Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1880-01-15

return TO the agency found runner
had just got in from Belly river, In
British America, with important news
for me. I started the next morning
My eyes hurt dreadfully. 49,
l always go to the Belly River when
the snow is on the ground by the way Of
the Sweet Grass hills, and there / camr
one night. One side of the hills is always
bare of snow, and there ia 4 good spring
of water on the northern side of The
center hill. A strong south wind wa,
blowing when started, but by noon
saw the clouds to the north suddenly
rise up. l knew that the marshaling Of
the north winds was completed, anc
they were eager for the assault on tn.
soft south wind. On came the NORTH
cloud. The south wind still blew fierce
~, but it could notstem the assault from
the arctic region. Birds blew south
before the storm, antelope and deer werl
running for shelter. l had reached my
camping ground, and stood looking fal
off to. the north, seeing the landmark
disappear one by one as the head of tn,
blizzard reached them and shroudee
them in its icy breath. A calm. Ther
with mighty rush and loud noise the
head of the blizzard swept past me
The air was filed with particles of ic.
that cut through almost horizontally
and seemed as if they would never fall
Colder, ever colder, grew the wind, anc
denser the air as the ice particles thick
ened. l sought shelter in the rocks
Buckling the clothing on the mare
turned her loose, knowing that she would
not leave me. Then lay down on my
blankets, and, wrapping my beaver CLOAK
around me, I tried to sleep. / began
thinking, and could not sleep. The
buffalo had not come south that winter;
and the wolves were gaunt and hungry
As they follow horseman over the
plains in summer, so they do in the
winter, only more of them those
great, gaunt famine breeders, the gray
aud black ones, 60 in largely increased
numbers. l had pack of them at my
heels all day, and now they crept up in
my thoughts.
FINALLY | slept. When 1 awoke it
was dark. Holding up my naked hand,
| felt the icy sweat of the blizzard
strike sharply against it. The roar of
the wink still continued. / could not
60 to sleep again, and lay waiting for
dawn. I waited, it seemed to me, for
hours, when I suddenly felt my mare
paw my breast. I spoke Kindly to her,
saying she had made mistake. Soon
she paved me again, and [ arose to find
that all was dark, that I could not see
the white mare. Alarmed, I struck q
match under my cloak and looked down
to see the blaze. / saw nothing, but
the match burned my fingers. With a
desolate dependency I realized the fact
that the glare of the snow encountered
for the past few days had made me snow
blind; that l was fifty miles from the
nearest house, aud unable to see; that a
furious storm was raging.
"Stupid, almost wild with horror,
thought I could hear the snuffing Of the
the wolves, and the soft patter of their
feet below the wild shrek of the arctic
winds. I was simply benumhed with
terror. With my eyesight in full power
1 should have thought the situation dan
gerous. As it was, considered it hope
less. The mare recalled me to myself
by brushing her cold muzzle against my
face. She saw that something was wrong
with me; but what she could not COM
prehend. I resolved to saddle her, to
feed her, and, after she ate, to mount
and let her take her own course. So l
fed her the remaining measure of barley
and waited for her to eat. Then sad
led up, and without bridling, mounted,
and wrapping my cloak around me, sat
steadily in the saddle, awaiting the frisky
action of the high strung animal. She
stood trembling until l told her to 20.
Then I felt her turn until the ice drops
struck obliquely on my right side and
back, snd she rapidly walked of. Not
a motion or movement did she make to
discompose my seat. Wrapped in my
cloak, with hood drawn over my face,
warm and encouraged with hope,
patiently sat on the horse. Icould now
hear the snarling of the wolves, and my
only fear was that they, rendered des-
perate by hunger, might attack the mare
| dismissed the thong hit, would not think
of it. If they did attack us, we were
lost; if they did not, I thought we were
safe. All day the blizzard ragged and
tore icily around and on us. The mare
walked rapidly or cantered slowly on.
1t seemed to me that we had been travel
ing for days, for weeks even, when the
mare stopped and nejghed loudly.
forward felt the rough stock
ade. Dismounting I felt the hinges of
the gate. Loudly l called. Then took
my rifle from the saddle and rapidly
handled cartridges into it. At last a
sleepy voice from the inside called,
Who is theref answered Burr and
l am dead snow blind. Come to me-
They came, and was saved-saved for
the second time by the white mare. Do
you wonder that l, not having the Sioux
love her mare?"
I sat by the bright fire with my feet
high on a stool, and did not answer
simply sat and smoked. and thought of
the girl, of the man, of the mare. Leav-
ing me think, Burr went to sleep in his
chair with softened face.
A PASTORS Unknown Fortune.
S0On after tho daoth Of Rinuhor%on