West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1884-02-08

ropes, kettles and tools scattered
around among the bushes upon the
earth iloor- all together formed a scene
weird and impressive.
As the man had said, Little John was
dellrious and talking of his home and
associates away back i'm Ohio. but most
OF all his mother, piteously begging her
to forgive him for deserving her, and
never to believe him guilty.
Beyond this brief hint there was moth
ing ineligible in his sayings. Now
and then word of pity or sorrow was
spoken by some one. but not word OF
hope, until suddenly Bill Lewis quietly,
but firmly and conldentially. re
marked:
"Pards' that yer Kid must be saved.
If YOU lcllers have mind TO turn i'm
and help-well an good; but, anyhow,
that kids goin' TO be saved for his
mother"
1t was thirteen miles east over the
range TO the nearest cabin The sum
init was nearly fourteen thousand feet
IN height. and upon il storm was rag-
ing. The spurs to the north and west
were utterly impossible. The only way
out was down the gulch by the same
route over which they had recently
49, %hANiaOhZl " NltN lIHll IntIB
would he no storm, there was worse.
There were slides. prccipiccs and diff
cultieS innumerabc Besides, il would
only lead into the broad valley of the
Gunnison. The range must vet be
crossed TO the east before railroad
town could be reached, or the advan-
tages of shelter and medical attendance
secured They believed the boy would
die before morning. How, then, could
he be saved?
Bill, seeing their questioning looks,
answered them:
" See here, pards; the boy amt near
so sick rs We think he is. He's tired.
wore cut, an tcetOtally discouraged;
but he's young. amt burnt out with
whisky an in my opinion IS more
homesick than sick I've seen them
fellcrs before. Ii we kin make him un-
derstand there's n chance of his gitt;n'
nome, he II hang on SO we Sin CIT him
home. I'll rig n litter on Balaam
(Balaam was Bills burro), an well
take him down the valley to TAYLOR
Creek. a couple o YOU fcllers kin
then cross the range by Brush Creek
trall TO Copper Creek, AN git more fell
lerS thar, an meet me an the Kid on
the summit o Red Mountain. Theirs
an empty cabin at timbcr-line on the
west o Red Mountain, an meet me
thar an hour by sun tomorrow. If
yer hustle ycr'll git thar. Yer ought
to fetch up by midnight on the sum
nit"
1t is useless to attempt to convey an
! idea OF what this plan involved
None but those who have seen these
vast stretches of rock and snow-savc.
perhaps, those who have contemplated
for an hour Bromley's "Everlastin =
SHOWS of Colorado can appreciate
the magnitude of the undertaking. But
they knew the boy must die if he re-
manned whore he was, and "a the plan
offered possible chance of success. they
adopted il.
They were ready in an hour. Bill
rlgSeG litterupon his burro, rs Indians
do, and in it placed Little John. At
eleven o'clock the procession started
down the gulch. There were two men
besides B;ll. While these went forward
and picked out the trail, Bill attended
to the litter. Their progress was slow.
and their mishaps many, but without
serious accident they reached the valley
at daylight, and at twelve o clock were
mt Taylor Creek
iHtllc Jpnn was no worse. lie
was partly conscious. and had been
made to understand that he was
going towards home. Bilrs assist
ants We're to leave him at this point,
ana he delivered last in unct.on
" Now, pards, lets have no bitches.
/ Kin make the cabin i'm five or six
hours easy enough, an shall stop thar
an hour TO rest an warm If | kin
I mako fhn
init the things done. If it's quiet-like.
mebbe L kin make it. Ii it storms.
God help u.s. You must be thar at the
summit at midnight If the snow
dritted bad, Balaam cant make il. an
we II Fave TO carry the boy. When you
GIT thar if il storms, hunt round. an
yer'll find me an BALKAN an the kid
somewhat in the snow. Now, Git: an
an'-if you ever loved yer mothers
don't you tdH!n
The two departed; reached and passed
the summit Lesore daylight hnd faded;
and at six O'Clock were i'm the timber of
/ Copper Greek on the eastern slope. In
a few minutes more they were i'm "A SNUG
cabin by glowing fire. telling their
/ story to four fearless, big-hearted
miners.
I Ah'. diA NH'M Dill LOWS, ana thought
he could win if any man could: but they
had little hope of finding Little John
| alive. They ALL however. willingly
made ready to set out. They had g ght
miles Of comparatively easy trail. which
they could do in three hours. leaving
them two hours in which TO climb the
two miles from t.m1or-lne to Red
! Moun.ain summit Without great diff
| iiculty they reached the foot Of the slide
IN the time proposed But discourao-
/ ing indeed. was the prospect upon ar
I irving there. That dreary waste Of
snow, snow no hing but snow, stretch
ing mp up, up, at an ang'e OF seventy
/ degrees, unil il faicI i'm the uncertain
/ gnt. the wind roaring far above their
/ hnwd rs b came sweeping over from
+ TIE other side all brought a swift sense
+ 81 their own pOwerlcssncss as against
bee appalling forces Of nature. which
weighed down and discouraged thcn
drcarily
/ one by ore tscy crawled up the fear
. iu' winding way. Not one had heart
TO speak o. breath ~ spare. Even min
utes seem ON iu time and place like
+ ibis. and 10 seemed an age before they
saw the top and, Oh how long before
they reach q g..