He made his way by a wide detour up the mountain to the mine, arriving there about five o'clock in the evening, after a tiresome walk of something like eight and a half hours. He was greeted with surprise by the mine boss, who grabbed him in his arms and fairly hugged him for joy, and his seven or eight companions who were scarcely less delighted at finding he had survived his terrible flight, and seemed none the worse for it. They inquired eagerly for Thompson, his companion, but he could only say that the poor fellow was evidently buried in the slide, and possibly beyond human help, as he had searched for him in vain.
He then learned that the men at the mine, warned of the slide by the noise it created almost at the start, had witnessed with horror its frightful descent, and made their way up the mountain as soon as possible to ascertain whether the two men had been carried down by it. Finding the bank of snow where the slide started showed a sheer break, with no footprint on top of it, they were forced to the conclusion that the men had gone down with the slide and were probably lost. The mine boss had offered his companions ten dollars each if they or any of them would descend the mountain and search for their unfortunate fellows, but none of them dared to undertake to do so.
Brother Parkin resumed work, but a few days later, after being given a check in payment of his services up to that time, was dispatched to Salt Lake with ore samples, to have them assayed.
From Salt Lake City he proceeded on his way home to Bountiful, where he was joyfully greeted by his wife and children. When they learned, as they did during the evening, of his frightful experience in going down with a snowslide, his wife was so terror-stricken at thought of her husband working in such a place, that she declared he should never go back there again if she could help it. In vain he reminded her that he had left his bedding at the mine. She said the value of the bedding counted for nothing with her. She would sacrifice that without a scruple, to have him remain with her, and he did so.
It was soon afterwards learned that Thompson also had escaped. He found himself completely buried and evidently at a considerable depth, when the snowslide stopped, and he began immediately to dig his way out. He struggled desperately and burrowed for a long time without knowing whether he was going towards the surface or not, and was finally successful in extricating himself. His clothing was badly torn and he was more or less bruised, but succeeded in making his way to a logging camp some distance down the canyon, whence, after a rest, he made his way to Salt Lake City.
[CHAPTER VI.]
FATHER JOHN PARKIN A PUGILIST—DEFENDS A MORMON ELDER—SHELTERS HIM FROM A STORM AND LEARNS SOMETHING OF MORMONISM—WHOLE FAMILY EMBRACE THE GOSPEL.
Brother Parkin recalls some incidents of his childhood, that tend especially to illustrate the character of his father, and the effect of the Gospel in shaping the lives of individuals.
His father was a pugilist—by instinct rather than by profession though—for he did not follow it for a living. He was not a large man, but had a closely knit, muscular frame, no surplus flesh, was about as active as a cat and possessed unbounded courage. While not of a quarrelsome nature, he just naturally enjoyed a scrap.
He taught his older sons "the manly art of self defense," and gave them to understand that he had no patience with molycoddles. He didn't want them to pick a quarrel, but if any one ever attempted to impose on them, or their friends, he expected them to give a good account of themselves. He would be ashamed to have any body who bore his name ever show the white feather.