The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1897-11-05
THE CITIZEN FREDERICK. MD FRIDAY MORNING. NOVEMBER 1897

to check my speed | wheeled; was
flung down and slid far before stopped.
Looking forward. saw the dark hori-
zon much closer. for the white plain
was cut sharply at a point not far in
front, as if black curtain had been low
cred from the skies. From behind this
curtain came the roar.
had instantly OWNED the truth. The
bay was not wholly frozen. ! had ar
rived at the edge of the ice-belt. and the
dark water of Lake Huron was heaving
and foaming right before me.
The moon. though hidden bv dim
clouds, gave faint sort OF half light
that showed me the whole scene-the
vast frozen plain to right and left. and
in front. the appalling. inky, furious
eXpanse. White-capped pillows were
running high before the gale; and
heard an astonishing roar of wind and
/ water. And had come within ten rods
of the brink. Not only so, but !
seemed to be out on point or peninsula
Of ice. with open water to the west a
we'll as TO the south of me- Such near
ness to the open water scared me- |
must try to get farther away. Il was
conceivable that the rough ice edge
under me might break up under the
force of the gale.
| dropped on my hands and knees.
and started to run on all tours. the
points Of my skates rasping into the ice
The horrible roaring behind inspired
me with a sort of panic. For a couple
Of hundred yards ! scrambled on, and
then the effect of exertion and excite
ment began to tell. l was seized by
sudden exhaustion. and collapsed.
1t was showing faster now; l noticed
that the front of my pilot skating-coat
was thickly covered with white The
flakes drove through the air with the
speed and sting of arrows. but l turned
my back on them. and stretched out on
the ice-to die. as I imagained l did
not feel thai | had energy enough to
get TO my feet. even TO save my life.
1t did not seem so cold now. began
to feel drowsily comfortable. and sus-
pected that | was freezing to death
and didn't much care.
could for awhile feel the snow beat
ing necessarily on my face and shout
ders. for was in a sort of doze. but not
wholly unconscious. Presently the
snow ceased falling. lost count of the
lapse of time. but l was suddenly
awakened by a heavy blow. as if plank
bad fallen across my body. l came to
myself in an instant.a land on raising my
head found myself completely imbed-
ded in snow.
| was not particularly cold now, and
the queer, numb feeling in my legs was
gone. | could hear the roaring of the
storm outside. and began to realize that
the thin. flying snow had needed only
such an obstacle as my body to form
very respectable driftMt the bottom of
which I was Inferred. and which had ar
rested the freezing process.
As l thought of this. another dull
thud sounded upon the top of my
sepulchre. sat up with some difficult
~. threw the snow aside. and looked
about.
a AN1A4LNh Ia AIOlutIl w nat udu Oe-
Cured The wind had shifted from
east of north to west of north. and
under its influence massive pillows
were now rolling on the western edge
of my peninsula. Now and then a crest
of a breaker. blown bodily off by the
gale. would fall with a resounding crash
far up on the ice. Without doubt, il
was such an event that had awakened
me, and just in time, for it was certain
that the ice about me would soon be
breaking up.
| jumped up and struck out. With
the new direction of the wind. l knew
that | was saved. could not return to
Parry sound, but Penetanguishene and
Midland lay Is miles down the coast.
and with the gale al my back fanced
that it would be easy to cover that dis
lance.
1t was not so easy as had imagined.
As the sounds of crashing and rending
ice died away behind. found myself
weak and weary. My legs ached. my
back ached, my head ached. | would
have given worlds to sit down and rest
the one thing which l dared not do.
Snow retarded me slightly, too, though
ii was mere thin. hurrying, scurrying.
loose layer. except where occasionally
collected as drift by some slight OBJ
stacle.
| need not however. describe the tor
ture of that IS miles skating. Had it
not been for the good wind pushing be-
hind, I must have dropped by the way.
AS ii was, I was half dead and two
thirds unconscious when I saw the cleo
trio lights of Penetanguishene shining
on the sky across Christian island