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THE NIGHT I ALMOST DROWNED Vic Frandsen Springville, Utah Senior Division First Place Short Story Moroni spreads across the south spurs of the North hills. An area called Dry Bottoms stretches north from the west side of Moroni. There is hardly a bit of water in this area, but in a two-square-mile pasture, water comes up everywhere. Three streams, called First Creek, Second Creek and Third Creek form across this Duck Springs pasture and run together by the railroad grade to form Silver Creek, which runs through Wales Reservoir to the Sanpitch river. This pasture was reserved by the pioneers as a pasture for all who wished to use it. A tag was purchased to put on a cow's neck, and the money was spent for John Stott to take care of the animals and fences. Most of the cows were taken from the pasture at night, taken to the stables for milking and returned next morning. A few "dry stock" remained in the pasture at nights. The animals taken out would gather at the gate in the late afternoon and more or less group themselves by owners. One August afternoon in 1908 the sky took on an orange color; all was strangely quiet. The chickens went to their coops; the animals were restless. Heavy clouds were forming at the Sanpitch mountains southwest. Rome came a little early; we climbed double onto Lyd and started for the pasture, nearly a mile away. Very heavy clouds and strong winds developed before we reached the pasture. Then the storm broke. John threw the pasture gates open, and all the cattle rushed for home, the storm mainly behind them. My folks had nine cows, and Rome had two. All the cows were there except Lanky, and she was expected to have a calf "any day now." I could not let her and the calf be lost. So I told Rome to jump off Lyd and take the cows home. I would go find Lanky. -80- |
