Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-09-20

L
looking straight into the fire.
..Oh, if he cu'd only talk! Pap mus
he some eres clost Mebbe layin' in
the snow not more'n ten feet from the
door,
Then, as thought struck him:
..D'you reckon you cu'd take mo to
him? That's . good dog! Where is
he?"
SheD looked into his young masters
face, then at tho door, and whined
anxiously.
Il do b'lceve the dog c'u'd find him
It's jest awful to think't, mebbe he's
a-freezin' ter death right by the door,
Then his face lighted with stern de-
termination.
III try it, any how. don't b'leeve
I'd cit lost. with the dog. an kin
come back ter the dus-out eff / don't
find any thing"
He searched about until he came upon
a stout cord. This he tied about the
dogs neck. Then he put on his heavy
COdb duO 4ulGUCAos duO AesoOCitOu GuO
loose end OF the cord to his wrist so
that the wind might not wrench it
| away.
Come. Shep!" no said. pointing to
the door. "Hunt i'm up"
The dog seemed to understand what
was intended and ran covering into
the corner.
Bat dragged him out and had just
placed his hand on the latch when q
dull. rumbling sound caught his ear
and arrested him.
An instant later tho mountain seemed
to tremble to its base.
Its the slide" no 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 a 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 suffocated 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
,,;<;,%o tho 81, coDGro5 in tho d,,n ont
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 cooprd up
in there. The prospect Of aid from
the outside was extremely small. He
was forced to admit that his father
must be dead. It did not seem possible
that he could have survived that
mighty avalanche if he was anywhere
on the trail. Tho tunnel would afford
a 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 mass OF snow, packed
almost as 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 50 firmly. and his progress be-
came moro rapid.
The exercise warmed his blood,
which would have become chilled by
inactivity. 1t 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 on
his coat, and placing the now cold sup
per on the little table, ate with con-
| siderable relish, generously dividing
| with Shop, 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 he
pushed the little tunnel, working with
scarcely rest. It seemed an inter
minable task, but he never faltered.
Hours went by unnoted. Again
hunger drove him to the cupboard. II
was impossible to cook any thing. But
there were a few hard crackers on the
shelves and an abundance of salt pork.
and these he devoured greedily, not
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 crust
and q current of cold air, accom-.