The Dickenson County herald. [volume] (Clintwood, Va.) 1927-1930, 1928-01-12
When the Mountain
Moves
,~NNNN - - - ~~~ NNNNN'
By AID SCHUSTER

| 4V1 clear and belied it's name. 1t
was only in the late summer and fall,
when the glacier, high on the slope of
the mountain, started to melt in the
| sun, that the mud came down and the
stream became gray and turgid
| river. Nancy Cross, homesteader, felt
| that she knew every trick of the creek
and every mood of the mountain.
They were her friends-except for the
! deer and birds her only friends.
Nancy had lived alone in her cabin
for thirteen months and there was yet
month to pass before the title would
be hers. She had her books, her let
tiers from friends in the East, and her
dreams of romance, once this expert
ment had been tried. Sometimes when
the nights were long and a mountain
lion hOwled in the distance, she won
dered if she had made mistake, leav-
ing them all for this adventure. When
the sun rose over the mountain and
the choir of birds made the pine trees
ring, she repoiced.
"This place is my test" she told
herself, "a test of my capabilities, and
a trial for my heart. / will know when
l go back, if I ever do, will know
myself more, much more, of the things
that count
Her love for the mountain was not
unmiXed with fear The glacier, ex-
posed now more than it had been for
half century, seemed as mighty
weight hanging over her head. Usu-
ally there was snow in the gulley the
year around and winter saw the whole
mountain covered Four dry years
had made her mountain gaunt, the
snow was gone, but there in this one
northern crevasse was a melting sur
face of packed Ice.
Little streams ran over the top of
the glacier and poured into hole at
its foot. AS fall approached the wa
tiers churned in this hole and, over
flowing, fed Mud creek. Nancy saw
the stream had never been so high or
so muddy. 1t was running fast enough
to cut into it's banks. adding mud,
growing thicker, and with 1t came
small stones and sticks. Through her
field glasses she looked up at the
cause of the torrent, and there was
the glacier seemingly untouched for
all the tons Of wafer 1t was sending
down.
The girl who WAS afraid of a glacier
had cause to be afraid of men. In
small land Office tall man who called
- ,,,br>
speciality of finding flaws in titles and
homestead rights had made a discov-
cry. If he, or some one else, could file
on Nancy's property before her time
was out within the week, he could get
the land. 1t might take suit to GUST
her, but he would get it. The tall man
took a shorter one into his confidence
and they planned the expedition.
ut will be worth lot some day."
they said, with that timber and wa
ter power
AS they made their way toward the
mountain, letting their horses pick the
trail through the forest and over the
fields of volcanic ash, they had no
thought of girl who lived alone to
earn this land. 1t was enough she had
not met certain requirements.
eve have two days" said the tall
man. ut will be cinch."
II only hope" said the short one.
"she doesn't make a squawk. hates
women what takes on"
Mud creek continued its rampage.
Nancy walked along It's bank, noting
with wonder the rate with which it
was rising 1t was full of mud now,
almost like molasses, and yet it moved
on swiftly 1t cut into the banks, eat
ing them away in single day as
much as an ordinary stream would in
year, for it carried in it's depths
powders and dirt. 1t ground and
roared and the rolling stones bumped,
crashed and squealed.
Night came and the girl stood in
her doorway, terrified and yet held
by the weird spell of this phenomenon.
Mud creek in places was twenty feet
deep and no wider. Again it was a
city block wide and shallow. Boul-
ders hitting together jumped to the
surpace and all the time came the
grumbling mumbling sound. The
stream would have choked with its
own content had it not been for the
brooks which fed it with clear water;
fed it enough TO oil the track and send
| it on.
AS the earth was washed from be-
meath their roots, big trees fell. Nancy
| heard them rattle as the limbs broke
| and braced herself for the shock Of a
mighty crash. She wondered where all
| this weight of mud was going, II it
would take out the bridge below, and
| she thanked her stars 1t was cutting
| deep enough TO make channel and
| that she and her cabin were safe.
| The two men heard the roaring In
| the woods and looked at each other
| in fear. They stopped on the bank
| Of the creek, which was grinding,
bobbng mass Of trees, rock and sticky
| black. They saw 1t break great trees.
toss huge powders and they were
| afraid.
"If this bank should cave in" said
| ~ Am man txya'd no In Fin ~dnp