The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1886-10-30

l, peevisb, changeful, moaning much;
Steadfast, eternal, He.
-Ne,c Engldud Magazine.
A TRUE STORY OF COURAGE.
About Christmas, in the year 1856,
Snowshoe Thompson saved the life of
James Sisson, who had been lying in an
old deserted cabin in Lake Valley twelve
days with his feet frozen. There was
some flour in the cabin, and on this Sis
son had subsisted. lie was in the cabin
four days without a fire. During that
time he ate the flour raw just as it came
from the sack. On the fifth day, while
rumaging about the shanty he had the
good fortune to find some matches. These
were where no one would have thought
of looking for matches, as they were
scattered about under some hay that lay
on the floor.
| After finding the matches, Sisson made
fire and thawed out his boots, when he
was able to get them off. For four days
he had lain in the cabin with his boots
| frozen to his feet. When found by Mr..
Thompson, eight days later, Sissos's legs
were purple to the knees. Sisson was con-
| fiient from the appearance of his legs
| that modification had set in. He knew
| that unless his legs were amputated he
must soon die AS he could expect no
| assistance from tue outside world he had
concluded himself to undertake to per-
form the required operation. There was
An axe IN the cabin, and with this he de-
termiued to cut off his frozen legs. But
for the opportune arrival of Thompson
Sisson would the next day have attempt
ed to disjoint his legs at the knees, for that
was the day he had fixed upon for under
| faklng the operation.
At the time he found Sisson, Thomp-
| son was on his way from Placervllle to
| Carson Valley. 1t was in the night, and
on coming to the log house-which was
occupied in the summer as a trading post
Thompson halted for a moment and
was knocking the snow off his shoes by
| striking them against the cabin when he
heard some one cry out. Going inside. he
found Sisson situated as related above.
| A considerable amount of provisions had
been left in the cabin in the fall, but all
except the flour had been stolen by the
| Indians.
Thompson chopped a supply of wood
| for the unfortunate man, and making him
As comfortable as possible with the means
| It hand, left for Genoa to obtain assis
ance. While Thompson was cutting the
| wood Sisson called out to him and beg
ging him not to dull the axe-the place
being full of rocks-as he might yet want
it for the purpose of taking off his legs.
Slsson was firmly of the opinion that
| when Thompson left he would never see
him again. He thought Thompson would
| never be able to get down out of the
mountains, and was of the opinion that
iu case he did succeed in reaching the
valley he would not attempt to return to
the cabin.
Thompson told Sisson he would surely
return and take him away, and advised
him OF to think of attempting to ampu-
cate his legs, as on cutting the arteries
10 would bleed to death. But Sisson
nad thought of that. He intended to
make a sort of compress or turniquet OF
some pieces of bailng rope, which he
would twist around his legs with stick
IN such a way that bit Of rock would be
pressed upon the arteries. Then with
tire-b brands he would scar the ends of the
arterits and the raw flesh of the stumps
of his legs. SIssons mind was so much
occupied with his plans tor the amputa-
ion of his legs, that Thompson was al
most afraid 10 leave the axe where he
.ould get hold of it; he did so only upol.
cceiving from Sisson solemn promise
hat he would wait three days before at
tempting to use it on his knees.
On leaving the cabin Thompson travel
I'd all night, and early next morning ar
rived at Genoa He there raised party
/ six men, w. B. Wade, Hnris Jacobs,
nd other oil | settlers to return with hin
nd bring Sisson down to the valley. B
Ihompson's advice the party carried with
EN- few tools for use i'll making IA SLED
5 owsho' were also hastily constructed
,or the men composing the relief party.
AS none of these men had ever done
much travelir on suowshoes, they fur
ished Thompson not little amusement
ufing the journey by their mishaps and
involuntary antics.
After much hard work the patty al
lived at the lone cabin late liz the even
ing, to the great joy of Sisson, who at
sight of SO many men felt that he was
saved.
That night they constructed hand
sled on which to carry the frozen man
down to Carson Valley. In the morning
they awoke to find that nearly two feet
Of new snow had fallen; there was a
depth of eight feet before. The new snow
made it very hard to get along with the
hand sled Under Sisson's weight it
ploughed deeply along, and at times it
was buried almost out of sight.
The first day the party got no further
than Hope Valley, where they encamped.
Sisson was made as comfortable as pos.
sible on bed of boughs. AS they had
expected to reach Genoa in one day, they
had taken along with them'no blankets,
and but few other comforts for the frozen
man.
The second day they reached Genoa,
and at once procured the medical assis-
lance which Sisson's case SO urgently de-
manded. The doctors found that it
would be necessary to amputate both of
Sisson's feet. Before the operation could
be performed, however, the physician said
he must have some chlorOform. AS Snow.
shoe Thompson never did things by
halves, he at once set out, crossed the
Sierra, and travelled all the way to Sacre-
mento in order to get the required drug.
Finally, the long delayed operation was
performed. Sisson survived it, and at