Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-06-04


than OF persons. He, John Oleson, was a
hne type OF the western frontier farmer. OF
powerful build, shrewd and energetic, he
could hold his own equally we'll in the harvest
held, in the wrestling match and in the de-
bates OF the winter "literaries." And She
mad You seen her upon her fleet little Indian
pony you might have taken her for another
Die Vernon. Yet her tact and patience in
the school-room had given her the reputn-
ton of being the best teacher in the county
where she had lived until little before the
time ofour story. And ESQUIRE Newman
was nothing 10th to intimate in a casual way
that his daughter Helen was the best house
keeper In all the state. The prairie breezes
had perchance Drowned her complexion A
trlfie too much for urban ideas Of beauty /;
but young Oleson, as he first bcheld her on
that bright July morning, would have held
any such disparaging destinations but ms the
vaporings OF a mind devoid of all sense of
the beautiful; and don't think he has chang
cd his mind much since.
But must explain how he came thus to
meet his fate. The Marsh Harvester carries
two binders and n driver. The latter is very
often woman in the new parts of tho coun-
try where help is always scarce. John lived
on his homestead some five miles cast of the
Esquire s and came over to exchange works.
He was backing il" and owing to n mis-
hap in his mornings culinary arrangements
he came late to his appointment, and found
his fair teamster and fellow binder waiting
for him in their places. It may be that his
picked-up breakfast did not make him less
susceptible to Miss Helen's Accomplishments.
But without going into the reason of the
thlng this is the way tho affair began; and
leaving the reader to fill In the natural Sc
quence of event according to taste will has
ten to tell of the way II came near ending in
a tragedy. Twill add, however, to aid in the
hlling-in process that the next year the hop
pers came and also that papa SAID mo" while
the daughter said Eyes" AS John only wanted
to marry tho latter the negative answer
did not trouble him much. And so some two
years later ono bright November morning he
hitched Prince and Gray into his best lum-
Der wagon, and taking in Miss Helen drove
down to Cherokee, the nearest large village.
Here justice of the peace made the twain
one, and loading up their wagon with vari-
GUS articles for housekeeping they started
about four o'clock in the afternoon expecting
TO finish the last twenty miles ride by moon
light.
Soon after starting the sun disappeared I'M
der heavy clouds. 1t grew rapidly colder
and few snow flakes came whirlng down
to tell them that they were to be caught out
in the first snew-storm of the season. They
had just passed the last house before th ey
reach Uncle Tins cabin five miles distant.
Shall they push on or go backP They are
sure Of a kind welcome II they can make
those five miles and II will be 50 much time
lost to go back, and 50 they decide to 20 on.
And now the snow begins to come f,ster. 1t
does fall steadily but seems to come in clouds
whirling and flying IN all directions. After
this there will be respite of a few minutes.
then away off to the north they will see an.
other cloud coming which grows larger and
blacker until 1t Is upon them and they are
blinded with the snow again. II is soon ev-
idont that they are caught in blizzard"
yet If it is not too severe they may push on
through it. They have already put on rubber
coats which seem the only garment capable
OF withstanding the terrible prairie winds
ola winters storm. The snow has covered
up their slight wagon track so John gets out
his pocket compass. 1t is barely light enough
to see but he finds the wind is nearly north
east. Uncle Tim lives little west of north.
To make the house he finds he must keep
tho wind sqnarely upon his right cheek.
This will do rs guide unless the wind
changes of which he estimates there are about
even chances. But now tho strom clouds
come oftener and last longer. The snow
makes the wagon draw hard and it requires
NIL his efforts to make the horses face the
storm. They are continually trying to turn
around. Suddenly they stop. John gets out,
goes to their heads and finds himself on tho
brink of large slough pronounced slew
according to local dialect. The right course
led along divide with no sloughs in the
way. Since dark the wind must have shift
ed. He is lost in blizzard and his blood
chills as he realizes what this may mean.
lie makes his way back to his wife and
tells her of their danger. She bravely an
swers that they must hope for the best, and
asks him what she shall do to help HIM. lilo
tells her to unharness the horses If she can
and let them 60. He unloads, takes off the
body, turns it on one side, puts some boards
against 1t for kind of roof and places their
stove on top to hold them against the wind
and arranges the blankets and robes under
meath. Meanwhile the wind is increasing,
filing the air with snow while the mercury
must have been we'll down in the teens be-
ow zero. As soon as possible they take
Of their extemporized house.
They had enough blankets to keep from &C
ual freezing but they nevertheless suffered
Intensely from the cold. At length it seem
I'd to grow warmer and the wind to moder-
ne. An examination showed that they
we're being covered up with snow, and then
hey knew they were safe. 1t was only n
question Of patience and discomfort. They
lad ample time, however, TO discuss the flu
ure, for 1t was not until the morning of the
bird day that the wind went down and
hey were liberated. Their horses were |
ound in Cherokee with hind legs somewhat
rozen as they had run before the wind. |
Is for Mr.. and Mrs Oleson they escaped |
With few irost-bites on their faces and |
ands. Getting their team together once
more they went on their way rejoicing to
rim little house up in O'Brian county, Iowa,
where they may be found to-day ready to re-
cunt this story of their wedding tour sub
tantially as have given it. T.
A loving heart and pleasant countenance
re commodities which man should never