The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1873-08-13
Caught in a Prairie Storm

Caught in a Prairie Storm tori
sPrairics! The very name car
make me shiver.. When covered
with snow they are as trackless az
the ocean to an unSkilled navlga
tor: I would about as soon cross
the Sahara without a guide, as try
to get.o the snow plains OF the
west and northwest. The rea
fright I once had in one Of these
tracts, sir, was bad enough to serve
me for a lifetime
Tell us about it, captain /?
well, I can't mind. My. Uncle
Dan and bis family were staying al
the D. settlement, for he had taken
the western fever, and they went
out there. Uncle Dan was always
specu4ator-thcugh he did man'
age to line his pockets well. tie
purchased a large tract OF land at
D., with an eye, it must have been,
| to some such promises as were held
ont to Abraham of old; for acres
and acres of this land he could
never utilize, though later he could
sell it again. to advantage. l was
out helping him. The family con-
sisted of his wife, two grown-up
daughters and two young sons
and there was a niece, Cordelia.
From the first time I saw Cordelia
Bardwell l thought great deal OF
her. Perhaps that is the reason |
stayed in the uncivilized place.
'Rolfe,' said Uncle Dan, one
morning in the latter part Of the
winter, it looks like a fine day,
does it not?'
Clear and bright, SIR | replied.
.'Ay, likely to last. What say
YOU, then, to taking Brown Bess
and going to- Bingley's Nflls for
me?' |s.
L will go with pleasure, Uncle
Dam
The weather may break up any
week, now, Rolfe, and I must haze
the lumber ready to come down the
river as far as the forks with the
freshets.'
well, sir, I am ready to go over
to Bingley's Mills for you, and to
make what arrangements you please
about the timber .r
FUncle Dan, may I 60 to Bing-
| |ley's Mills, too?' cried pleading
pretty voice, as Hector leaped of
to harness the brown mare.
l could hardly believe my ears
the voice was Cordelia's.
sThe child must be crazy called
out aunt. DO you know the length
of the journey, Della p
tits a lovely day, aunt; it won't
hurt me-
Eyes, it is a lovely day, mother,
so clear andscalm,' cried one Of the
other girls-Myra, [ think-with
quite an eager tone; and poor Della
never goes anywhere
That was true; but still l felt
astonished. Later I knew that it
was kind of conspiracy. The
girls all wanted te get some trust
worthy person to the post-office at
i3ingley's Mills to post letters and
.et some that were lying there, not
Intended for papa and mamma to
cad. .,.. =.
Il really don't see why Della
should not co. said the unsuspi.
cious, good-natured uncle: sYou
will be sure to take care of her
Rolfe?'
'I'll try to, SIR
So in less than half hour from
the time it was mentioned, I was
gathering up the reins, and Brown
Bess was tossing her head until the
bells jingled merrily.
It's royal travelling called ou'
Uncle Dan, as we started. Dom
be ont too late, Rolfe, for it has
been a severe snap Of weather late
ly, and
The rest was lost in the cronchins
of the SNOW, and the ping, ping
ping of the cup-shaped bells.
'This is an unexpected honor
Miss Cordelia,' I began as the sleigh
!; went smoothly along.
Susan and Almira voted mt
their minister plenipotentiary,' sh'
, responded coldly.
| and Cordelia-who was NJ
blood relation Of mi-e-had a fall
ing out Of recent date, whicl
; made it feel all the more surprisin!
she would have cared to 60 witt
me that day. She was one of thos
high spirited girls who never strik
, their colors.
It happened one evening abou
a week before. My aunt had
gathering-for there were settler
enough in the vicinity to give u
socialevenings-and about a dozeI
people were present.
8 Cordelia and I had dispute
G about the relative characteristics c
> men and women. She claimed tn
sweet attributes of patience, purity
g and constancv-claimed them er