Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-07-04
NJ can find out at the land Office,

81 can hnd out at the Office"
Uncle Tom replied.
He did so and gave Carrie the desired
information the next day.
otis some fellow named Hall-A,
Hail." he said. 'He's Just sold out his
interest in some claim about fifty miles
north of here, and now he's taking up
this, which he intends to keep as1 a
homestead. They often sell out at a
nice figure after staying a few months
on a claim. Some fellow pays them a
good sum for their chance, and they 90
elsewhere"
ga. Hail."
Carrie felt = sudden leaping of her
heart and a curious excitement. But
it was not likely that this was Alex. 1t
would be too wonderful to be true,
Yet it was Alex! She saw him at the
post-ofice the next day, and passed
him without so much as q glance.
Alex. looked as if he had seen an ap-
paration, and took a step forward and
then stood still, chilled by her cold
glance in which there was no ~recogni-
ton.
After all, it was his own fault. He
knew he had conducted himself like a
brute and an idiot when he left Smith
town.
He had realized it a dozen times since
realized it constantly, in fact-with a
dull heartache whenever he was alone
with himself,
But he had never been quite brave or
manly enough to write and ask her par.
don, believing ere this MI. Parker had
tho fret n1oan in hor 1onr% Aud noun
she was here in Dakota! How strange!
Agreater surprise awaited him in the
knowle, &c that Carries claim and
cabin were just opposite his own.
The two cabins were completed and
furnished, and the occupants moved in.
Alexis was the more pretentious of the
two in the exterior, and Carries the
more sumptuous within. For she had
brought her books and she had a few
plants, and with those indescribable
feminine knick-knacks, which some
women seem to create by a turn of their
hand, her rooms were very cozy.
Yet she was not very much at home.
She passed a great deal of her time at
Uncle TOMS, setting his ''bachelor
hall to rights, and mending and darn
ing for him.
But she went to her desolate little
house to sleep. She was not timid-she
knew that no harm could come to her
there.
She knew that the law of Kindness
prevailed in this new country, which
was better than any law, "to keep
the peace" to bind the people together.
She occasionally saw Alex, but they
never recognized each other, yet there
was to her a n of protection in the
knowledge that he was so near.
Got acquainted with your neighbor
yet, Carrier" asked Uncle Tom, after a
month had passed.
mo, andI don't want his acquaint-
ance," answered Carrie, rather icily.
''Nice fellow, [ Think" said Uncle
Tom. "He's got business in him, and
| will make a successful man. He's taken
up a tree claim now. I was talking
with him to-day"
"What's a tree CLAMP" asked Carrie.
"Oh, you plant 80 many trees and
and have 'em growing at a certain stated
time-say two years-and the land
is yours. He said you might do
that. and be worth just so much
more. 1t would cost you but a trife
to have the trees planted"
"He is taking an interest in my af-
fairs, is he? Well nobody thanks him
for his advice" snapped Carrie in a
voice very unusual to her.
Uncle Tom wondered what had come
over the girl, usually so sweet tempered.
The weeks went by, and November
came. Carrie was on the third month
of her six. She had made a great many
friends, and had read, and sewed, and
made her Uncle's cabin and her own
very tasty, and comfortable, and neat
with her handiwork.
She felt that her time had been yerv
well employed and the days had not
been long. And yet she and Alex. had
never exchanged a word. No one
not ever Uncle Tom-knew that they
had ever been friends.
One November day Carrie was stack
ing q comforter" which she had pieced
together out of bits Of calico. The
wind had been blowing with increase
ing fury from the northwest all day.
Towards evening it became terrible,
and q sleety snow began to fall. 1t
seemed to shake the little cabin to its
foundation.
Carrie felt her heart sink with fear.
This was something beyond any of her
former experiences, and she remem-
bered what Uncle Tom had said of a
~''blizzard."
This surely must be a BLIZZARD" she
thought.
Higher and higher rose the wind;
louder and louder it shrieked. The
walls of the house shook, trembled and
then
Carrie was conscious of being liftedup
into the air by some unseen force, and
whirled through the darkness and then
falling. After that she knew nothing
for a brief space.
She was only stunned, and when she
opened her eyes she found herself still
in her own room, but with everything
still in a confused mass of ruin about
her, and Alex. Hall kneeling by her,
rubbing her hands and calling her
name.
cit was not necessary to come over"
she said. 81 am not not hurt in the
least"
Alex. broke into a laugh.