The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1908-12-10

thrill ne perceived tnat btrip OF
snow 200 feet wide and perhaps 500
feet In length was moving down the
mountain sidel
Donald's gray eyes dIlated with sud
den fear and horror lie was thrown
headlong In the snow. hearing as he
fell the crunch OF stones that were
being ripped out Of their beds and the
crash and rcnding Of stumps and
roots as they parted from their sock.
cts In the earth. With every pulse
loaping in alarm he got 20 his feet.
topping and reeling and shouting for
aid as he glanced about him. The
next instant he was again thrown
headiong. He was upon the back OF
a steed beside which the tabled Horse
% Death was as an insect. Something
went through his brain like a sheet
Of fame. IA Il n picture Of Sumpter
sitting by the open FIRE OF pine logs
down in the cabin. a book In his hand.
undreaming Of this ruthless monIter
rushing down 10 crush him.
The next moment Donald was again
upon his feet. pitching and clutchIng
at the air and shouting. In that mo-
ment he saw very amazing thing.
though everything was both amazing
and not amazing as In some sort of In
descrlbable dream. A hundred feet
20 the rear OF him. almost at the up
per tip OF the avalanche. he saw n
bear rolling and tossing on the hurl-
ing mass. Thrown out of It's hibernat-
ing bed among the rocks OF decaying
trec.roots. the animal was pitching
about. now upon its feet then upon its
back. helpless as a fy upon an ocean
surge. Donald never knew why. but
he shouted at the bear. and he never
could recall afterwards eIactly what
IL was he shouted. He says now that
he thinks he commanded the bear
not 20 roll down upon him. which was
certainly absurd.
In his mind were many glancing
thoughts. In such moments the men
tally Of man sometimes seems rs
diamond with many facets. He
thought OF the Christmas tree 20 be
lighted In the parlor nj home In Den
yer. Of how tired he was OF corned-
beef. OF where they would bury him
when they took him crushed and dead
from the snow at the bottom OF the
gulch, whether or not his school fell
lows n they now saw him would
shout Slide. Donald. slide!" as they
used 10 when he was running the
bases when playing ball. and many
other things. all. seemingly. In
single moment.
II must have been very short
period In. which he was leaplng and
tumbling and whirling about on the
mighty toboggan. for the avalanche
ran down the mountain side like a
swiftly hurrying snake. save that its
fluctuations were up and down instead
OF sidewise as with, serpent. II
seemed TO Donald he had scarcely
drawn six breaths before the snow
slide shot from the precipice above the
cabin. Swift as was bis nlght he was
conscious that the slide had leaped
from the canyon wal. for throughout
a few seconds there was no noise and
he seemed being borne upon bed OF
feathers through space. then there was
a roar as OF mufiied thunder and he
was wallowing deep in snow.
The mental picture that had flashed
through Donalds mind Of his young
uncle sitting by the fire engrossed In
a printed romance. had been true 20
the fact. Sumpter had awakened 10
the coming OF the avalanche only
when Il neared the brink OF the wall.
20 feet above the cabin. His book
dropped from his hand and he made
leap for the door. The next moment
bear crashed through the roof aud
smote the floor In front OF the FIRE.
leaving the luckless animal lifeless.
Sumpter's face blanched as he stared
at the strange object, then he thought
OF Donald and hurriedly puIned his
way out OF the door. The snow about
the cabin was up 10 his neck and the
roof was piled deep with II, but the
bulk Of the slide had leaped clear over
the little house. heaping the bottom
OF the gulch TO the opposite wall, some
600 feet away. The bear had dropped
from the tail OF this rushing mass d.
rectly upon the cabin.
When Sumpter had got his fright
ened nephew out OF the smother OF
stun In which he was iounderlng. the
two young fellows stood with pale
faces staring at each other for = little
space. then both. seeing what they
had escaped, laughed joyously.
Come into the cabin" said Stump
ter, I'VE will have broiled bear steak
for Christmas dinner! Too many
snowslides around here now; to-mor-
row we will pull out for Denver, In
the spring we will come back and
tunnel until We strike the VEIN"
All IA 1911. 49,. -.