Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1894-01-15
knew so much of geography.

Samson's head was now able to hob
BILE about, and he was exceedingly
bitter. Shading his eyes and gazing
at the snow, he said:
GA 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 mountain which Samson was try
ing to climb. There was 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 a
group and watched the climbing man
going steadily upward.
For a short distance up from the
plateau there was stunted grass and
moss, with dark points of rock, pro-
truding from the scant SOIL Above
that again was 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 mountains ex-
tended upward the vast smooth slope
Of virgin snow,pure and white, spark
ling in the strong sunlight, as if it had
been sprinkled with diamond dust.
A black speck against the tremen-
dous field of white, the giant strug-
gled on, and they could see by the
glass that he sank to his knee in the
softening snow.
"Now," said the officer, che is be-
ginning to understand his situation"
Through the glass they saw Samson
pause. From below it seemed as if
the snow were as smooth as a sloping
roof, but even to the naked eye a
shadow crossed it near the top. That
shadow was a tremendous ridge of
overhanging snow more than one
hundred feet deep, and Samson now
paused as he realized that it was in
surmountable. He looked down and
undoubtedly saw a part of the regi-
ment waiting for him below. He
turned and plodded slowly under the
overhanging ridge until he came to
the precipice at his left. 1t was one
thousand feet sheer down. He re-
traced his steps and walked to the
similar precipice at the right. Then
he came again to the middle of the
great T which his footmarks had
made on that virgin slope. He sat
down in the snow.
No one will ever know moment
of despair the Breton must have pass
ed through when he realized the hope
lessness of his toll.
The officer who was gazing through
the glass at him dropped his hand to
his side and laughed.
EThe nature of his situation" he
said, "has at last dawned upon him.
It took long time to get an appre-
citation of it through his thick Breton
skull''
'Let me have the glass moment"
said another. "He has made up his
mind about something's
The officer did not realize the full
of what he saw through
the glass. In spite of their conceit
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
himself down the slope toward the
section of the regiment which lounged
on the bank of the river. Over and
over he rolled, and then in place of
the black figure there came down
wards white ball, gathering bulk at
every bound.
1t was several seconds before sig
nificance Of what they were gazing at
burst upon officers and men. It came
upon them simultaneously, and with
it wild panic of fear. In the still air
a sullen roar arose.
Gan avalanche! An avalanche!n
they cried.
The men and officers were hemmed
in by the boiling torrent. Some of
them plunged in to get to the other
side, but the moment the water laid
hold Of them their heels were whirled
into the air and they disappeared
down the rapids.