Charles City intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa) 1864-1866, 1866-03-01
Mistellal'p.
THE LOST FOUND.
Father & Daughter Lost on Che Prairie
THEIR TERRIBLE sUFFER1NGs.

Father y Daughter Lost Oh The Prairie.
THEIR TERRIBLE sUFFERINGs.
We last week mentioned the cir
cumstance of father and daughter
being lost on the prairie in Chickasaw
county during the terrible storm Of
week before last. The New Hampton
Courier of the Goth ult. gives the fol.
lowing particulars
On Tuesday afternoon, 18th inst
Mr.. E. T. Runnion Of our town visited
Jacksonville, eight miles distant, on
business, and returning called at the
residence of w. f. Beech. After sup.
per Mrs. Weed resolved to accompany
her father home, and hastily clad her
self for that purpose. Leaving MIR.
Weed i'm the house, father and daughI
ter proceeded to where fhe horses had
been tied and found them gone. but
yet 10 sight. Pursuing the team for
some distance they found il impossi- |
bic TO overtake it. So
Mr.. Runnion implorcd his daughter
to return while he would make his
way home alone. This she would not
consent to do, Feeling quite able to
perform the Journey unless he should
accompany her aud remain for the
night. This was between seven and
eight o'clock. The weather was then
comparatively mild-with no wind
aud light snow falling They pur-
sued their journey for time without
difRculty, hut the night being quite
dark aud the snow having obliterated
the track. they lost the road, bearing
to the south on the uninhabited prai-
rie. Both were conscious that they
were lost, yet neither breathed it to
the other. During the long hours
from their departure from Mr.. Beach's
house until II o'clock the storm-king
had been gathering his strengths.
which now burst forth in such fearful
fury from the northwest that it would
seem impossible that any mortal
could brave it and live. as
Benumbed, lost upon the trackless
waste, their steps followed by pack
Of prairie wolves whose quick SHARP
bark frequently rose above the howl
ing wind, their thoughts cannot b,
portrayed, each having full consci
BUSINESS of their great peril, yet cor
cesling it, and encouraging each other
At last, exhausted nature could do u
more. Both were tired out, aud say
the folly of further contest with th
storm till the day should dawn, ant
they lay down beneath snow-drift Il
watch for daylight.
Mrs. Weed wore beaver hood, haC
." cloud or scarf about her neck,
shawl, and u blanket which she ha,
thrown on her arm when leaving tb
house. The rude winds sweepin,
furiously above them, the binding
drifting snow. the bowling of til
wolves, the suffering from cold, tn
thought of friends beloved, of death
all heightened a picture which
can never be erased from their mem
orics The dawn came, and with il the
fury Of the storm increased. I'll
Mr.. Runnion knew himself to be on
Plum creek, and resolved to strike fol-
tsnt, bnt Mrs Weed was SO chilled
that she could not walk, and, after be
ing carried some thirty or forty rods
she begged her father to leave her and
seek assistance. They sat down and
calmly talked the matter over-yei
she was freezing all the while I! To
leave his child thus was a bitter
thoOght but what will not paren,
do to save his cherished lido, ? Know
ing she must perish, and that speedily
unless succor came, he sought plac,
10 leave her. Breaking the ice as h,
supposed Of little bayou, from which
the water had receded, and making 1
cavity Of some two feet in depth anC
u sufficient length he laid her in il
wrapping blanket aud shawl around
her and the scarf about her face. They
kissed and parted.
Covering her with snow, he marked thu
spot az best he could, and with heav.
heart and sad last look at the spo
where lay his treasure, he made hi.
way down the creek to the New
Hampton and Waucoma road, theme,
to the house of Mr. Utley about mil,
from town, arriving there nearS o'clocl
AN. "Wednesday. exhausted, will
hands aud face frozen, and nearly fran
tic.
His story was soon told and, al
though the storm was raging fearful
". and the hope Of finding the poo
girl, some three miles distant on the
bleak prairie, seemed like hoping
against hope, the call of hottest nature
did not plead in vain. Quickly ateam
was harnessed and MIR. Gilbert Win.
cent and M. NJ. Utley, with Mr.. Run
nioD, started for the rescue. Finding
the place where the party had lain be
meath the drift during the night, they
searched until about P. H., passing
almost directly over the spot wher,
she lay but finding the search vail
and Mr.. Runnion fast failing from ex
posurc and exhaustion, with heavy
hearts the party returned at evening
Mr.. Runnion was taken 10 the house
at Mr.. UtIey, where both Mr. and Mrs
UtIey were assiduous in administering
To his comfort, tile storm raging too
fearfully and his system too much
shattered to think Of bringing hin
home that night.
Thursday morning the storm haf
AbSted. the sun shone clear aud brigh
over the driven snow tho mercnr,
had fallen from lao the day before I.
$50 below zero. Mr.. Rnnnion wa,
brought home by Mr.. Utley and hi,
fearful story flew from house to house
brave hearts and willing hands were
not wanting. Several sleigh loads o
men. accompanied 10y Dir. Mixer.-wh.
was careful to have restoratives,- =
were swiftly on the search.
Oh. such vibrations of the heart be.
tween hope and fear as were visible
in every face ! Hope. that she might
be found alive. and fear that such hope
was all in vain. The party reach
ed tho supposed locality where Mrs
Weed was left by her father and the
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