"Tho first bnow of that season," said
the Captain, "fell tho la&t week in October,
18:59. The lut snow of the season
came May 1(J, 1810. Between
these two dates there wasn't less than
six feet of snow on tho level all the
time, and where tho wind had full
sweep twenty feet was no uncommon
thing to see. Wo had eight months of
uninterrupted sleighing, and the thermometer
for live months was at no
time higher than twenty degrees
above zero, while most of tho time it
sported between lifteon and twenty
below.
"This was in Maine. I had an interest
in somo lumber that year up in
tlio Piscataquis country, and it was
necessary in February, 1840, for me to
go into that region and look after my
interests. It was a long journey, but
tho sloJghing wns like glass, anil I had
ono of (the boBt""ltornes that ovt Aiivcd. '
If ho hadn't been I wouldn't bo here
to-day to tell what occurred to mo on
that trip.
"Tho bocond day of my journey the
weather was as cold as twenty below
zero could make it, and was gradually
getting colder. ' 1 know I would
reach one of those queer little villages
common to tho Miiino backwoods early
that evening. There I intended to
stay all night and drive on next morning
to tho houbo of tho agent of tho
lumber property, twclvo miles further
along. I reached tho villago and
found that there was no tavern there.
Accommodations wero ollered me
as a privato house, but 1 was informed
that I could not obtain a drop of water
for my horso in tho en tiro settlement.
