Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1877-03-28

ms movement, the slightest in the
world, cost me half a dozen twigs,
and, as it seemed to me, greatly weak
ened my support. The snow melting
on my head and face trickled into my
eyes, and almost blinded me. Ny
hands and arms seemed benumbed;
and | began to fear | would lose my
hold upon the brush covering of the
shaft. Whenever this notion took
possession of my mind, | would ex-
tend my arms, and even my fingers,
till the joints of my shoulders seemed
starting from their sockets.
BY stralning MY eyes. | could see
the dim outlines OF our cabin on a lit
tie rise of ground above me. | could
see no light, however, aud concluded
that my partners had either gone to
bed, or had not vet returned from a
neighbor cabin, quarter Of a mile
further down the ravine, whittier |
knew they had gone to spend the even
ing. Once or twice | shouted, but the
effort caused the cracking Of the twigs
supporting me, and | desisted, deter
mining to wait till | could hear the
voices of my cabin companions return
ing, or see light in the little window
of four small panes. This, fortunate
ly, was on the side of the house next
to me; so, too, was the door by which
they must enter the cabin. | thought
of all this, and it gave me some hope
Several times, as the roaring wind
lulled for a moment, / thought |
heard the sound of voices and laugh
Ter, and my heart beat quick with
hope and JOY; but the sounds We're
not repeated, and doubtless were but
the creakingS of some storm-swayed
bough, or the gatherings of some dis
tant coyote.
now began seriously to fear being
completely covered in the fast falling
and drifting snow. 1t seemed coming
down at the rate of an inch a minute,
and already covered my shoulders, and
was piling close up about my mouth.
| dare not make the slightest move to
rid myself of the drift that 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 eXertlon as
calling out in loud tone set my rot
ten 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 kept constantly at work
blowing away the accommodating flakes.
This gave me something to do, and
was relief to my mind, and SO jeal-
ously did | keep guard that | would
hardly allow two flakes to lie before
my lips.
Thoughts of home, my friends, of
the little had ever done in the world,
and Of the jagged rocks lining the sides
of the shaft, with the great pool in its
bottom, passed and repaSsed in my
mind. In this circle my mind seemed
swiftly revolving, dwelling but for a
moment upon one thing | would
strain my eyes to see the light in the
window till they were ready to start
from their sockets. Sometimes |
would see sudden red flash, and with
a joyous throb of my heart | would
say, Its there but, IN a moment
after, | would groan in spirit at dis
covering the flash was only within my
strained and weary eyeballs.
From straining my eyes ana ears
for some sign of the arrival Of my part
ners, | 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 winds or creak-
ing of the trees would arouse me to
thoughts of escape from my fearful
position.
After the first few efforts made to-
ward eXtrlcating myself, my whole
care was to remain as mOtionless as
possible, and keep my arms stretched
out to their fullest extent, in order to
grasp for my support every twig with
IN my reach, were it no larger or
stronger than arye-Stalk. Time seemed
to move on leaden wings, and it ap-
peared to me that ! must have been
suspended over the shaft for many
hours. ] began to fear that, on ac-
count Of the storm, my partners
had concluded To "turn in at the
cabin Of our neighbor The moment
| thought of this, it seemed to me al
most certain that such was the case.
My escape, | now began to think, rest
ed on myself. | thought there might
be before me pole strong enough to
bear my weight. Slowly ! began rails
ing my right arm, in order to feel for
some support but startling swapping
of twigs, when this extra weight was
thrown upon my left arm, caused me
quickly to desist.
Great heavens" / groaned, as ]
settled back into my former position,
chow long is this to last?'
Just at this moment / heard the