Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1864-01-07
|, ''.,''A TLesshd OF the Prairie.


10ffz bas ToOa 1870 .af4zH 81
. ?, 's1'1' AFLegshd OF the Prairie. -
:, iI,- = 49, ny {. A,s s.T ', 80 90
"iIeiiesa.- h ol what now" A.lisht. fsath
cry. bat ice-cold particle had gently touch
sBsHeieskof thes spsskeE aud non q
him from the reverie into which the mo
sfiotony of the scenery had Thrown him..
Helwiped il off, bat as he did so. anothc
settled upon his brow. aud looking has
lilly around. he perceived the air filled will
circline snow aakesss 3 And steho as b.
gazed, they gathered them sintos fieeee-liks
clouds, shrouding the dim sun light ant
whitening the brown prairie. - -. =
Here was dilemma!l and Hugh Lori
mer. brave man as he was, quaied attht
prospect before him. He. was.-tra yelling
on what Il known as the military road, .
between Fort Des Moines and Fort Dodge
bnt which. in those days; when, Iowa was
yes the home Of the red man, was but little
better than the trail of the savage. e. EASY
to lose in broad day light. how fearful was
the chance Of galloping far away from il
into q snow storm. with night coming
rapidly on; and once lost on the ten mile
prairie. how difficult, how almost impossi
bic, indeed to recover the path!
What he should do was puzzling
question for the young soldier. and every
moment it rather grew worse. To go back
was madness. for he had not seen cabin
since early morn; to go forward was Equal
" as bad. for he had no means OF jndg-
ing tho distance between him and the next
camping ground, while TO stay where he
was, was certain death, for even then hewas
white with snow. the cold shrieking winds
freezing his limbs. while they drifted the
fakes Of low circling ridges all about his
path. Suddenly he seemed to havssdeci.
ded. for putting spurs to MS horse ne turn
ed to the westv ard.
ut is a desperate effort" said he. hal
20 himself and half to his noble steed,
"but is the only one that gives me any
promise Of seeing to morrow; and death Oh
the prairie, with winding sheetof snow
and the bowling of wolves for o dirgel-
good. heavens. it was too terrible! Let me
zee, The Dss AIoines cannot b moro than
five miles of, and the timber must be at
least a mile and half broad there. Cheer
up. cheer up, then. Charlie" and he hal
loed merrily ts,the horse. ''Fhefesis hali
a mile beyond US now, three more and we
shall be safe" And then he pleased him
self with visions of the camp hesIwould
make inthose dense old forests.ll(I
Faster snd thicker came the snow flakes
The last streak of daylight vanished
Darkness settled over everything. The
cold grew intense. The blast swept over
the broad prairie with terrific ferceness,
aud whole drifts of snow were hurried be-
fore them. OAll hideous sounds were borne
on their wings too. from the violent shrieks
Of the tempest to the yet more fearful vol
ces Of the blood thirsty wolves. Yet still
onward, with franti, speed dashed the
Young man. The three miles heightened,
It seemed, into ten. and yet no shelting
woods broke the wild winds.
Now, Heaven have mercy upon me''
exclaimed he, with passionate emphasis, as
the tagging Of his horse warned him that
he had come far from the prairie. and was
yet far from the river. "My hours are
numbered; l have lost my way. All this
long while 1 40 believe that l have been
riding in circle. One more trial for my
life ere yield to the palsy which is be.
numing my very heart"
He again spurred his faded .steed. and
then suddenly halted. at was a north
east wind; l remember. when l left the
trailsx is q Wild tickle guide. but all J
can trustto," said he, and he wheeled 4
bout till ths-blast blew 6escciy into his
eyes, and then carefully turned until he
judged. he was incining to the south west
Now Charlie % said he, Il resign myself
to you. Go on. and quickly. or corps,
will be your burden
The faithful creature seemed conscious
of his trust, and galloped off with renewed
feetness. a torpor swept over the limbs
aye, over the very heart and mind Of tn
young soldier. and he was fast falling into
q fearful sleep, when a cheerful and pro
longed ne igh from his horse roused within
him the love of life, and even as he gath
eredup his failing strength. Charlie Cant
to cead pause. Hugh felt rather thai
saw that the darkness was thicker iimns
diately before him than elsewhere. ant
summoning every energy, be put forth hi
hands. - -i1Jul llis ~ l
BLESSED Heaven!' he exclaimed, "the,
are logs: il must belt is some trapper'
cabin" And with new life infused int
every vein he leaped from his horse. an
went cropping round the black object in tn
deepsjoy of bis half-frozen heart. when b
suddenly came upon smooth planks. IL
knocked with frantic eagerness. and evel
as he did SO, be heard from within the fierc
growing of a couple of sentinel dogs
flushing them with difficulty the inmat
Enclosed small loophole in the rougI
door, and cried with esgerness:
-. Father, is it you?'' "A .s$-.oo--
Never did human voice sound so sweet
ly to. Hugh. and though his lips were s.
frosted as to be almost stiff. the fresh beau
tiful hope that had dawned on his hear
warmed them as with the elixir of life. an
he answered in his own rich. mellow tones
Not father, but . traveller who has los
bis way. and must die ere long In III
storm, unless be finds shelter"
The heavy bars were withdrawn at once
6ndip m Instant the door w9s swsng Wild
open; but the change from the blacknes
and cold without torthe light and fbea