The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1888-11-01
sALLys HERoIsA

BALLYy HEROIhA
/ when Milton Bruce sold his proper,
IN Ess Cousty. Nsv York. and moved v
Dakota. eli bic frisnds thought hs bad
made . uisisks; and their opinion va'
shared by Mu Baros. vho, ai~sys deli
cate. sLrask from the hsrdships and sui
fcvins attendant upon pioneer life.
Bat Milton Brnoe uss naturally deter
nipel. spd. once decided upon course o.
sc,,op. Ls vas not easily turned from BIZ
purpose. snd urged 90 By the datserins
reports from that section. be had Ia due
time settled with his vile and only child.
Sally. then pine years Of age, 10 the min
ing country Of Colorado and midway down
the aide Of ons OF those spurs(ihey branch
out ., regular intervals al along the Rocky
Mountain ranee) over the bare summit Of
which ran rough trail toward mining
town beyond. he built bis primitive cab
in Of rough logs taken from the belt oi
timber near by.
Into 1t Sally. nov girl Of fourteen. and
her mother we're moved from little min
ing town OF 'csmp" 10 the valley on the
other side OF the mountain. seven miles
away, where they had been staying. wait
| ing for the establishment Of tqeir home.
The way over the mountain trail had
been wearisome and full Of peril, the road
rough. winding up and on above the tim.
Der into the region Of ice and snow; .
crooked line. trescherou with many .
ohasm. growing fainter and fainter till
lost 10 the perils Of the pass at the summit,
trailing sinuously along the height and
gradually dropping on the other side.
From il ziszAg trail led away and down
the long broken slope toward the miners
cabin.
The pass could hardly be called such in
the accepted meaning Of the term. as il is
scarcely more than shelf 10 the crest Of
the mountain, asnked BY siddy precipices
VI lCo uOu IuSAp WupsU WV OhOw s'~" -
the year aud the winds are never still.
Over this way even the bravest miners
dread to cross in winter save in calm wes
ther.
The cabin, staunch, but small contained
two rooms, with . great rude chimney and
fireplace Of stones and mud at one end
over which the miners wife aud daughter
cooked the frugal meals and sat around Il
on winter nights. listening to the wild
winds which swept across the slope, driv
ing the snow like whiet- mist clouds be-
fore 1t, or hissed and roared down its
throat.
The long trail ziszagging up the slope
possessed fascination for Sally's adven-
turous spirit, aud il was gszed ct with
keen eyes in oil its tortuous windings with
. wistful longing, till she knew every tuln
OF the way.
After while she sometimes accompani-
cd her father over TO the town, and once 10
summer even made the journey sione, 80
much confidence did Milton Bruce place
in his daughters ability to take care Of
herself. Aud this self-dependence and
determined character stood him in very
good stead later on.
The Bruces had been ct the cabin two
summers, summers filled with bright,
cloudless days and cool, dewless nights
and now . second winter had crept down
upon the bleak mountain side. with wind
and storm and dark, lowering skies.
Mrs. Bruce had taken the last long jour
ney and was laid in the shadow Of great
gray boulder, upon which she had sat
with Sally and knitted and planned won
deriul schemes or woven bright day
dreams OF future prosperity and . happy
meeting with the dear on.s away beyond
the sunrise.
Nov Sally was left alone to keep the
hearth warm and cheer the lonely man
Who still delved persistently at the rocky
drift" believing be would some time
strike ore.
But, as the months had dragged on. and
no fortune bad come OF his labor, the peo.
pie Of the town had given him we'll mea ni
advice TO abandon his place and try anoth'
er and more promising locslity.
II had been mild November. but 10
ward the last OF December there camo he's.
w suows; and Milton Bruce. ploddine
about prospecting, as was bis wont, 10
sheltered rsvines out OF the reach ol
storms, Ut length threw down his pick in
the gathering dusk Of the short day. biz
usually dejected face ovespread with az
expression bard to describe. and with snS
ious eyes peered into the snow cloud fal
up the long slope.
Heaven forbid that anything should
happen sonightl he muttercd; and, long
aitsr sally had gone 10 bed in the curtain
cd corner Of tho kitchen that night. hel
fathers rsstiess footsteps sounded upor
the rough noor Of the next room.
weA1ed At length. Sally fell asleep
while upon the mountain . mysterious,
weird movement was going on under The
murky snow cloud as II some giant hand
vM moving the whole vast field Of snow
and ice slowly and silently downward to
ward the valley, gathering force each mo.
ment. yet hslting nov and then as II heel
ia.ing 70 accomplish its terrible work.
II wn the pitiless mountain monster
creeping steadily and stesltbiiy.it seemed
like thief 10 the night. yet in trembling
eagerness 10 spring down upon the unwsry
sleepen below.
Nov deep. dull murmurius like ths
rush OF vster over Tar rapids, "a crunch
e. rx;rd,ru snnna Uvovin0 Iouder and