The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1877-04-04

calling out III a 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, I discovered that could keep
it away with my breath. I saw that I
still had chance of keeping my eyes
free, and kept constantly at work
blowing away the accumulating flakes.
This gave me something to do, and
was relief to my mind, and so zeal.
ous]y did I keep guard that / would
hardly allow two flakes to lie before
my lips. .....-
Thoughts of home, my friends, of
the little I had ever done in the world,
and of the jagged rocks lining the
sides of the shaft, with the great pool
in it's bottom, passed and repassed. in
my mind. In this circle my mind
seemed swiftly: revolving, dwelling
but for a moment upon one thing. L
would strain my eyes to see the light
in the window till they were ready to
start from their sockets. Sometimes I
would see sudden red flash, and with
a joyous throb Of my heart 1 would
say, cts there;" but, in moment
after, would groan in spirit at dis
covering the flash was only within my
strained and weary eyeballs.
From straining my eyes and ears for
some sign of the arrival of my part
ners, I would fall into my old circle of
thought and round and round in it 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 1 made
toward extricating 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 wi tn
in my reach, were it no larger or
stronger than rye-stalk. Time seem
ed to move on leaden wings, and it ap.
peared to me that I must have been
suspended over the shaft for many
hours. began to fear that, on &C;
count of the storm, my partners had
concluded to ''turn in'' at the cabin of
our neighbor. The moment I thought
of this, it seemed to me almost GER
tain that such was the case. My es-
cape, l now began to think, rested on
myself. I thought there might be be.
fore me pole strong enough to bear
my weight. Slowly l began raising
my right arm, in order to feel for
some support; but a startling swapping
of twigs, when this extra weight was
thrown upon my left arm, caused me
quickly to desist.
''Great heavens!" I groaned, as I
settled back into my former position,
show long is this to last p ...
Just at this moment I heard the
sound of voices. This time there was
no mistake about it. heard the loud,
ringing laugh of my jovial partner.
Tom, and heard card-loving Bob say
something about game they had been
playing at the 'other cabin
AS they came nearer, I heard him
say:
II wonder if Dan has got back from
town."
They spoke in their ordinary tone of
voice, and this gave me great joy, as I
knew could make them hear. without
shouting too loudly. heard them at
the door, scraping the snow away with
their feet, and knew that now was the
time to call: for, once had they en-
tered, they might not hear me.
s'TOm - I cried, ''T0m ~
There was no answer and my heart
felt cold within me. ~ 81 .'J
'sTom - again cried. 5,:. =. s.a
This time, to my great Joy, both of
the boys in breath sang out, ''Hello!''
''Tom - cried again, in as loud a
tone of voice as dare use Tom,
come here!' !4s'. 49,
"Why. that's Dan! what can be the
matter p .-.....-.
And both came as fast as their legs
would carry them down to near where
was hanging. e. o.-....... 49,:
t'Don't come too near!'' I cried.
"F0r heavens sake, don't come too
near!'' I have fallen through the brush
over this shaft; and it's just ready to
break and let me down. Get a rope,
quick windlass rope you know"
Tom ran to the cabin, and in less
than minute though it seemed an
hour to me-was back with the rope.
Both were running to the shaft with
the rope, when stopped them.
tStop 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 I can reach
it, 5-f.. -..
They did as I directed, and the rope
was soon against my face. I began
slowly to lift my right had to clutch
it,. but cracking of the. brush on