Osage Valley banner. (Tuscumbia, Miller County, Mo.) 1879-1881, 1880-11-25
A Nebraska Snow storm.

WE pitched our tents csrelessly, in
tending 10 take an carly STARK next
morning. But, alas. for our eNpcc'a
tions! During the night y strong wald
set in from the northwest, and nooiit
four q m. il began 10 Nome OF
US could judge well Of weather inlitos
tions in Nebraska. aud our guide did.
not suspect ANYTHING serious, for the
oldest inhabitant' could not ~rccollect
n blizzard in October, and il was now
only the 18th of the month. The guide
thought, aud the drivers believed, that
The storm would cease at twelve NJ,
and we. of course, trusted 60 their iudg-
meut. But, instead. the storm grew
icrcer. the snow fell more rapidly, aud
the northwest gale increased In fury.
Before night so much snow bad fallen
that If il had lain as it fell it would have
been at least one foot deep, but now Il
had been piled into drifts 50 that our
poor mules stood with their feet nearly
as high as the wagon tops. aud the
stove and furniture in our cooks tent
were completely hidden from view.
The night set in upon Us gloomy and
awful. We had two light canvas tents,
in each Of which slept four men, with
just blankets enough to keep them com
Portable in ordinary weather. But now
we must provide for the guide, two
drivers and q porter, who had usually
slept in the wagons, and as they were
but simply provided with clothing, we
must share our stock with them. So
into the larger tent we took them.
There was but little sleep in the tent
that night. for the cold was intense, and
the wind was so terrible in its effects
that we feared every moment the larger
tent would fall, though we had strength
ened it by poles and cords in every con-
ceiyable way. With the morning light
it seemed A. If all the spirits OF The air
where LET loose. and all day long tho
storm roared with ever-increasiug fury.
The snow had 20 beaten in that when
we awoke we found ourselves buried
beneath il, and 10Y we were obliged TO
gather all our bedding into the middle
of the tent to keep It from being wet
through. No man could long endure
the storm outside, aud we stood had.
died together from morning till night,
stamping our feet 10 keep from suffer
ing. Even then we could not keep
comfortable. For hours together we
stood with our backs braced against the
tent TO keep it from giving way under
tho great weight of the snow and the
70. riic force Of the gallo. | know of no
language which can be used 10 convey
10 any person inexperienced in such q
time any adequate conception of the
fury OF the storm.
During the second day we succeeded
in digging our little stove out of the
snow dritt, and setting it up at the
entrance TO our tent we managed
to keen a little fire through the rest OF
the day and night. But our store OF
wood was very small, and there was no
more TO be had within we knew not
how many miles. The other tents
company had no stove aud no fire.
During the second night Of the storm it
was impossible that all should sleep at
once, even if they could sleep despite
the cold, for what with the stove on
n side and all our provisions, brought
in from the wagons, on the other. there
was not room for all to lie down. Be-
sides it was necessary to keep the fire
going, lest we might all perish together.
SO we stood bending over Tho stove all
night, two at a time, while the others
tried to sleep. 1t WA an awful night.
To add to Il anxiety the guide and
drivers declared hat the horses and
mules were likely to perish. They
were y pihful sight, indeed. Two of
them had no blankets, and the others
were little better oil. Al times Il was
difficult TO conceive that the creatures
before us were horses, so literally COW
cred were they with a coating OF ice.
After two days and twonights the storm
ceased.
1t was now Sunday morning. We
knew not where we were, aud we
doubted if the guide had more definite
knowledge than we. Every man was
desperate. Some declared itdangerous
to attempt to move through the snow.
and that Il only safe course was to re-
main, and, in case of necessity, use the
wagons for fuel and the horses for food.
Others declared their purpose to move
at all hazards and without DELAY. Final
~ VIC determined 10 move. We threw
away all luggage that could be dis.
pcnsed with, aud in grim silence started
In the direction which we thought would
bring us to the nearest hut. II was diff
icult travelling through the drifted
snow, and ii was bitterly cold. But all
day long we pushed on, never stopping
70 feed a horse, breaking through the
drifts with our ponies so that the teams
could follow, till about five p, m. when
we came in sight of hay stacks, in the
vicinity of which we knew there must
be a anchman's hut. | never saw a
happier set of men than were these
when it became certain that what we
saw were hay stacks, and not the terri
BILE sand hills which had so often de-
ceived as during the day. Grave men,
merchants Of Worcester, swung their
hats Ioft aud shouted for joy. 1t had
been a march for life.-Cor. Worcester