Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1888-09-13
hat the wind might not wrench II

was intended and ran covering into
the corner.
Bat dragged him out and had just
placed his hand on the latch when
dull, rumbling sound caught his ear
and arrested him.
An instant later the mountain seemed
to tremble to Its base.
ats the slide!" he cried, covering
to the floor in terror, as, with a mighty
roar, the avalanche passed over the
dug-out.
The room at once began to fill with
smoke. The chimney had been swept
away and the snow, packing in great
drift above, drove the smoke back into
the dug-out.
Bat realized the danger and quickly
extinguished the fire. To effect this
he poured bucket of water upon the
live Goals, and for little while was al
most suifocated by the steam and
ashes.
The light still burned steadily, and
on the spur of the moment he also put
that out, thinking its flame might
vitiate the air confined in the dug-out
He was so terrified by the first shock
of the snow-slide that he scarcely knew
what he did. Now, as darkness en-
veloped him, and the dog crept to his
side, pushing his cold nose into his
face, Bat realized that something must
be done.
He could not live forever cooped up
in there. The prospect of aid from
the outside was extremely small. He
was forced to admit that his father
must be dead. 1t did not seem possible
that he could have survived that
mighty avalanche if he was anywhere
on tho trail. The tunnel would afford
secure retreat, but Bat knew his
father was not in the tunnel.
Knowing the Importance of haste he
again lighted the lamp. The door had
been warped by the outside pressure,
and he could scarcely get it open. No
whirling column of air now tossed the
flame of the lamp, for the doorway
was filled with q mass of snow, packed
almost rs hard as ice.
This Bat attacked with the energy
of despair, digging it loose with the
pick and shoveling it back into the dug
out. 1t took nearly an hour to enlarge
a space sufficient to turn around in.
But at this point the snow was not
packed so firmly, and his progress be-
came more rapid.
The exercise warmed his blood,
which would have become chilled by
inactivity. It also gave direction to
his thoughts. Youth is proverbially
hopeful, and, as he threw down his
pick after two hours labor, he found
his appetite returning. He drew or
his coat, and placing the now cold sup
per on the little table, ate with con
siderable relish, generously dividing
with Shep, who crouched and shivered
at his feet.
He returned to work strengthened
and with the confidence in his ability
to escape remarkably increased.
Straight out toward the open air hi
pushed the little tunnel, working with
scarcely a rest. 1t seemed an inter
minable task, but he never faltered.
Hours went by unnoted. Again
hunger drove him to the cupboard. !
was impossible to cook any thing. Blu
there were few hard crackers on tn,
shelves and an abundance of salt pork
and these he devoured grecdily, no
forgetting the dog.
Then he again crawled into the mar
row tunnel and attacked the drift. An
other hour, possibly two, dragged by
Then his pick broke through the crus
and current of cold air, accom-
panied by bath of sunshine, poured
in on him.
1t was daylight, and the storm ha'
cleared away.
, "Hurrah!" he cried, seizing tn
: shovel and enlarging the hole suffi
GENTLY to permit his egress.
Shop bounded after him and frol
licked about in evident glee,
} The scene of desolation that greete
Bat caused his spirits to sink again.
The gulches, canyons and trails wer
) obliterated. The grove of pines ha
I disappeared Here and there spin
tered trunk protruding from the drift
, was all that served to point out tn
. place where the stately trees had $
+ recently lifted their kingly crests.
He looked across toward Hunter
. Point. The cabins were still ther,
but the intervening valley was one vas
: snow-feld, wide-reaching and desolat'
3 A curl of smoke from one of the cabin
t showed that the inhabitants, or at lea'
. some of them, were yet alive; and tn
/ sight recalled him to his own situation
n He crawled back through the tunne
r put on his warmest clothes, filled on
n of the capaci Gus pockets with cracker
2 ~ ~