The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1916-12-21

breakfast After changing the water
in the beans We agreed to have one
more slide before breakfast, SO each
took a piece of Indian Bannock and
started, leaving the four youngest In
the house as before. Those OF us
who went ont were aged from nine to
thirteen oldest first to youngest
last.) Mary Sylvia (the writer) and
Cyrus. Sarah and Gust. (for Angus
tus) the others Bal, Calvin, Clara
and Nell (for Marion). We went to
very steep and high place seventy
five feet high. that we had not dared
to try during the night but rode along
the top during the night more than
once and then backed out. The
bank looked rather steep and high,
and we had some fears about getting
back if we went down Ohe sun was
just peeping thru the tree-tops) but
at last after rowing ourselves alonG
the top we all agreed to start at the
words one, two three and over we
go. The three youngest went down,
and that was what saved the lives Of
the whole five The two oldest came
down on top of the snow, but the
three youngest were buried deep un-
derneath. Syrus started first Sac
next and short legged Gust behind.
He swung his cap to us called us
towards. Sac took off her mittenS
to wipe her face | can see just how
she looked, but it did not last long,
for the bank of snow had driften on
to a smooth crust that would hold us
up. When the three had trod the
foot of the drift away they slid to the
bottom of it. The whole drift came
down on the three helpless little ones
and buried them deep under the wet
SNOW. and the two naughty ones came
down on top of the drift. Voices
came up thru the snow saying, dig
me out Mary and | went to work
with our bare hands and with a will
mixed with fear After digging
awhile the voices would sound in an
other direction. We worked nearly
two hours before we found the right
spot But with bleeding fingers we.
dug on. While we were at work
digging the snow the little ones in
the house got tired waiting, and Clara
came and called TO us and we told
her our trouble. About noon she
came again, this time we sent her
back for the fire shovel which was
quite a help. She came out again,
about two this time We told her.
TO go up To fathers and tell him our
troubles They saw her coming and
The day being warm they let her take
her own time. When she did get
there she told them Gust was covered
up with SNOW They thought she
had taken milf at something and
Matched up that story for an excuse
to get home, But uncle was watch
ing her pretty close and every little
while she would say Gust is under
the snow. Finally Uncle said | don't
like the actions of the child. am
20 ne down and see if things are all
right, if not | will step out to the
side OF the house and swing my hat.
All eyes were watching when he got
there and the hat was swung, Father
could not get there fast enough. He
could not use horse for there was
no road except a trail between the
homes. Uncle told the girls he wish
ed he had a shovel as big as a three
foot table. At first he was throw
he had ceased to call for hours.
Mother not being very well. they
thought they would stay all day They
supposed We would be all right and
have a good time Aunt Betsy wor-
red about us and would look out of
the window down toward her house
and say Il don't see the children
anywhere. The trail was poor and
il took the little girl some time, she
being only seven years old We
We're glad when we saw Uncle Elias
Bryant's face peering down over the
bank. He went to the barn and got
a shovel and began hunting for Gust
We had got Cyrus odt and he was
quite smart We came to Sae's arm
first and was about beat out, the
snow being hard and our fingers
bleeding But Cyrus encouraged us
and we worked on, we could see
every breath she drew, and was mo-
mentarily expecting she would not
breath again. 1t seemed more than
an hour before we got to her face.
The color had left her cheeks and
i I