Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1872-02-23

was hurled into the drifts, so terrible was
the storm BY eight o'clock the mercury
stood at ten degrees below zero. The
snow blew from oil points of the COM
pass, and penetrated every stitch Of his
clothing that was not protected by the
buffalo robe. He knew that several
houses were near, but how could he find
a single one of them, when on that very
night the engineers on the railroad were
unable to find the water-tank at Pierce
station in the darkness. The man knew
that death was on his trail. His strength
was falling rapidly, and the cold increas-
ing with the fury of the storm, All his
garments were frozen stiff, and his eye
lashes coated with ice IL seems that he
crossed the river few hundred feet
below Boyd's rancho, but he has only a
faint recollection of stumbling down a
bank, and of dreaming that he might pos
sibly be near house. He felt that his
time had almost come. To go on was
madness, yet he could not stop, except to
brush away the frozen tears, for wife
with her babes are waiting and praying
not three miles away from his sinking
heart.
He managed to walk an hour longer,
when dizziness came on, and his brain
reeled like the storm. Then he began
digging hole in the deepest drift he
could find 1t was like digging his own
grave, for he knew not how soon he might
sink from exhaustion. After working a
long time the ground was reached, and,
drawing the robe over his head, he waited
for the snow to bury him. The wind did
its work well, and in an hour eighteen
inches Of snow covered his roof of fur.
Never did a man long to sleep more than
he, but he knew that If he closed his eyes
it would be forever. He fought with his
senses like Bunyan's Christian Pilgrim,
and kept awake. Burning pains shot
through his limbs, and his legs cramped
as if on the rack, and finally something
like nettles priCked in his boots. Then he
knew that his feet were freezin@. Was
he to die after all the hours of agony?
No, he would keen his muscles moving
and he did so long after his toes were
frozen stiff Hour after hour this man
from the Green Mountains fought with
death, while snowy billows were rolling
above his head.
AT daylight he crawled out. Houses
were near. Then he staggered and fell
got up again, and dragged his frozen
limbs towards the limits of the town.
After walking an hour he reached Coop
er's ranche-the summer residence of oul
Town Clerk,-and pushed in the back
door. Another hour was consumed in
making fire. Some matches, a piece oI
candle and an old broad-axe were found
Then he melted snow in paiAand thawet
his frozen feet. He also found dry cloth
ing and a pair of cavalry boots. Al
though nearly exhausted, he started
for Greeley's, a distance of two miles
The mercury was eighteen degrees below
zero and it took him an hour to walk (;
single mile. Often he thought he woulC
fall to the ground. The houses seemed
to spin round as he passed them, and ia
miliar streets, in which he saw childrel
playing the day before, were but the land
marks of a dream. At last he reached
his fathers gate and staggered to the door
There was a rush and a scream, and tn
next instant a black and bloated face wa
lying on woman's breast.-Greeiey (Col
| Tribune.