The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1898-05-17

miles away sought cheer and company.
Then came the big trees, marking the
foot of the mountain, and every bow
was yelled in misty white. Shrubs and
bushes had vanished from sight, tucked
away under the warm white covering,
and the trees, looking their scorn on
these dwarfs and babes in their COSY
beds, stood sad and unf1inching under
the burden that bent their strong limbs
to the earth Now and then pine bow
grew weary OF its burden, and, swaying
quickly, would tip the snow off with a
startling whisk, Then, rising merrily
like a lazy man as he yawns and
stretches until each finger, each muscle
feels the senstlOuS thrill-sO the bOugh
relaxed and expanded to the utmost,
until every needle stood stiff and apart
from its fellows. Thus the morning
passed and afternoon came, bringing
with it quick snow storm from which
the carrier sought shelter under one of
the heavily laden trees.
When he again took up the journey
the snow crust of the morning was hid
den under the soft, fresh snowfall.
There was pleasure in feeling the dry,
powdery whiteness yield at every step
and in seeing the light flakes on either
side fall over foot and snOwshOe; a
pleasure akin to letting the bare feet
sink deep into the warm, golden dust of
Summer, or walking through quivering
pine needles or grass thickly streWn
with apple blossoms OF spring time; a
feet have long been bound to hard walks
and sunbaked earth. But the carriers
pleasure soon passed, for each step be-
came more difficult than the last. When
the steep mountain lay below, night
was almost upon him and the travellers
cabin he must reach was across the
wide lava bed. The dark clouds that
had been steadily gathering during the
afternoon, for a moment parted and the
mail-carrier saw the lava bed clothed in
lain thus hideous and desolate, like an
accursed place, but the glittering snow
drifts and the glow of the setting sun
ravines into cleaning plain. The
clouds shut out the sunshine and the
mail-carrier went YEARLY on. Through
pathway, marked only by the tree trunks
laa fol
would throw him headlong into an
depths of a snOwdrift.
Before the distance was half passed
the storm came on and the way grew
and plunged into ravine, shivering as
snow, of oppression by blind, lifeless
hing And once he wandered far out
If the way, finding his mistake only
Knew. Again and again he bent his
lis heavy shoes. Weary and benumbed
With cold, he at last passed the lava bed
md wandered blindly up and down
,ver the snow heaps in search of the
abin on the summit He could see
lothing, could find nothing, until, after
ong cropping, he stumbled against the
Kinney top-the cabin was buried
,eneath the snowdrfft
He leaned dejectedly against the snow
raped rocks, too exhausted to battle
Dnger. At length he reused himself
nd slipping his mailbag from his shoul-
err, he struggled until he loosened his
and placing them with the
lail. dropped them all down the dark
Kinney. Slowly and drowsily climb
lg upon the chimney top, half falling,
e descended after them. Lying pros
rate on the floor he pushed the wood
eady for lighting, into its place and
cached to the wall near by where he
new each traveller took care to leave
he matches. His hand moving un-
upset the box. The matches
I'll thickly ou the floor before him.
He reached for one to light the fire.
lis frozen fingers could not grasp it.
testing and striving again he struggled
to force the numb fingers to .
heir work. Again and again he tried
lie could hold nothing. Hopelessly his
cad dropped upon his Outstretched
rm. In moment the mail-carrier
as asleep.
So they found him there on the sum-
lit of the Cascades his comrades gave
i'm a grave befitting the life he had
ID.
On the road which crosses the noun
ains close under guardianship of the
1Ow-cIad Sisters q few stems before tho