Kootenai County Republican. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1899-1903, 1899-08-25

me on the rocks, and with my feet
planted against the opposite wall was
already ascending the crevasse. For 80
or 40 feet raised myself in this fashion.
and then came to little ledge. Snow
bail was lost sight Of now. and the real
dangers Of the ascent had begun.
crawled mp and along the narrow ledge.
on which there was no room for turning.
until it stopped abruptly and the walls
Of the crevasse came together again. /
stood up on the ledge, leaned over until
my hands rested against the opposite
wall. rested foot on either wall, and
drew my body up. In another instant l
was stretched IN midair above horri-
bic yawning abyss Just for second or
two the strip Of yellow sand far be-
meath cleaned and quivered. and the
noise OF the falling water inspired me
with sudden terror Luckily, my boy
ish proclivities-how they stood me in
stead now-had given me a fairly
good sailors head. SO that the momen-
tary experience of dizziness soon passed.
looked upward and raised myself inch
by inch and 0oot by foot. Were these
rocks going to rise up on either side of
me for ever and everi Ny arms were
beginning to ache by reason Of the con-
tinuous strain upon them. If some sort
Of resting place did not soon present it.
self. it could not be possible for human
endurance to hold out much longer.
Then, horror Of horrors. the walls Of
rock began to bear away from one an
other. and the strain upon me was more
than mortal man could endure. It was
just toss up with me. then. must
screw my courage up to making some
supreme effort or else drop to swift de-
struction. for realized the impossible
ity Of descending again-it would take
more muscular effort to stay myself de-
scending than it had done to raise me
to that height. and l was utterly ex-
hausted.
"God help mel'' I cried. and it was
the sincerest prayer l ever breathed
Then remember noticing such trivial
things as the widening of the rent across
the knee Of my left trousers leg; that
there was small flower Of a pale blue
color which had never noticed before
growing in a cleft Of the rock right
alongside: that just round the edge Of
the rock u shaft of sunlight fell. and
that there were a good many quartz
pebbles studded through the rock also
began to think that the world was very
beautiful and life very sweet. thought
of those in the cave and of those who
were dear to me on the other side Of the
world Truly there is nothing swifter
than thought In that critical moment
I lived lifetime Of normal existence
Moreover, my brain was q sensitized
plate that received and recorded the
most trivial details around ma
looked upward and set my teeth.
telling myself there must be some rest
ing place within foot or two. and
there was Another foot higher still
and my body was stretched as on
rack. Truly Providence helps those who
help themselves That blessed ledge
was reached. did not hesitate one sim
gle instant, but hurled myself on to it
with what little strength had left. l
clung to and rolled on to it. then lay on
my back for few moments to rest and
regain the use of my limbs It was as
II some one had suddenly snatched me
from the jaws Of death. But was the
danger over yeti Apprehensively look
ed around. The face of the cliff was
rugged but retreating and was covered
with dense. creeping plants Compared
to that which had Just been accom-