Page:The Annual Register 1758.djvu/313

 with a boy of six years old, and a giri of about thirteen: in the same stable were six goats, one of which having brought forth two dead kids the night before, they went to carry her a small vessel of rye-flour gruel; there were also an ass and five or fix fowls. They were sheltering themselves in a warm corner of the stable till the church bell should ring, intending to attend the service. The wife related, that wanting to go out of the stable to kindle a fire in the house for her husband, who was clearing away the snow from the top of it, she perceived a mass of snow breaking down towards the east, upon which she went back into the stable, shut the door, and told her sister of it. In less than three minutes they heard the roof break over their heads, and also part of the ceiling. The sister advised to get into the rack and manger, which they did. The ass was tied to the manger, but got loose by kicking and struggling, and threw down the little vessel, which they found, and afterwards used to hold the melted snow, which served them for drink.

Very fortunately the manger was under the main prop of the stable, and so resisted the weight of the snow. Their first care was to know what they had to eat. The sister said she had fifteen chesnuts in her pocket; the children said they had breakfasted, and should want no more that day. They remembered there were thirty-fix or forty cakes in a place near the table, and endeavoured to get at them, but were not able for the snow. They called often for help, but were heard by none. The sister gave two chesnuts to the wife, and eat two herself, and they drank some snow water. The ass was restless, and the goats kept bleating for some days; after which they heard no more of them. Two of the goats, however, being left alive, and near the manger, they felt them, and found that one of them was big, and would kid, as they recollected, about the middle of April; the other gave milk, wherewith they preserved their lives. During all the time they saw not one ray of light, yet for about 20 days they had some notice of night and day from the crowing of the fowls, till they died.

The second day, being very hungry, they eat all the chesnuts, and drank what milk the goat yielded, being very near two pounds a day at first, but it soon decreased. The third day they attempted again, but in vain, to get at the cakes; so resolved to take all possible care to feed the goats; but just above the manger was a hay-loft, whence through a hole the sister pulled down hay into the rack, and gave it to the goats as long as the could reach it, and then, when it was beyond her reach the goats climbed upon her shoulders, and reached it themselves.

On the sixth day the boy sickened, and six days after desired his mother, who all this time had held him in her lap, to lay him at his length in the manger. She did so, and taking him by the hand, felt it was very cold; she then put her hand to his mouth, and finding that cold likewise, she gave him a little milk: the boy then cried, ''O my father is in the snow! O father, father!'' and then expired. In the mean while the goats milk diminished daily, and the 