Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1871-01-13
THE GAZETTE.
CEDAR FALLS, JANUARY Is, 1871.
A Storm On the Prairie !
OR,
A Chapter In the Life or a Citizen of
Cedar Falls.
WRITTEN BY HIMSELF.

4 AA~~s -
| [coNoLupEpl
kept on my weary march, some
times through drifts of snow
nearly waist deep, and then over the
rough frozen ground, without stop
until noon. Up to this time, i had
felt no Inconvenience from my long
fast; but, now, hunger began to add
to my misfortunes, and 1 realized
what it was to want for something
to eat and know that it was impossi>
bic to get 1t. After resting few
moments and looking over the situa.
ton, again started I'm the hope of
reaching a house before night fall.
The cravings of hunger became
more and more intense, until 1t
seemed as though could bear up no
longer At last / opened my carpet
sack to get some tobacco, I'm the hope
that by chewing that might satisfy
hunger. found q few grains of
corn-perhaps adozen--these eager.
ly devoured, and to my unspeakable
joy the clamor of hunger was propi-
tiated and remained quiet during the
remainder of my trials. l have
feasted at many u well spread board,
but never did L eat meal that gave
me the pleasure that did those few
grains of corn nor do ever expect
to realize the same satisfaction again.
IL gave me new life and stimulated
me to renewed and greater exertions.
In addition to my physical exhaus.
ton, / found that my mind was
wandering. To say that had not
been anxious as to the result, that
had not feared that / might be COM
pelled to give up, would be far from
the truth; and then, too, could but
speculate as to what would be the re-
suit of the freezing of my feet, for
realized that they were frozen, but to
what extent did not know, nor
ed, l imagined 1 heard voice be-
hind me saying, "there lie Is, there
he is, "and turning, saw, or thought
did, two young Indians following
me. They had sled made of poles
Jumper fashion-drawn by pair
of small cattle, aud each of them car
ried gun, axe and knife; their dog,
poor, lean, savage looking beast, by
tie side OF the sled. Believing that
my time to die had now certainly
come, | walked on resolving to ap.
pear as though had not seen them,
but If they attacked me to give them
rs good fight AS / could; and if my
hair must adorn some Sioux's belt,
to make him purchase 1t at as great
price as possible. How long this
continued | do not know, but it APP
peared to me that they followed me
for miles. At length / could bear it
no longer, aud turned about to see
where they were-how near to me-.
and TO ascertain what were their in
tentions, when to my surprise and
great relief, no Indians were TO be
seen. So real had been their pres
ence to me, TINT / have to this day
IL years after-so fixed in my mind
the appearance of their cattle, sled,
dog and guns, that if / Were a
draughIsman ] could give an exact
sketch of them all as they appeared
to me.
On ascertaining that there were no
Indians pursuing me, / was convinced
that a new danger menaced me-that
my mind was becoming weak. My
horse had been following me all day,
and had observed that he kept the
trail with unerring certainty, and at
times, when | was In doubt, he kept
in the right track even If / was in
clined to go from it. had fastened
a cord to the ring of the bride bit to
be used, If necessary, i'm leading the
horse across sloughs. / fastened this
cord to my arm, the other end being
still tied to the horses bride. This
L found to he most admirable plan,
for If | Jagged in my pace, the cord
gave me a sudden jerk and reused
me up; if wandered from the trail,
the horse refused To follow me and
again was reused by jerk at my
arm. In this manner, we toiled on
until night overlook US at the grove
OF which have before spoken, aud
which / expected to reach On the
first day. / knew that we were then
within three miles of a house. 1 had
never been to 1t, but had been told
that Mr.. Welsh lived i'm the house
nearest the grove. At the grove,
there was a deserted cabin, and de-
hated for time whether, in my ex-
hausted condition, it was better for
me to remain in the cabin until
morning, or to endeavor to reach |
WeIsh's. had a supply of matches
and could light q fire, but my feet
were frozen, and If remained there,
could | proceed I'm the morning. -
After mature reflection, / felt that
my only safety was In proceeding.
Again started. my horse following
me as before; but he soon refused to
go any further-another slough was
to be crossed, and he refused to ven.
ture on 1t. l was reluctantly COM
PEELED TO leave him and go on alone. |
IL was but little after sun down
when started out TO walk the last
three miles. The stop at the cabin |
had rested me little, AMI divesting
myself of all unnecessary weight.
entered on the final struggle. OF
the occurrences or thst night, have
but very faint recollection. only
know that the idea that must keep
on, must not stop. Was pppermost In |
my mind. / remember that strange
fancies possessed me. Al one time
found most elaborately embroidered
handkerchief, but on endeavoring to !
pick 1t up, found had but hand
ful Of snow; at another, was walk
Ing OH the most beautiful carpets,
aud then | was walking Oh railroad
track stepping from tie to tie, hemmed
In on each side by high walls of
slaughtered hogs, train coming
toward me and no way of escape, no
way to save my life except to lie
down between the ties and let the