St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1893-02-09

THE MARE 81 WE'D HIS LIFE.

Tom Garrison, well-known
guide and fisherman at Greenwood
fake. had a narrow escape from
drowning at Lake Denmark, in
Morris county, on Saturday morn
inc. He and his father recently
walked eighteen miles from Green
wood Lake to Lake Denmark to go
to work upon the ice field tor W. c.
DeGraw of Greenwood Lake, who
has the contract for filing the ice
house there. Tom has been employ
ed by DeGraw for many years in
summer and winter, and he took
charge of DeGraw's team, Nell and
DAISY, in clearing, marking, and cut
ling the ice. The mare and colt are
old.time friends Of young Tom, and
will do more for him than for their
owner. For years he has fed,
eroomed, and driven them, and at
times has slept in the stable at Lake
side with them.
On Saturday morning at O'Clock
Tom harnessed the team, and drove
ont upon the ice to begin clearing off
n space for the cutters. The drifting
snow during the night had com
nletelv obliterated the field OF work
Of the previous day. and Tom had to
90 along cautiously, and take his
bearings along the shore, tracing
the line of the canal from the
elevator by guess and using his best
Indictment to decide when the new ice
began. His only guides on the field
were the inverted ice-ploughs and
markers. Tom proceeded cautious
~ until he dared not drive the team
any further, and then he stopped the
horses and proceeded forward to IN
yestigate. Suddenly the ice broke
under him, and he plunged into the
water. He had found the edge
where the tilteen.inch ice joined the
thrce-uuarter.inch ice frozen during
the night. He could get no hold up
ON the snow-covercd ice with his
hands, and was developed IN three
coats, two pairs OF trousers, and had
heavy boots on his feet The cold
was penetrating his body, and he
knew that unless he managed to get
out within fifteen minutes he must
perish. There was nobody within q
hall mile of him, and no likelihood
OF help coming before O'Clock
Tom remembered how Nate Davl
rescued himself and Charley Donald
at Greenwood Lake three weeks ag'
by cutting handholds in the ice anc
drawing himself out. Tom telt II
his trousers pocket, and got out {
big iacknife, but in trying to oper
the blade with his teeth, the knit
dropped from his numbed fingers
and sank in fifteen feet of water.
The effect of his sudden plunge upoi
the horses was peculiar They look
ed at him, snorted, and struck fo
the shore, but Nell seemed to thinl
better OF it before landing, and turn
ed back to look at him. Ton
|, saw her and called to her. The in
telligent beast approached him, ant
he continued talking to her in {
coaxing voice When she was with
in ten teet of him he thought of he
training in ploughng the old patel
back OF Lakeside, upon which he hat
followed her many weary day
Whoa, Nell" he shouted. Gee
now, gal. Whoa, there. Steady
gal. Back up Whoa" And in a
instan: he seized her long, flown.
tail, and shouted, Git ep." Ne
started forward, and Tom wa
dragged out upon the ice He ra
to the engine house, closed the fir
door, and divesting himself of hi
wet clothes, appropriated suit be
longing to the engineer, and was GU
upon the ice again with the team be
fore the men came down The NcN
H..