The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-02-29
Anasxafa Hail.Storm.

lcorres2, ndencc of the Philadelphia TiInes.l
We were lust finishing supper one eve
ming. when, TO some ones observation that
Il was getting dark mighty fast, our chief
booking up dropped knife and fork and
yelled: "Thunderi boys. It's golngto rain.
Hurry up get the things inside the tent"
Get the mischief for pitter patter-whiz-
bang; and one OF the worst hail-storms
that ever swept the plains was upon us,
driving us ala round dozen in number
I'm a iitils eight-by-ten tent. Three min
utes after the first drop fell IL would have
cost man his life 10 have zone any dis
lance from shelter. for the ice was coming
down In blocks ak inches in circumier-
enoe and In perfect sheets. Our covered
wagon started of on q trip across the coun-
try-proylng itself literally prairie
scbooner-and brought up in the river be-
youd, and, despite the effort OF dozen stall
wart men, our tent came nearly after. All
around inside the men were either on their
knees holding down the canvas or hanging
on TO the ridee-pole with might and main,
while the hail pelted the roof, sides, and
ends OF our tent with such force that no
one could stand against the canvas. and
through the hollows which the stones
kI ocked in our supposed tightly-stl etched
tent the water poured in volumes. The
mules of our outfit tore loose from their
pickets, and rushing wildly abouL sought
shelter along the high banks OF the river.
One wise old ass, called BALKAN, backed up
against the lee side OF our tent, and assist
ed not a little In keeping it from blowing
over. One particular mule-the meanest
brute that ever were long ears-too stub
born TO run. stood kicking throughout the
storm, which lasted about twenty minutes.
We were about mile away from the
nearest point OF sbelter-a village Of rough
clap-board houses, which had been run up
i'm day or so with the first talk OF build
ing q road. So, after the storm, for this
village we started. Wet 10 the skin, we
waded across the intervening plain, many
places over shoes In ice and water. and to
add to our misery it kept getting colder
and colder as we splashed through the
water and ice. Arriving at the only hotel
n the town, we found the usual western
hospitality. To our demand for fire by
which to dry on. clothing, the landlord
replied that we should have one just rs
soon as he could hunt up the necessary
fuel. In the course OF an hour the fire
was started, and around 1t we clustered,
turning dozen pairs OF shoeleSs feet up
to the warmth, and by Alternating "fore
and aft,D driving the outside and wetting
the inside, we finally succeeded in re-
storing circulation.
A heavy rain now set inland how il can
rain out here on the prairies! Our land
lord and his son stood in the ball sweeping
back the water as it flooded in under the
door--a practical illustration OF King
Canute and the flood, and about as sue
cessful. Bedtime arrived. and dozen
stiff boys, shoeless, coatlcss, as well as less
several other articles OF attire which need
not be mentioned, all Of which were left
behind TO dry by the only fire the hotel
offered, marched out through the wet hall,
climbed a ladder TO the loft. Here We
wrestled manfully with the bugs till near
morning, when II began blowing such u
terrific gale that dozen fellows came TO a
sitting posture 10 debate the question OF
hunting the cellar. One OF the regular
boarders awakened by the din settled the
question by calling out: "You internal
fools, there's not a cellar in town; Lay
down and sleep; it's better TO be on top
than under any way." We lay down.
In the morning our landlord brought up
our shoes, clothes, ETC., In bushel-basket.
and emptled them out on the floor to be
ScSamDleu IOT. On going out, Tue HVIst
scene OF devastation 1t has ever been the
lot OF the writer TO see met his eye. The
day before, large fields OF grain, ripe for
The SICKLE, could be seen stretching away
in all directions, OF which not stalk re-
NAMED standing; garden growth Of all
kinds utterly destroyed; hardly pane OF
glass was left in the village; the foliage Of
the trees was so cut and mangled that the
limbs looked bare as in winter time. A
belt eight miles in width and twice as
many In length was entirely cleared OF veg
.efafion