Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1920-04-27
HAPPIER Hi.

I or me during me Nlgnt song
were sung, stories told, speeches
were made and experiences related
to keep the mind IN action. and to
help forget rs much as possible our
present condition. But as the hour.
wore on everybody became sleepy
and one by one all fell into a silent
mood
Some had to be shaken ever few
| moments 10 keep them from tax
ing their everlasting sleep, which
they would SO readily have done, had
We more watchful ones not taken
special precaution to arouse the
sleepy ones and keep them in motion.
Such night | hope never TO be
destined to experience again. | was
SO cold and sleepy it seemed l must
go into that bljssfu realm in spite
OF any effort could exert 10 shake
off the droWsiness.
Once did 90 into the land of nod
for probably one brief moment and
hat bliss it was. ! dreamed | vas
IN the most spacious and luXurant
chamber. all decked in white. A
bright warm fire Was on the hearth,
and in an elegantly curtained corner
stood the contest kind of bed my eyes
mad ever discovered.
What fine place to sleep and
rest" | thought. Nothing to dis
turb and no care to know"
OF sudden gust of wind hurled
some snow in my face, awakening me
to my position After that l exert
ed every effort to remain awake,
which I managed to do during the
remainder of the night.
The night wore on, with the storm
still continuing to sweep over us in
its fury, drifting the snow in such
with the exception of a small hole
which was kept open near the top to
admit the very much needed fresh
air. Very close attention had to be
paid this particular spot, for when
the opening became too small the air
inside would become so polluted by
the constant rebreathing that it
caused still more excessive drowsi-
ness to come over us all. Still
again. when it was too large the cold
air would come rushing in, chilling
those of us who stood in front to the
very marrow.
After what seemed an age of
anxious waiting, watching and pray
ing, the first faint grey streaks of
morning began to make their appear
ance in the heavens. So anxious
were we all to see the break Of day
that every minute seemed an hour,
and hours seemed days. But this
report served to revive everyone and,
might say, give new life to ALL
About half past four O'Clock
could plainly see daylight through
the ventilator, but to my dismay the
storm seemed to all appearances to
be yet in full progress. wanted one
of the men who had done the least
work during the fore part of the night
in preparing the house, and who also
had managed to secure the warmest
corner. I wanted him to crawl out
to see if he could locate anything
familiar. In childish tones he COM
planned of being so wet and cold he
would freeze if he was to 20 out into
the wind. Being very much provoked
at him and as no one else volunteer
ed to go, l proceeded to make the
opening large enough and crawled
through into what seemed at first a
blast of icicles. In two minutes my
clothes were frozen as stiff as a board
and l felt as though there was a plate
of armor fastened around be. 1t was
very disagreeable at first, but soon
| noticed it served to keep the wind
from driving the cold through my
body. tramped first one way and
then another, straining my eyes till
they fairly ached with effort, in the
hopes Of seeing something which
would serve me as a guide
The sky was clear but the wind was
driving the loose snow through the air
in such spiteful blasts that it was
impossible for me to see very far.
What could be discerned gave practi-
cally not ray of hope.
| went back to the anxiously watt
ing party in very depressed spirits
you may be sure. After explaining
the situation | told them we would
wait until o'clock when by that time
we would be able to see better, and,
perhaps the wind might calm with
the rising of the sun. an act l had
seen it do many times before.
The pangs of hunger were again
coming on and with a choking thirst
for water. which is as hard if not
harder to withstand. | warned all
against eating snow to ouench their