Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-03-12

ROF. NELSON'S classes In Eng
Dllsh are just now gutdylng the art
OF description. by way OF Illus
tratIng the principles discussed
the professor dictated the following &C.
count OF the snowslidc in Provo canyon
incidentally II was made test also In
spelling and punctuation, as the stu
dents were required to put II into
shape for the press. Needless TO say,
the characters In part are introduced
merely to illustrate the effect OF tbs
human element In descriptive portray
al.
"Oh. John what is that2" asked Mrs
Barton, In a voice full Of terror.
A low rumbing sound came pouring
down the canyon. Both husband and
wife started up from the rude couch
and stumbled In haste toward the door
Of the deserted house whore darkness
mad oyertaken them
BY this time they perceived that the
OMNIBUS sounds came from the dlroc-
tlon Of the Bridal Veil falls, just south
and across the river. II seemed as u
there was a continuous cannonadlng OF
distant thunder, with now ana then
sharp report, as OF the crash OF heavy
timbers,
IT'S snowslide coming" said John
Barton catching hts vile abou. the
waist and helping her up the ste.p hlll.
Scarcely a minute had elapsed since
they first felt the shock Of the imp nd
ing avalanche. The horses and Lusgy
were In the canyon near the bridge too
late now to think Of rescung them.
A drlzzling rain fell upon their bare
heads, but Barton Dare not go back Into
the fated house 20 secure the wraps
Indeed, such was the increasing roar az
The snow torrent that they gave little
thought to these things but pushed
breathlessly forward up the northern
deflle Of the gorge.
"Oh, John, what is that? We shall be
buried alive" and the woman's form
became limp and lifeless In her hus-
bands arms,
Small need to ask the meaning OF the
terrible explosion. The first 10000 tons
OF the moving snow had fallen into the
bed OF the river, and AT every instant
thousands upon thousands more follow
ed with awful thuds.
Looking furtiyely over his shoulder
as he continued TO carry his wife out
OF danger the terrified man beheld
what would have been a magnificent
spectacle had there been light enough
10 see IT, Through the chasm out Of
which pours. during long summer
months, the gentle stream OF the Bridal
Veil, there leaped now continuous
cataract OF snow, which must already
have damned off the swollen food 700
feet beneath
From the first deafenlng crash In The
rlverbed, until the echoes OF the ava
lanche began TO reverberate, there
elapsed perhaps less than half a min
ute; yet to John Barton II seemed an
age.
Thank God, we have escaped said
he, as his wife regalned consciousness
and began olinging TO him.
For four hours they waited In the
dismal canyon for the light OF dawn.
A number of times John had started
down the dark gorge to see II his team
was alive; but as rumbllngs could be
heard internationally above the falls,
his wife had prevailed upon him to
stay with her.
When daylight came IL was found
that the snow had barely reached the
halfway house, and that fortunately
both team and buggy were safe a few
rods nearer the bridge, In view OF the
probability that another slide might
come at any moment. II was dangerous
70 attempt rescung their wraps. but
John did so, and FASTENED to get his
horses out OF danger.
The Bartlns had left Provo the after
noon previous for their home In Provo
valley, but had been warned by Il Soc
ton hama near the falls Of snowsde
farther up the canyon, which would
prevent their getting home that night.
Darkness was setting in--should they
return to the city? They concluded
10 pass the night In the Bridal Veil cot
tage, a large rock house, the home OF
tourists In the summer but deserted
during the winter because OF dangers
justl Ike this which had happened.
Its windows had been broken Ia by
vandals, and II presented all the drear-
iness OF haunted house. Yet It was
shelter from the threatening clouds an.
I'll morning, when MIR. Barton doubted
not he would find a way past the snow
slide, Provided with neither light nor
fire, they tried 10 protect themselves
from the cold by improylsing bed on
the floor out Of quilts and mprobes, and
thus were they waiting for morning
rather than sleeping, when the first
rumbllngs OF the avalanche aroused
them.
To go on now was clearly impossble
wall of snow so feet deep blocked
the dugway. Another danger beside the
Rtill threatening avalanche also mep.
aced them; the river, which had been
completely damned on for hours, might
force down its nimsy barrier at any
moment and oyerwhem them
With nervous hands John Barton has.
tened 10 lay the watersoaked harness
on his shiverlng team. But scarcely
had he united them from the tree when
that marrow searching rumble beyond
the cliffs OF Bridal Vel was heard again.
louder and more terrifying It grew at
every second. The loosened horses,
sensing by instinct the danger, plunged
down the canyon The man and woman
unnerved by fright, chung to the
ropes. and so We're half dragged to the
bridge. when the cataract broke the
second time.
The sight which now fascinated them