Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1893-12-29


no doubt now about his fate. The guard
house was rude hut of logs situated on
the banks of the roaring stream. Into
this room Samson was flung, bound hand
and foot to await the courtmartial next
day. The shattered officer, whose sword
had broken in pieces under him, slowly re-
vived, and was carried to his quarters. A
sentry marched up and down all night be-
fore the guard house.
In the morning when Samson was sent
for, the guard house was found to be emp
ty. The huge Breton had broken his
bonds as did Samson of old. He had
pushed out a log OF wood from the wall
and had squeezed himself through to the
bank of the stream. There all trace of
him was lost. If he had fallen in, then,
of course, he had sentenced and executed
himself, but III the mud near the water
were great footprints, which no boot but
that OF Samson could have made: so if
he were in the stream it must have been
because he threw himself there. The
trend of the footprints, however, indcat-
ed that he had climbed on the rocks, and
there, OF course, it was impossible to trace
him. The sentrics who guarded the pass
maintained that no one had gone through
during the night. but to make sure several
men were sent down the path to overtake
t re runaway. Even if he reached a town
or village far below, so huge man
could not escape notice. The searchers
were instructed to telegraph his description
and his crime as soon a they reached
telegraph wire. 1t was impossible to hide
in the valley. and rapid search speedily
convinced the officers that the delinquent
was not there.
As the sun rose higher and higher, until
it began to shine even on the northward-
facing snow fields. a sharp-eyed private re-
ported that he saw a black speck moving
high up on the great white slope south of
the valley. The officer called for a field
glass, and, placing it 10 his eyes. examined
the snow carefully.
"Call out a detachment" he said; "that
is Samson on the mountain"
There was a great stir in the camp when
the truth became known. Emissaries
were sent after the searchers down the
pass, calling them to return.
HE thinks to get to Italy, said the Of
ticer. ~ did not imagine the fool knew so
much of geography. We have him now
secure enough
The officer who had been flung over
Samson's head was now able to hobble
about, and he was exceedingly bitter.
Shading his eyes and gazing at the snow,
he said:
"a good marksman ought to be able to
bring him down.
There is no need of that" replied his
superior. He cannot escape. We have
nothing TO do but to wait for him. He will !
have to come DOWN.
All Of which was perfectly true
A detachment crossed the stream and |
stacked its arms at the foot of the noun
tain which Samson was trying to climb. |
There was a small level place few yards |
wide between the bottom of the hill and |
the bank of the raging stream. On this |
bit of level ground the soldiers lay in the |
sun and smoked, while the officers stood in |
group and watched the climbing man 90 !
ing steadily upward.
For a short distance up from the plateau |
there was stunted grass and moss, with |
dark points of rock pGotruding from the |
scant soil. Above that again was a breadth !
of dirty snow, which, now that the sun |
was strong, sent little trickling streams |
down to the river. From there to the long |
ridge of the mountain extended upward the |
vast smooth slope of virgin snow, pure and |
white, sparkling in the strong sunlight, as
if it had been sprinkled with diamond !
dust black speck against the tremen-
dous field of white, the giant struggled on,
and they could see by the glass that he
sank to the knee in the softenng snow.
"Now," said the Officer 'he is begin
ming to understand his situation"
Through the glass they saw Samson
pause. From below it seemed as if the
snow were as smooth as sloping roof, but
even to the naked eye shadow crossed it
near the top. That shadow was tremen-
dous ridge of overhanging snow more than
one hundred feet deep, and Samson now
paused as he realized that it was insur-
mountable. lie looked down and undoubt-
eddy saw part of the regiment waiting for
him below. He turned and plodded slowly
under the Overhangng ridge until he came
to the precipice at his left. 1t was one
thousand feet sheer down. He retraced his
steps and walked to the similar precipice
at the right. Then he came again to the
middle of the great 7 which his foot
marks had made on that virgin slope. He
sat down in the snow.
No one will ever know what moment
of despair the Breton must have passed
through when he realized the hopeessness
of his toll.
The officer who was gazing through the
glass at him dropped his hand to his side
and laughed.
"The nature of his situation" he said,
- mas at last dawned upon him. 1t took a
long time to get an appreciation of it
through his thick Breton skull"
LET me have the glass a moment" said
another "He has made up his mind
about something"
The officer did not realize the full sgnif-
canoe of what he saw through the glass.
In spite of their coHceit their skulls were
thicker than that of the prosecuted Breton
fisherman.
Samson for moment turned his face to
the north and raised his hands toward
heaven. Whether it was an appeal to the
saints he believed in or an invocation to
The distant ocean he was nevermore to look
upon, who can tell?
After moments pause he flung him
self down the slope toward the section of /,
he regiment which lOunged on the bank of
he river Over and over he rolled, and ,,
hen in place of the black figure there
anne dOwnwards a white ball, gathering
)ulk at every bound.
1t was several seconds before the signif-
ance of what they were gazing at burst il
lpon officers and men. 1t came upon them V
simultaneously, and with it a wild panic of y
ear. In the still air a sullen roar arose.