The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1898-09-15

And luckfly I encountered him - he
WIS rounding the narrowest. dixziest
part. with only . few inches Of foot
hold and q sheer precipice below. !
thrust at him desperately with my pole,
using II like spear; and for some
minutes was able to keep him back.
Then he managed to seize the pole and
jerked II from my grasp.
At that turned and fed TO the
cave. The rising wind almost swept
me from my feet, but ] got in safely;
yet had scarcely time to face about
before the head Of the Indian was
thrust through the cramped opening.
skinning knife clenched between his
teeth. Iprodded him with the point Of
my tackknife until he drew back, Civ
ing vent to such ferocious yells that
Bessie became hysterical with terror.
The second time he tried 1t, I succeed
ed in wrenching away his knife.
Then he disappeared for time, and
I lay face downward. watching at the
opening. The suspense was even
worse than the actual struggle. He
soon returned, however, and began to
push in dry leaves and brush, which
vainly strove to thrust back.
"He is going to smoke us out!" !
screamed, completely unnerved.
But at the very crisis, even as the
drunken savage was fumbling for his
matches, that Providence which
guards the helpless interposed to save
us. There was jar of thunder, and
the storm cloud burst in torrent of
rain which flooded the bottom Of the
shelf and even trickled into the cave,
drenching both fuel and matches until
they were quite useless.
Yet still the vindictive Indian
watched by the entrances; and there
was small room for doubt that his en-
durance would outlast ours. Indeed,
even II my strength and vigilance did
not fall it would be much harder to
keep effective guard after nightfall.
Slowly the afternoon was waning and
the shadows deepening. Already I
was nearly worn out by the awful and
unceasing strain-for was only boy
and our enemy, crouched outside like
fierce beast sure of his quarry. gave
no sign of relenting.
But again Providence interposed. l
believe that was actually nodding
from utter WEAKNESS and over tension,
when was reused by heavy grinding
and jarring, followed by prolonged
roar and q crashing that shook the hill
to It's center. The last CLEAN of light
was suddenly quenched and mass of
pebbles poured into the throat of the
cave, some rebounding with such force
that they struck my face with singing
impact. I knew then what had hap
pened. The violent rainfall, aided, per-
haps, bya disintegrating bolt of light
ming, had 30 loosened the earth and
gravel on the overhanging brow of the
mountain that q landslide had descend
cd across the face Of the precipice.
We, snugly hidden In the cave, were
safe. But the Indian
OF course. only small portion Of the
avalanche had lodged on the shelf, and
1t didn't take me long to work a small
hole through the gravelly obstruction.
For that night, however, we were pris-
oners. In the morning, by patient and
cautious work on the crumbling mass,
we succeeded in emerging; but 1t was
nearly noon before we were finally
brought off by the rescue party which
had been anxiously securing the valley
to find us ever since the previous even
ing-with our grieving father at its
head.
We're we punished for our reckless
disobedience? Not at home not by
the parents who wept tears of joy to
see us once more, alive and unhurt.
But we had already suffered heavy
punishment from the same mighty
hand that was stretched out to guard
us in those hours Of peril. And doubt
less our savage foe met his just punish
ment. too: for Indian Joe was never
heard of afterwards.