The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1880-03-20
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| "a SbfOuk cOubu VIM was blOWluX
when / started, but by noon / saw
the clouds of the north suddenly rise
up. l knew that the marshalling Of
the north winds were completed, and
they were eager for the assault on ths
south wind.
On came the black cloud. The
south wind blew fiercely, but it could
not stem the assault from the Arctic
region Birds few south, before the
storm, antelope and deer were run
ming for shelter.
/ had reached my camping ground
and was looking afar Off to the north,
seeing the landmarks disappear ono
by one as the blizzard reach them
and shrouded them in it's icy breath.
A calm. Then with mighty rush
and loud noise the head Of the
blizzard swept past me. The air was
filed with PARTICLES of ice that cut
through almost horizontally, and
seemed as il they would never fall.
Colder, ever colder, grew the wind,
and denser the air as the icy parti-
cles thickened.
/ sought shelter in the rocks, buck
ling the clothing to the mare and
turning her loose, knowing that she
would not leave me. Then lay down
ON my blankets, and, wrapping my
blankets aroand me, ! tried TO go to
sleep.
began thinking. and could not
sleep. The buffalo had mot como
south that winter, and the wolves
were gaunt and hungry. AS they
follow horseman over the plains
in summer, SO they do in winter, only
more Of them-and those great, gaunt
famine breeders, the gray and black
ones go in largely increased numbers.
had a pack of them at my heels all
day, and now they cropped mp in my
thoughts.
Finally, / slept. When / awoke it
was dark. Holding up my hand,
felt the icy sweat of the blizzard strike
sharply against it. The roar Of the
wind still continued. ! could not go
to sleep again, and | lay waiting for
dawn. ] waited, it seemed to me, for
hours, when / suddenly felt my mare
paw my breast. | spoke kindly To
her, saying she had made mistake.
Soon she paved me again, and l
arose to find it was all dark, that l
could not see the white mare.
Alarmed, struck q match under
my cloak and looked down to see the
blaze. / saw nothing, but the match
burned my fingers.
With desolating dependency
realized the fact that the glare of til.
snow encountered for the past few
days had made me snow blind; thai
/ was fifty miles from the nearest
house, and unable to see; that FL
rious storm was raging
Stupid, almost wild with horror,
thought l could hear the snuffliDg O
the wolves, and the soft patter O
their feet below the wild shrek oil
the arctic winds. l was simply be-
numed with terror. With my eye
sight in full power l should have
thought the situation dangerous. AS
it was, considered it hopeless.
"The mare recalled me to myself
by rubbing her cold mnzzle against
my face. She saw that something
was wrong with me; but what she
could not comprehend. ! resolved
to saddle her, to feed her, and, after
she ate, to mount and let her take
her own course. So \ fed her the
remaining measure Of barley and,
waited for her to eat. Then ! sad
died up, and without bridling, mount
ed, and wrapping my cloak around
me, sat steadily in the saddle, await
ing the risky action of the high
strung animal. She stood trembling
until told her to 90. Then felt
her turn until the ice drops fell
obliquely on my right side and back,
and she rapidly walked of.
Wrapped in my cloak, with my
hood drawn over my face, warm and
encouraged with hope, patiently
sat on the horse. could now hear
the snarling of the wolves, and my
only fear was that they, rendered
desperate by hunger, might attack
the mare. / dismissed the thought,
would not think of it. If they did
attack us, we were lost; if they did
not, / thought we we're safe.
''All day the blizzard ragged and
tore Jelly around and on us. The
mare walked rapidly or cantered slow
| ly on. 1t seemed to me that we had
been travelling on for days, for weeks
even, when the mare stopped and
neighed loudly.
Reaching forward ] felt the rough
stockade. Dismounting | felt the
hinges of the gate. Loudly called.
Then I took my rife from the saddle
and rapidly handled cartridges into
it. At last sleepy voice from tho
inside called.
"Who is therey
answered, Burr, and I am snow
blind. Come to me-" They came
and was saved-saved for the sec
ond time by the white mare.
Do you wonder that |. not having
j the Sioux maiden, love her mare?
! / sat by the bright fire with my
feet high on stool, and did not an
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