The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-01-19

branches might come down, and in that |
case there would be little of the cabin |
left. 1t was folly to think of sleep, and
so, drawing rude stool toward the
fireplace, prepared to sit out the night.
Gusts would drive down the rude
chimney and blow fine ashes and snow
into ones eyes, accompanied with
clouds of smoke, and one would go to
the door and look out into the awful
driving blackness to hear nothing but
the roar of the trees and elements in
creased tenfold. AT midnight the gale,
it seemed had reached height which it
was impossible to increase. Every mo-
ment trees were coming down in the
forest of frs and pines below us and
| toward the northwest. The branches
of the trees all around the cabin, with
the exception of "Ohio" and "Grant,"
were literally hailing down.
Nature, worn out at last, in spite of
roar and falling branches, asserted
itself, and l slept soundly for some
time, for all seemed to gradually die
out into stiffness. Suddenly / found
myself standing upright, cold sweat
all oyer me and the confused sense of a
roar mightier than the loudest thunder
ringing in my ears. This was instantly
followed by a rushing, tumbling sound
and another crash, and then on the roof
of the cabin came great thump that
Jared the whole fabric, followed in
stantly by a scattering of smaller pieces.
| rushed frantically out Of doors into
safety snow-but nothing could be
seen in the inky darkness. 1t was now
after 4 o'clock. The worst of the night
was passed and the gale had evidently
spent its strength. 1t moderated as
rapidly as it had risen, and about 8
O'Clock l was determined to turn in and
take some sleep before going down the
mountain.
OUT OF THE WOODS.
When l again awoke the sun was
shining clearly and only
light, white punches of rising
vapor were rolling up among the trees,
The causes of my fright of the few
hours past were now plainly to be seen,
Back of the cabin large fir tree, partly
decayed, had fallen up hill toward the
northeast. Had it fallen toward the
cabin, some part of its shattered tor
would most likely have beaten in the
| roof. A great branch, some fifteen
, inches in diameter, had fallen from
, somewhere near the top OF "Ohio," and
striking fallen log near it's foot, shiv'
, cred into fragments, one of which
! about the size of an ordinary four-foot
! stick of cord-wood, lay on the cabir
Y ROOT, whose BaDle slopes were very
) slight. Other smaller pieces lay
scattered about on the snow
I Outside the drift in front of the cabir
must have been at least thirty feet deep
and had widened out to within few
feet of the door. After a hasty break
o fast and hastier repacking, | strapped
on the snow-shoes, and, with glaC
! heart, babe adieu to the big trees, turn
ing back for last look after going dow
; the hill. Three days after, when riding
: along the sands of the ocean beach, will
: the sun setting calmly and softly int,
q ocean bed in haze of amber light, will
/ the sound of calm surf murmuring il
/ my ears, it seemed impossible to thinl
/ that, afar off on the great mountain
. submits, but three days before, ha,
-. passed through such a nightmare expe
) rience.-[C. ID. Il. in San Francisc
' Chronicle.