hanging over the
old Brookshire shaft-a shaft dug
some years before to undermine the
hill, and at least hundred feet in
depth!
twas but two or three rods below
the trail, and was covered by few
pine and spruce b0ughs that were
thrown across it's mouth when it was
abandoned. knew that there were
huge powders and sharped, jagged
rocks projecting everywhere along the
sides of the shaft, and that at the bot
tom was at least twenty feet of water;
for, in passing, had once or twice
pushed the brush-covering aside, and
dropped into it pebbles and pieces of
lighted paper. I felt my body and
legs dangle in space, and, without
thinking of the consequences, made
an effort to reach out with one of my
feet to see if I could touch the wall of
the shaft. I had extended my leg
some distance without touching the
wall, when, to my horror, the dry and
rotten covering Of the shaft began
cracking under my arm on the side
upon which my weight was thrown in
the attempt I had made to learn
something of my situation. Carefully
swung back, till l hung perpendicu'
larly over the fearful chasm. The
brush still cracking as I did so. AS
each twig snapped, felt that there
was that much less between myself
and death each little rotten stick
that held was worth millions to me,
and for stout beam under my feet ]
would have given tens of millions.
The snow beat down necessarily up
on my head in immense damp flakes
and l could feel it gradually piling
about my neck. Occasionally there
were wild blasts of wind that roared
among the tall pines, and swept the
light snow into my eyes. One of these
blasts took away my light felt at,and
left my head exposed to the beating
storm. AS felt my hat going,I made
an involuntary movement to raise my
arm to catch it, but instantly the
cracking twigs warned me to desist
This movement, the slightest in thu
world, cost me half a dozen twigs
and. it seemed to me, greatly weaken
ed my support. The snow melting OF
my head and face trickled into my
eyes, and almost blinded me. My hands
and arms seemed benumbed; and be
gan to fear would lose my hold upo1
the brush covering of the shaft. When
ever this notion took possession Of my
mind, I would extend my arms, ant
even my fingers, till the joints of m,
shoulders seemed starting from thei
sockets.
BY straining my eyes, I could SCI
the dim outlines of our cabin on a lit
tie rise of ground above me. I coult
see no light, however, and conclude,
that my partners had either gone t,
bed, or had not yet returned from
neighbours cabin, a quarter of mil
further down the ravine, whittier
knew they had gone to spend the even
ing. Once Or twice I shouted, but tn
effort caused the cracking of the twig
supporting me. and desisted deter
mining to wait till I could her tn
voices of my cabin companions return
ing, or see light in the little windo,
OF four small panes. This, fortunate
ly, was on the side of the house mex
to me 50, too, was the door by whicl
they must enter the cabin. l though
OF all this and this gave me some hope
Several times, as the roaring win
lulled for moment, I thought
heard the sound of voices and laugh
ter, and my heart beat quick wit
hope and joy but the sounds wer
not repeated, and doubtless were bu
the creaklings of some storm.swaye
bough, or the gatherings of some di.
tant coyote.
Inow began seriously to fear bein
completely covered in the fast fallin
and drifting snow. It seemed comm
down at the rate of an inch a minute
and already covered my shoulders, an
was piling close up about my mouth
dare not make the slightest move t
rid myself OF the drift that was abou
to bury me. Should the snow get owe
my eyes, could no: see the light j
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