The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1892-12-28
UNDER THE SNOW.
A TRUE STORY OF NEW
YEARS EVE.


stems ranch, and tie family and guests
were al gathered about the huge open
fireplace in the living-room, drinking
their coffee after late dinner. The
lights were not lit and the party sat in
the tlickering light Of big FIRE Of crack
ling pine logs, which threw oct quaint
shadows in every direction This party
was the usual one that yearly gathered
at Jack RslstOn's to spend the Christmas
holidays with him and his family. As
they sat ia the cheerful warmth and
glow ofthe FIRE they listened to the fear
ful storm that reared outside. A biz
zard had been raging for the past three
days; the Wind howled and shrieked
through the m0Entsin peaks, driving the
fast-fAiling snow before it and piling 1t
Up in immense drifts against every Oh
straction. Il was bitter, biting, cold
wind, toe, as it tore through the valley
Ike : demon seeking whom II might de-
s.roy, doing is utmost toeompleteiy bury
the house from view il the snow; but,
sheltered as it was by two giant rocks,
one On each side, with the moantain-siue
al its back, the house was safe, in It's
snug little spot, even from the storms
gressest fury. The inclenent weather
had kept the men indoors. and they were
grunbling over their enforced idleness.
and Dragged about the amount Of game
they would have bsgged had they only
been able TO ge. out.
Say, jack, its time time yet before
midnight Can't you spin Us yarn?7
finally ssid Bobby Crufhers, after long
pause in the conversation.
~Well, Eas Just thinking" said Jack,
''of Just such q night as this fifteen years
ago, when, If II had not been for the
pluck Of that little woman yonder, /
would not be here tonight to see the
New Year cone in, and lie gaEed fond
" az his wife, who sill looked ike
young woman as she sat in the fickering
light, although on one side sat her son, a
fair young giant, ando the other her
daughter, beautiful gil Just blossom
ing into womanh0Od.
Lets have IT, came IN q chorus from
the party.
"well. i'll your pipes. and III tell you
my story. You see, fifteen years ago, l
wasn't a. prosperous as am now. 1 vas
Just starting out ranehing, had only been
here sonse three years, then. and where
this house now stands We only had s
small log cabin Young Jack over there
vas only six years old a. the time, and
Mss Ruth was trotting round, a young
three-yesrol The winter had opened
badly; s1os had come very early.
and with il bitter cold Eea;h
er. We bad plenty Of fuel, 80 We man
aged 10 keep warm enough The cabin
vas in the same spot as this house nov
Is, 50 the two big rocks helped to keep
ofthe fereeness Of the wind; but We
were completely buried under the snow,
50 that We had 10 dig tunnel from the
front door out into the open air. Myself
and all the boys Sere kep; mighty busy
taking forage out 10 spots where the cat
tie could get 10 il, and so no: starve 10
death. Well, one morning, abou. two
weeks before Christmas, after heavy
snowfall, l started out with all hands
on one ofthese trips, intending to gather
al the cattle together as much as posi-
Die, and to build some large hap sfScks,
50 that they would have plenty Of food
for some time; also, as our grub was ge,-
ting pretty low, we were going 70 push
through 10 Dolores. to provision ue for
the rest Of the winter in case We eo1ljn't
get through again for some tine. l also
wanted to get the Christmas presents for
the kids; 50 I told the little wife not 20
be anxious Il didn't show up for several
days.
@Weii, We al started. only leaving one
Of the boys behind, who had been sick
and wasn't quite we'll yet We had the
de1ceIs own jO9 fixing up the cattle and
getting through to Dolores. Il took Us
over q week, and several of the boys were
badly frost-bitten- We were ready in q
few days to push back again, but another
heavy snoS faH came, and another and
another, until really ii seemed to be
showing ali the tine. The days slipped
BY, one by one. until Christmas came,
and there vas snoE-b0und in Dolores,
getting more and more anxious aboat the
folks st home / knew their grub must
be getting low and besides, here was
Christmas day, and nothing for the kids
was nearly wild, can tell you Well.
two days before New Years there Was a
let-up, and made up my mind to push
through al any cost. could only in
6ace one Of my men to come with me
the others daily refused They said il
woald be sure death that another storm
vas coming up-this time regular biz
zzrd. At any rate, We started on our
fiky-miie ride. The trails were simply
one succession OF immense drifts, so We
made mighty slow progress. as we had
! to lead psek-horse- After one days