The Washington herald., 1913-07-20
Mrs. King Pictures Death of
Her Relatives on Mountain

world u shut out You can see but .
few feet. The rain and sieet freezes as
1t descends and the granular snow In
soon covered with thin ice, In which
II Is dinicult to break a foothold. Ard
foothold you must have, for as the storm
increases In violence the wind seems a
from the mountain side and huri you
into space. -
Eject IL ParalysinE.
ITO seasoned guides and experienced
mountaineers 1t y q terrifying expert
ence. but upon novices, such as these
young people were. the effect is para
lyxing.
moods Of the mountains one can, to-
sether with the fragmentary reports
which have reached US, construct rea-
sonably accurate story as to how my
brother and his wife met their fate.
They had nearly reached the summit of
the mountain when the storm struck
them. Their first instinct would be to
! escape from the wind. This IL why my
brother wished to go down the north, or
windward. side of the mountain. as re-
ported. But Mr.. Carroll argued that
there were more crevasses on that side.
and IL they could keep to the snow fields
on the south side, up which they had
climbed. they could escape.
They began the descent on the south
side We knew that Mrs. Smith was
cold and exhausted by the long climb
and that my brother had a weak heart
which would be affected by the altitude
even under normal conditions. The ter
ror of the storm would undoubtedly
throw them into a panic. They lost
their sense of direction very quickly.
Blinded by the storm. they could only
feel their way down. They could not
know. however. that they were follow
ing the trail they made coming up They
could wander to the left or right to the
Drinks of terrible precipices and crew
asses
Both Wore Glasses.
They both wore glasses and this would
mean added danger. The glasses would
soon become as useless as frosted win
dow panes, and II they removed them
their eyes would be out of focus and
they would be unable to Judge the dis
tance of the next step.
They proceaied a short distance. Mrs.
Smith. exhausted and suffering from
mountain sickness. was unable to pro-
coed without assistance. The men help
ed her for time till she was some
what restored. The descent became
more difficult. Mr.. Carroll must lead
and break trair-that is, he must with
his foot stamp holes into the ice-cover-
ed snow to serve as steps for the rest.
else they would have slipped and shot
clinging to him. Mr.. and Mrs. Smith
were close behind. They. could still
reach each other and call back and forth.
They were all In single file.
Suddenly Miss Monroe slipped and fell.
Mr.. Carroll either fell in attempting to
save her or was dragged down by her. |
They rolled over and over for some two
hundred feet and then were able to
stop themselves with their alpenstocks /
They waited for the Smiths. They called. |
but no response came. Their voices could |
not be heard above the roar OF the storm. |
They went on down, thinking the Smiths |
would follow them. and they fortunately |
reached their camp in safety.
My brother and sister had never been
on snow peak before, and had no prece-
dents to guide them. Their stronger
who were the leaders of the
party. had suddenly disappeared. 1 can
imagine the despair my brother felt. and
his bewilderment. He called to them IL
they were safe,and IL he should proceed.
There was no answer. but the voices of
the storm. Have they fallen to their
death? II must be so. He must not take
that direction. He veered to one side,
his young wife staggering after him. He
did not know that he had abandoned the
safe snow slope and was heading straight
for precipice. He struggled on.
Hands Became Numbed.
.-:y this time it is possible that their
feet and hands were so benumbed as to
have lost the sense Of touch. Their feet
were like wooden blocks. They did not
know whether they were firmly planted
Dr. not. The alpenstocks could slip from
heir fingers unknown to them and slide
away.
Suddenly the snow beneath my broth
sr's feet gave way for he had perhaps
stepped on a snow cornice overhanging
he precipice. 1t gave way and he tell
into the abyss.
Many days later they found him, ~,
eet below, on the rocks. his neck broken.
1T will always be comfort to me %
snow that he died instantly. He never
'ealized even that he fell. 1t was all so
luick. Those who have recovered from /,
alls rendering them unconscious remem-
Der only that their foot slipped
THE young wife was now alone. She ,
lid not know what had happened to ner
husband. but he had disappeared even I.
s the others had done. She irew back.
She must go for help. Where Is Carroll? )
Where is Miss Monroe? Was that
'oice she heard? She turned aside from
he fateful chasm and took a course down
he steep snow slope. Strange lights
iickered before her eyes. Is some one :
coming to meet her2
There is a delirium in the cold and
oneliness until 1t becomes peopled with
riends. And when she stopped for the !
asst time either she fell in a merciful '
amt from exhaustion, or she thought s
he would rest for a minute and, hud- I
led there. she grew drowsy and warm i
nd thought herself safe at home with e
er baby In her arms and went to sleep c
a a pleasant dream.
Stands a. Their Monument.
Il have heard people, who have been \
escued from the mountain or prairie 4
Lizards, says the sense of cold leaves
ou and you feel warm and happy. You
ee your fireside and friends. Il
MY brother and sister are gone, but o
hey went toyously and in an heroic q
port without suffering long. Their q