The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1897-03-06

be was rlslDg.
A heavy snowfall in September
For moment Elisa could not believe
her eyes; but there was no use III
doubling them.
Presently she heard voices in the gar
den above. NJ. Wissembourg was talk
ing to Hans Christen, the village CO.
penter.
81 do not say it was IN avalanche, .
he said; 'but it was q fall Of. some
kind above Schonegg."
Christen said something, but she
could not make out the words.
eyes," NJ. Weissembourg answered,
"that is what feer"-he hesiteted-
"well, she need not be told till we are
certain" he said.
"No, no." Christen spoke in q
hushed, awed voice.
Elisa felt that they were speaking
of her, but she also knew that they
could not see her. A fear came lest
they might prevent the purpose she
had so quickly formed.
II had come, then-the fate she so
dreaded for her boy; he lay buried
under the eaow.
She sped back to her house and
wrapped herself more warmly. Half
q mile Of rapid walking brought her
to just such another little creek as
that ct at the foot OF the grass-grown
steps; but here, instead Of broken
sheds, there was bathing hut with
two boats moored beside it.
She secured one of the boats and
crossed the lake. She met villager.
"Tell me-" She cried, abruptly,
"what has happened? Did the ava
lanche fall on this side of the noun.
tain?"
"There has been snowfall" said
the man; ''some say slip of part Of
the rock on this side, and the chalets
up yonder at Oberstalden are buried,
and no one knows where the sheep
will have strayed to-"
Further on she came across another
man.
"Iell me-tell me-" she cried; "has
there not been an avalanche?"
"Yes, mother, and there are some
under the snow"
"Under thesnow-under the snow I"
Elisa cried-and was again on her
way. The poor woman would scale
the heights.
Now, with superhuman efforts, she
reached what had been high plateau,
but now incumbered by snow. Here
part of the avalanche had reached.
There we're men working away in the
snow. What were they seeking?
All at once Elisa moved to the left
where the snow lay thickly heaped.
The sun was gaining power over the
snow on this side, and as Elise
plunged resolute]y into it she sank to
her knees, She tried to go on, but
this seemed impossible. She felt
rooted in the snow. At last, with
much effort and long pauses between
each step, she struggled forward. She
had quite lost sight of the diggers,
and. crouching down, she listened.
Then wailing cry sounded over the
snow
"Andre, Andre, am here"
The terrible cry startled the diggers {;
they looked round them in alarm.
'"They are here" she cried, her
eyes glistening with hope. 'The men
waste their labor on that side; the
chalet is here, and some one still
lives the under the snow"
"You must not stay" said man
who directed the workmen. "You will
perish in the snow, and you can do no
good"
"Listenl" she held up her hand
and bent her head.
Truly, it seemed as if there was a
far-off, mufled cry.
81 will bring the men, but you must
come away come, do you hear me2"
said the overseer.
She was stopping down. Now she
cried out again, in a we'll that sounded
strangely sod:
"Andre, Andre I an here!"
While she bent down, as if listening
for an answer. She was finally drawn
away, carried off her feet and set down
again, where the snow lay only a few
inches deep on the ground.
The digging went on silently; it
seemed to her the men were digging a
grave. How far off it was since her
boy had come down to her, aad she
had seen his hopes and how be strove
against them for of grieving her!
Then Christen came, and maybe he
pretended to be rough and cross-only
made believe-but he said: "Here is
nice fright you have given us. To
think of sane woman coming up
here-ond in the way, too, but there
was pity in the sound of his voice as
he added: "a nice.looking mother
you would look, all bedraggled, if you
held Andre in your arms. Come with
me, Elisa. I command it. You bother
the diggers," and slowly the mother
followed him in silence. Turning her