The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-03-12
Dead In the snow,

It was 10 o'clock in the morning when we
got dow to the plain. Six inches OF SNOW had
fallen since midnight. Tho plain was four
teen miles wide ut that point. while It's dis
tance east md west was ono hundred. IT was
almost rs level as II floor. and the first sight OF
it elected EXPLANATIONS Of astonishment. No
snow over SCENE ed 80 white. Not tree or hush.
not the track Of n deer or wild beast. not the
faintcst trace that life existed between us and
the faraway fort. The dead white OF TINT plain
made one think OF tie face o. n corpse.
The wrinkle-faced old sergeant. who had
superintendent our work OF bridging u chnsm
in tho mountain pass. looked M ut the sky.
and across TO the foothills and seemed in doubt.
Lets chance It." called three or four OF the
mon in chorus. and this decided the matter. In
single nle. the sergeant leading. the fourteen
OF US struck out across the piai:. AS soon as
clear OF the trees and brush every man felt a
sort OF giddiness. We had not gone two miles
when the man in front OF mo seemed to have
suddenly increased his height by n foot. Twas
ruzzling over it when he Just as suddenly be-
came a dwarf. ! heard the men laughing and
knew that it was M optical Gelusion. but 1t
frightened mo. The sergeant had Il mountain
peak in view and seemed to strike a straight
course. but when 1 looked back l saw that our
trail zigzarGed in a curious way.
We had made 1--WE miles OF the journey when
there was a sudden halt. and n groan Of de-
spair ran down the limo. The clouds were driv-
ing away and tho sun threatening to come out.
Even rs We turned and looked back and
wondered II there was time to retrace our
steps the gray film drove or to the south. and
man cried out in alarm; while half
i rouRaea by, Ga!ls.s: Whnt WIS .Ss
Something moro dreaded than q bnnd OF In
dians in warpnint: something less mercitnl
ness! In one brici minute every mans eyes
seemed aliame. To open them was to see u
rurple Game dancing about in g fantas,ic way;
""The ropei, tbs rone: was walled along:
il from his knapsack. 1t was a light rope
hity feet long. and he made one end fast ito to
free end back to Ills. coMrade till the end Of
the line was reached We were t" turn 6 nicE
seeing. II you opened your eyes after a long
interval. the snow was blood red: The ser
Proceeded ut a snSil's pace. We had, not made
half n mile ON the return Journey when every
Il m" VAS ia 'H Species sies" Of drnnSenness. Later on
some shouted at the top OF their voices. In
tES sM from Tie H trniI and nde co SH.fa noe ,n Mil i n:''Ha
With a knife il he could have laid. hold Of him
ny oIl - ~ va e"o
"Boys. / nm sorry. for this. but I am not to
| blame. II you will lie down and. cover your
heads with your. blankets, you will be all right
when the SUN goes down"
or the fourteen only four OF us did as nd
vised. The others seemed 10 have lost, all
reason. They sobbed like cliiidrEn: they
| cursed In u way to make you chill: they sang
hymns and ribald songs, they CROPPED about
to find each otherand fought Ike furies; II was
their voices. At 3 o'clock tho sun WAS out OF
sight, and u bitter. biting win bleT down
we could see our way. and we took the
snowy trail back to the hills The NIGHT came
OF a ti,icket. with a great frs blazing. ears
and toes were frozen. Next morning. with a
cold. gray SKY, and the air fnii OF snowiakes.
flesh. we went down on the plain to look. ior
our lost com GRADES, They were lying here
No two were together. Some, had walked
about in circles. and some had crept for n
mile on hands and knees. Every one was
dead and frozen stifr-ten out Of fourteen!