The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1899-07-21

StumDleQ 1Or long distance, soMe'
times inclining uphill and sometimes
down, until, presently, we made dis
covery which took the heart out of us
entirely. We came upon an extensive
field of old snow; a thing we had not en-
pected to find on the camp side of the
mountain. The momentous question at
once arose: Was this one of the fields
we had already traversed, or were we
still going in the right direction? Up
to this time we had felt some confidence
that the course we were pursuing would
eventually bring US to the woods, but
now all confidence seemed to slip away
from us, and the feeling that we were
lost took its place.
There are few things more distressing
to the novice, at least-than that sud-
den sense of being lost. 1t is a terrify-
ing sensation. Like so many others In
similar case, l was seized with an in
sane desire to run from the spot, no
matter in which direction, and had l
been alone l should perhaps have given
way to it-and that, 1 expect, would
have been the end of my story. My
stout-hearted companion, however,
brought me to my senses again by lay
ing his hand upon my arm and saying,
in his ordinary sober tones:
"Brace up, old man. We mustn't lose
our heads if we can help it. Let us sit
down and think
To sit on cold stone in that chill at
mosphere and try to think connectedly
In 81, ~ ,b Il
proceeding, but it had the desired ef-
feet of steadying our nerves, even
though our discussion of the situation
did bring us to the deliberate conclu-
sion that neither of us had the least
idea as to which was our proper direc-
ton.
If, as the presence of the snow bed be-
fore us led US to fear, we had turned
round in our wanderings and were
facing the wrong way, we were lost.
Should we be compelled to pass the
night up there without a fire, we should
stand very fair chance of freezing to
death; for, even down at the camp, 1000
feet lower, there had been rim of ice
along the edge Of the creek that morn
my. bCSldSo llllSs IL Sio", dllIl,
moreover, 1t might keep on showing
for two or three days, for all we could
tell, in which case the prospect of our
ever getting home again would be poor,
indeed.
We had hardly reached this conclu-
sion when the last straw was added to
our burden; that which we had espe-
cially feared came about; it began to
snow, steadily and thickly.
This new misfortune seemed to de-
prive us OF any little hope that re-
manned, and for some time we sat still,
saying nothing and hardly daring to
look at each other, Presently, how
ever, glanced at my companion, when,
instantly, hope sprang up atresh.
'Ne are right, Frank; we are right,
after ALL" I almost shouted. 'Your
back is covered with snow, and there is
none on the front of your coat. Unless
the wind has changed since we started
our proper course is straight forward" ;"
'Ted, you're genius." cried Frank,
sprlnging to his feet. "Come on. Well
try 1t, anyhow"
1t was no easy matter to steer by
the wind, for its motion was so very
slight that our own forward movement
made it appear to be blowing in our
faces, and in consequence we had to
stop every now and then to make sure
we had not turned round. Then, too,
as soon as we had crossed the snow bed
and had come among the loose rocks
again it was necessary to move with
great caution, for, the rocks being now
covered with coating of fresh snow,
there was danger of twisting ones
ankle by setting his foot in some con-
cealed crevice.
We kept steadily, if slowly, on, how
ever, first one leading and then the 9th
er, until presently we came upon an
object, the sight of which filled us with
joy-a little, old, twisted tree trunk.
We had reached timber line at last.
In the course of another hour or so
we We're in the long-desired pine woods,
where, as it was now quite dark, we re-
solved to camp at once. Building a
great fire, we sat down under the shell
ter of ledge of rock, and, cutting
Franks piece of mutton into strips, we
managed to make a very fair supper
Then, thoroughly tired out by our long
and anxious day,we leaned back against
the rock and fell asleep.
The snow was still falling, and it was
still quite dark when l uwoke to find
that the fire had died down and that we
were covered with white blanket
which, though ii was an inch thick, inn
parted but little warmth to ones body;
in fact, it seemed to me to have rather Il
contrary effect, and therefore arose,
shook off the snow, and, hcaping more
logs on the fire, soon had grand blaze
going. This stirred up Frank, who also
broke through his snow blanket and
joined me by the fire, where we stood,
heating ourselves through and through,
until daybrealI, when we set off at once
to look for our camp. In the course of
time we found it, and, harnessing up
without delay, we started for home
without waiting to feed ourselves or our
horses, being only too thankful to have
come thus safely out of our predica-
ment.
Though we carried back with us no
trophies of the chase, our expedition
had not been altogether protitless. We
had demonstrated by practical expert
ence that it is we'll to attend to the
warning "when the hair blows loose
from the Old Woman's head."-Golden
Days.