Page:Awful phenomena of nature -- snow storms, third of March and twenty-third April, 1827.pdf/11

 Mary-Anne, his wife, who was standing with her sister-in-law Anne, her daughter Margaret, and her son Anthony, a little boy two years old, at the door of the stable, looking at the people throwing the snow from off the houses, and waiting for the ringing of the bell, that was to call them to prayers, was about taking a turn to the house, in order to light a fire, and air a shirt for her husband, who could not but want that refreshment after his hard labour: but before she could set out, she heard the priest cry out to them to come down quickly; and raising her trembling eyes, saw the aforesaid valancas set off, and roll down the side of the mountain; and at the same instant she heard a terrible report from another quarter, which made her retreat back quickly with her family, and shut the door of the stable. Happy it was for her that she had time to do so: this noise being occasioned by another immense valanca, the sole cause of all the misery and distress she had to suffer for so long a time; so that in a very short time the snow was lodged about forty-two feet in height, two hundred and seventy in length, and about sixty in breadth.

The inhabitants of Bergemoletto, whom it pleased God to preserve from this disaster, being gathered together, in order to sum up their misfortunes, first counted thirty houses overwhelmed; and then every one calling over those he knew, twenty-two souls were missing, of which number were their parish priest, who had lived among them forty years.

The news of this terrible disaster soon spread