Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-12-03
aaiseellansuus 8sading.
AN ADVENTURE IN LABRADOR.
Narrow Escape of the Wife Of Mis-
sionary.

Narrow Escape OF the wire OF q MIS-
sionary.
The wife of a Labrador missionary
must possess not only patience ano
self-devotion but also a strong BODY
and brave heart. II to these is added
sense Of humor so much the bet
ter is she equipped for her manifold
duties.
During the winter Of 1902 a pass
ling Eskimo brought word to the MO-
ravian mission at Main that scarlet
fever had broken out at Okak and
that the missionaries there were en-
tirely out Of medicine.
Accordingly Mr.. Franz of Nain'
who had some medical training
started north at once by dog sledge,
taking with him Mr.. Kent, a young
English missionary arrived but few
months before.
At the last moment it was decided
to take also Mrs. Kent, as she hao
been a trained nurse before her mar
riage. For the first part Of the jour-
ney Mrs. Kent enjoyed herself thor
oughly. In the dry clear air a tenn
perature of 20 degrees below zero
was not at all unbearable.
Wrapped from head to foot In furs'
she sat in the doorway Of her ko-
matte box or for short stretches join
ed her husband and Mr.. Franz In
running on snow-shoes beside the ko-
matte. Even two nights spent In ma
lodorous Eskimo huts could not daunt
her spirits.
On the second evening, writes cor
respondent Of Everyland, the travellers
were treated to the finest display OF
northern lights that they had ever
seen.
But Mr.. Franz was not especially
enthusiastic. He said 1t meant
storm; and sure enough, the next
morning was gray and threatening.
Mrs. Kent heard the men discussing
the prospects.
"But you say we should reach
Okak by g." urged her husband, and
If they are without medicine there
one days delay may mean half a
dozen deaths"
"I know it, and I'd take the
chances If it were not for your wife.
You don't know what a snowstorm
on the Kiglapeits means. If we lost
our way she would never see Okak."
That settled the matter-with Mrs.
Kent. In a moment she was by their
side.
Isn't it time to harness the dogs?"
she demanded. "Yes, I heard what
you people were saying, but them
didn't come to Labador for picnic!
At any rate you might as well har-
ness up. for If you don't go I shall!"
Till noon they travelled northward
under lowering sky. There was a
smell of snow IN the air; though 1t
was actually growing warmer; the
chill was so intense that even In two
pairs of fur mittens Mrs. Kent had to
keep her hands moving to prevent
their being frostbitten.
About IL the storm began-not
such a snow as the English woman
had ever seen but a whirlwind Of
singing ice particles which made
sight and breathing almost impossi-
BILE. At that time they were crossing
a range of steep rock mountains
knowp as tho KiglapeitS
From the first hour of the storm
the choice of road had to be left to
the dogs. Fortunately they had been
on the trail before and were q strong
and willing team. There was one ex-
ception, a dog called because Of his
loafing propensities "Kujana," mean
ing II don't care"
Once fierce gust blowing aside the
snow showed Mr.. Kent a bottomless
gulf not a yard from the side Of the
sledge.
Did you see that, Franz?" he
called.
Eyes. We are on top Of the
Kiglapeits, with eight miles to go be-
fore dark"
At that moment the sledges show
ed up and they saw lazy Kujana
hanging back, a dead weight on the
other dogs. Mr.. Franz raised his
thirty-foot whip and a we'll aimed
lash descended. The dog gave a
snarl and jumped to one side. The
sledge and box swerved, careened and
to the mems horror plunged over the
precipice, dragging the dogs with it..
After an interval it crashed on the
rocks below.
Crazed at his wife's fate the young
Englishman sprang toward the edge
but was grasped by Franz. In their
struggle the latter caught a glance
over the precipice and cried out to
Kent to wait. There's a ledge be-
low and something black on it,"
About ten feet below them mar
row shelf not more than four feet
wide extended along the face Of the
cliff. On the outer edge of this rest
ed a boulder. Wedged in between
this boulder and the wall Of rock at
the back a large black object lay
buried in the snow.
Summoning all his will, Mr.. Kent
called his wife's name. There was
moments agonized silence, then he
heard a muffled "All right"
With difficulty the two men swung
themselves down to the ledge. There
they discovered the black object to
be the sledge box, in which, on right
ing it, they found Mrs. Kent, half
smothered in her fur wrappings, but
unhurt.
Owing to lack of experience Mr..
Kent had lashed the box in securely
to the sledge, so that the jar Of strik-
ing the ledge had broken 1t loose.
To that fact alone was due his wife's
escape.
AS Mrs. Kent crawled out of the
box they gazed at each other, speech
less; then the woman's overwrought
nerves found relief In a peal Of
laughter.
Forgive me, George, I couldn't
balD ;tt Jf Won couId oply COO uour