A Terrible Blanket

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 1515, 15 January 1886, Page 3

A Terrible Blanket

We were on the Continent when T met with my terrible blanket We were going up one of the passes on foot, and somehow I lagged behind. I had an alpenstock in my hand; »nd as I went swinging it away, it ■truck against a lump of rock which bung over a precipice, so deep that, MiWas T am. I trembled as I looked down. The stick bounded from the reck against mv shin, and so I res Ived that the granite should take a run But it was tough work; for the •tone was big, and well set in the rock, but, after a deal of straining •nd pushing, down it went. The job must have taken longer than I thohght, for when I looked belore me T could see no one; and as 1 looked I began to see that twilight wti oming on; and sir ce among mountains night follows almost immedintt ly on twilight, I hastened onwards.

I do not think I had gone more than twenty yards when I saw that a storm was brewing, and it was on me in no time; an 1 as the snow came down, it grew so dark that a great curtain seemed to be drawn over the iky.

. Well, I groped on, but I didn't like l'. If it had been a storm at sea, I should not have cared much; if the m^unrains about me were of water, I should not have cared at all; hot when I knew that a false step might send me toppling down, as the rock had toppled before roe, I don't mind owning that I grew to like it less and lets.

I stooped down to look at the pa»h, M well a* I could in the remaining light; and I found that I was in no path at all. As the last rays of the sun died out, and aa the snow whirled about me, J turned cautiously towards a •lope of rock, feeling with my stick before I took a step (for the snow will fill up a crevice in do time, and you may sink twenty feet before you know where you are); and at last \ touched the rock.

There was still a dimmer of light left; and by it I just saw a black part of the rock, which I took to be a cave. So I crept into it, and crouched down on the ground. Well I hadn't lain there three minutes when it became pitch dark. I don't know whether any of you have been in the dark when full of fear and anxiety ; but if vou have, you snow how every minute seems like an hour.

Suddenly I thought of ray match-box ; and I believe I shouted as 1 thought of it, for a second idea came into my head,—Suppose I struck the matches about one a minute, they would not only help me through the darkness, but they might guide those who where looking for me to my place of shfltrr So out came the match-box, in I (he next moment I struck a light. Why I looked round the cave I can't tell; but I did ; and 1 caught my breath, aa jou may suppose, when away in the dark 1 saw two great yellowifmgreen balls of fire. I don't think I movd for a moment and then I began to ask myself whether it was not all fancy. So I thought 1 would strike another light; but the box had fallen among the snow; and when I felt for the matches they were all mixed up with the snow.

Now, what was Itodo > If I went out of the cavern I should be frozen to death ; while to remain in the cave, and near those dreadful balls of fire, waa enough to drive one mad ; so 1 curled myself up as small as possible and lay shivering. I had only lain for what 1 now know to be a very short time, but which I took to be hours when something soft came against my knees and elbows.

I dsshed out my fist, and felt it sink a foot deep in the soft snow, which I found had drifted up against the opposite side of the cavern till it fell over me.

So I found that I was being snowed up, and that I munt either go nearer those dreadtul balli, which by this time 1 was iure were no fancy, and which I felt sure were looking towards mo through the dtrkness, or I must stay there to be buried alive I don't know how I came to the decision ; but I did at last decide to <."> further it,to the cavern, and bo I shuffled out of the way of the snow. Aud then I lay still again, waiting. In a moment or so, surrounded bv danger as I was I began to myself actually going to sl*ep. I had do notion then that that sleep would hare been the sleep of death. In an other minute or so I felt a warm air on my face; but I was too sleepy to move, and so I lay still.

And then I fel; four weights press, one after the other, upon my body. and then a soft, heavy weight sunk down upon me. I guessed it was an animal of some kind. I felt quite sure of this, when a muzzle was placed close to my mouth. I dare say you will hardly believe it, bat in a few moments all my fear had gone, and I found myself growing grateful to this creature, for he made me so goo i a blaaket that the heat came back into my body, and I felt no longer the strange sleepiness. 1 do not at all know how long I had thus lain, when I heard a distant bark, which disturbed the regular breathings of my hairy friend, and I felt his big heart beat quicker above me.

Again there was a bark, and it snunded much nearer tban the first. A* my blanket heard it, he uttered a half-growl and lept off me. The barking and the start of the animal roused me; so that I plunged through the enow, which was above my head, to the entrance of the cave. I found the whole mountains were light again, with the stars and the rising moon, for the storm was over. But, more bless°d sight of all wai that ot a brave, big dog, who leapt upon me, and placed a fore-paw upon each of my shoulders, while not far off I siw one of the monks coming towards me.

I afterwards learnt that when my friends missed me, and told the guide, he saw the storm coming, and said it would be impossible to turn back ; that they might think themselves fortunate if th*?y reached the monastery of St Bernard safely themselves ; and if they did, the monks and thsir dogs wouM do their best to save me.

They reached the convent just as thp s'orm began, and the monks sent out their noble dogn to seek me, though they had but little hope of saving my life.

I shall pass over my arrival at the monastery. I was welcomed so kindly that you might have thought that my friends had not seen me for a vear

They were very willing to hear my adventures ; hut when I came to the

two ball? of fire, and the heavy animal who had made himself my blai ket, they laughed and snid I was giving them a traveller's tale. THey were still loughirg, when ray eyes fell on my greatcoat, which was banging on a chair, and I at once pointed to some yellowish hairs ptioking to the back of it. This was proof positive, and I was more of a hero than ever.

The next morning, when all of us travellers assembled for our simple breakfast, the young monk who had discovered me had i tale to tell. Out of curiosity, he had gone down to the cave, which was a verv little way from the convent, and in it he had found an immense wolf, frozen and stark dt-ad. for the cold of the night had been intense.

1 went down myself to see the pmr old fellow, and I declare he looked as large as a calt ; and as for his fanus. I think they would have gone through a deal board.

I begged his body of the monks, brought the skin home, and had it stuffed ; and I can tell vou when 1 come into the room where it lits, and the sun is shining on his glass eyes, 1 often find mys-lf giving a start, as if he were still alive, and as if 1 were still lying under my terrible blanket.