Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-02-21
Some Severe Winters.

In the course of the winter of 1914, not
only was the list of persons who perished in
the snow painfully long one but MANY
animals were lost, particularly sheep. There
were, however. some remarkable instances
OF the latter being rescued, after protracted
entombment. One belonging TO n gentleman
in the south of Scotland was rescued after
having been buried for six weeks. 1t was
not much theworse for. its imprisonment;
for, after little stumbling, it was able to
walk home before the shepherd. and bv and
by was as strong the rest of the flock. On
the 22d of February, a sheep belonging to a
farmer in Berwickshire was dug out after
having been for fourteen davs entombed In
the snow.
Neither are instances wanting of the slmost
miraculous preservation OF human beings
when buried in drtt-wreath. Few more
remarkable than the following will be found,
which occurred at the village of lmpinctou,
about three miles from Cambridge; On the
2d of February, 1899, Mrs. Elizabeth Wood.
| cock, respectable resident of the village.
on returning home from market, was over.
taken by snow-drit. Lying down beside a
hedge, she was completely enveloped, and
remained there until the 10th of the month
a period of eight days and eight nights.
During the interval. one Of the villagers il
| said to have dreamed. on three different
| occasions. that a hare was to be found at
ticular spot at the roadside near the village.
Immediately after the last occasion, he
resolved to go and see and on doing so, he
discovered a handkerchief in a hole in the
snow and on further search, to his amaze
ment, Mrs. Woodcock. She was conveyed,
in the full possession of her faculties, to her
family and friends, who had given her up for
lost. She said she had distinct recollection
nf hna rtnu tho ,ill hol G
church service, on the day after that on
which she inwrapped in what she
believed was to be her winding sheet, and
equally good was her hearing on the morning
of the day on which she was rescued when,
on the bells again Ginning, she recognized
them. About thirty or forty wears ago
monument commemorative of the event.
with an inscription stating the particulars,
was erected on the spot; and persons are
said to he still living in the village who
| remember having seen Mrs. Woodcock.
The great storm of 1898 lasted for fifty-one
days; and on a simultaneous appeal being
made to the oldest Inhabitant'' in all parts
of the country. that venerable parsonage pos
itively failed to conjure up from memory n
parallel winter, unless, indeed, it were that of
l140. On the Thames, there was was gen
eral suspension of commerce. and il was said
there were no fewer than 800 vessels fast in
the ice. During the months of January and
February great many persons persisted in
the snow or from the cold-not n few in cir.
cumstapces exceedingly painful. But there
was also a very considerable catalogue of gal.
liant rescucs. We select the following two
examples Of deliverance effected by the
agency of the dumb animals. that have ALWAYS
been among the best friends of man. One day
toward the end of January n Norfolk farmer
while returning home from the town of Nor
wich, became so benumbed BY the cold that
he was compelled to lie down in the snow
He would undoubtedly have perished but for
his dog, which. with a pathetic sagacitv.
| stretched its body across its masters breast,
and so protected his lungs from the cold In
this position it lay for several hours, until, at
length, by continued barking and howling, it
attracted attention and relief
An almost equal power Of dscernment was
displayed in the following instance. About
the same period, while farmer near Huntly.
cote was, with the assistance of his she pherd,
relieving some sheep from the snow-drift at
the side Of a bank. large quantity Of snow
shot down in the form Of an avalanche from
the higher ground, and enveoped the two
men. There they must have remained. and
perhaps perished. but for the sagacity of their
two faithful cOlies. The dogs mt once scam.
pered home, and by their excited demeanor
and continuous bowling, aroused the suspic-
ions Of the women, whom they by and by in
duced to follow them to the spot where their
masters were buried. Arrived(here, the an
imals commenced to scrape the snow and the
situation having thus been made plain. the
men were dug out, after confinement Of six
hours, of which, however they were not much
the ~orse.-C ChamJeys' Journal