The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1902-05-17

| Tile IdSL Crumbs OI HIS DlSCull duu
started away. But the snow drove
hard in his face. He was weak with
hunger and sick for sleep. His limbs
were stiff AMI his whole body ready
to sink with fatigue. Accustomed
though he was to the woods, it Is not
surprising that in a few hours he
knew that he had lost his way. But
still he kept on, hoping that he might
come across some trail or water
course, his chief hope Of rescue, some
logging camp.
The snow ceased in the afternoon;
but sharp and driving wind succeed
| ed. 1t flung the drying snow and
shrieked with it through the trees
| and clearings. The fine particles cut
| his face like the dust of sand storm.
| Few men have made fiercer strug-
| gle for life than he. 1t is probable
| that partial delirium overlook him,
| for he insists that he could not only
hear his spirit guides, but could see
them as they flocked about him and
beckoned him on.
At dusk he was in a country Who'll
ly unknown. There were mountains
off to the right, but he did not recog.
nize the peaks nor the surroundings.
About an hour after the dark came
down with the wind still driving the
snow into his eyes, ne came out into
a section that he recognized at last.
1t was "The Gulf" This is a canyon
about three miles long, through which
the west branch of Pleasant river
RACES. The wall are precipices. But
along the north side skirts a wood
road leading to camps miles above,
and into this road the Mediator"
staggered.
Now. he was desperately weak But
he knew that if he could round the
foot of the canyon and scramble for
three miles up the side of the first
Chairback he would come to Long
Pond, where there were camps.
1t was now a race for life. He
stood his dear old rife against tree
and hung his cartridge box on limb
Then he clinched the belt around mis-
chin waist and started. He was in
kalf stupor when he came down to the
frozen ford at the foot of the canyon.
He crossed, and striking the corduroy
road that leads up to the first Chair
back he plowed on. He fell dozen
times, but he had sense enough left
to struggle up and dig to his task
again.
When he made Long Pond his
strength was nearly gone. But he
knew that across the pond lay Hall
& Davis's sporting camp, three miles
away. The wind was still driving
the snow, AMI he miscalculated his
route across. When he came to shore
he peered in all directions and lis
tened. There was no glimmer of light
anywhere, and no sound indicating
that any camp was near. His knees
were doubling under him by this tins.
His strength was gone, his eyes
would not stay open, and he gave up.
He stumbled and crawled up on the
shore and fell across a log. His
tongue was swollen In ais mouth and
his throat was dry. He says that ho
tried to shout but he could utter no
sound but a gurgling whisper. Then
he became unconscious.
Now comes the strange part of the
story.
There was at the Hall & Davis
camps at that time hunting party
from the town Of Dexter. Among
them were N. e. Meigs, the leading
clothier of the place, and Walter Alb.
bolt, one Of the proprietors of the
large Abbott wooden mill Mr.. Meigs
had been out that day with the party,
and in trying to cross the pond had
frozen both his ears, so bitter was
the cold. He would have persisted mad
not his guide beaten him to make him
walk. He had desired to lie down and
go to sleep On the snow, and had
begged the others to 60 away and
leave him.
On this evening he was lying in his
bunk wondering whether or not he |
was going to be able to save his ears.
They were wrapped up and were ach-
ing fearfully, and Mr.. Meigs wasn't
taking the most intense interest in
any outside matters. The others were
playing pitch-pede before the fire.
Suddenly Mr.. Meigs raised himself
on his elbow and cried. II hear some
one shouting for help"
The others stopped their play AMI
listened. Beyond the moaning of the
wind in the chimney and the sough of
the big trees outside there was no
Folks with frozen ears can hear
most anything" remarked one of mis-
But l certainly heard some one
shout" persisted Meigs
do you believe for a moment"
said his friend, that a man with his
ears done up like a pound of picked
ripe could hear a sound that we
lidnt?"
The clothing man admitted that It
1idnt seem very probable. but still he
persisted in his opinion strenuously.
At last one of the guides went to the
ioor and shouted into the night
There was no response.
1T couldn't have BEEN" he said. re-
urniuO