South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1878-01-18
cross the floor, anil the blast, driving in
more snow. extinguished tue candle.
ar ts,


more snow, extinguished tue candle.
In few moments she had managed
to sweep away part OF tho drift AMI
close the door. Then shc relit the eau.
die. Next she threw of her dress and
petticoats. Going now to an old horse.
Undiscovered trunk in a corner she pull
ed out of it her husbands spare suit
the clothes in which he won the three
thousand at faro which let him marry
and start with his bride across the Mis-
sissippi. She dressed herself in them,
and put on the long rubber boots jim
wore when he worked on the sluices
then the old cap. tied close to her head
with comforter then her own thick
shawl and mittens. Lighting her Lam
tern and taking a shovel she opened the
/ door again. and attacked the drift until
! 1t yielded far enough to let her latch tue
door behind her.
The night was awful. She could sec
nothing through the Skurry. She hard.
( ~ dared to turn her face to the yelling
blast. She thought OF asking some one
to accompany her, but the camp lay
/ some distance out of her line. Moreo,
] yer she knew the country in every di-
rection. She could feel anywhere il
necessary; besides. she had lantern
that would enable her to distinguish
objects within small circle.-rurning
resolutely in the direction OF Wild
Swan Gulch she set ont to find her hus-
band and guide shim home.
As she emerged from the canyon and
gained the level of the surrounding
broken PLAIN, a strange pause came. 1t
seemed as though the winds had sud.
denly forsaken the neighborhood and
gone Keeling away into the mountains.
She to1k advantage OF this sinister calm
to hurry onward at a ron. Out OF breath
at last she stumbled, and fell.
The lantern went out.
She had no matches
Staggering to her feet she heard the
moan of the returning storm. She
shouted:
Jim J"
Again. with all the might OF her voice,
she lifted the .plainsman's call =
ZIP, zip, Yip,-ya>hoo! Jim "
No answer.
Thenlthe tempest rushed round her
in battling, fe.ocious,whirl OF sound and
wind and snow.
In the meantime Jim Oaks had been
at one of his old diversions Having
returned from Wild. Swan Gulch with a
splendid trophy in the shape of black
billed swan drake, he was lounging to-
ward hoGie., when the storm came on
and stopped in ut the last saloon rs usual
10 got drink. 1t was always warm
and coy in that liquor mill. and on
Christmas Eve fireplace was.pecuiarly
inviting. The boys.were assembling
for n night at poker, and jim sat down
and took hand.
ITS kind o rough on Minery," he
thought once, about midnight, 'ieavIn'
her alone up thar such night. as this.
Never mind shell worry it through, |
reckon"
But when the man entered his cabin
next morning and started toward the
bed with aspeace otferingE(his..winning
extended in his hand he was completely
stunned by what he saw. The untouch-
ed bel, the fireless hearth. the cold un-
tasted supper. his wife's clothes strewn
on the floor, the open trunk, the absent
cap and lantern-thcse flashed the truth
into his brain.
She's gone to hunt Gor--me! She's
been gone long while. All night,
p'rhaps-in the storm. y, Winery J"
Out he sprang through the doorway
The storm was over. The air was clear,
still and bitterly cold. The sun was.ris-
ing. He cast one strenuous look around
the narrow horizon, then .plungcd
through the drifts towards the camp.
"Minery e. he shouted. ''lIave any
Of you seen Mineryl"
Immediately the camp aroused itself
from its aromatic sumbers. When it
was found that Mrs. Oaks was really
missing The miners volunteered as one
man 90 90 to her rescue. A sled was
prepared some irewood, provisions
blankets and key of whiskey were
roped fast TO H., and with Jim chaling
by this time and far in front on the way
toward Wild Swan Gulch, the company
started. Parties were assigned 90 search
the whole prairie, east west and north t:
the largest group followed Oaks trail
1t was hard work Numbering across
the gullies and wash-outs. which were
packed 70 edge with snow. Often the
men shuddered 20 think Of what might
be hidden uuder these heavy white
masses
The first "sign" was discovered by
jim Oaks partner. one "Spick" Jones
~ho kept 90 the left and signallod from
a clump Of timber The bark was par.
TALLY torn Off about four feet from the
ground. on the side Of tree not by the
teeth or claws Of n Eild beast. but rs
was plainly TO he seen. by The hands
Of human creature. Almost every
miner was familiar with the trick T.
was n trick % keep from freezing. at the
sacrifice ofnails and finger tips. II was
a desperate effort OF exercise TO arrest
lethargv. One veteran Of the camp re-
mcnbcred to have climbed up and down
q tree ail night one winter when he was
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