One hundred years ago an old German decided to take a short cut to his house in the dead of a cold Wisconsin winter. The short cut was over the frozen surface of Mud lake near Cascade Wisconsin. The old German knew Mud lake had many springs and might not be safe, but it was very cold, he had traveled far and he feared he wouldn’t make the long way around.
To spread the weight, the old German got off his cart and led the horse by its reign across the frozen surface. He calmed the horse and stepped slowly and carefully as his breath created clouds that rose into the cold night. He heard his horses’ hooves clop across the ice and he winced as the noise echoed through the air around them. Another sound suddenly occurred beneath their feet as the thick ice flexed, cracked and gave way.
