Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1884-02-18

Pelted by Driving Hail, Drenched With
Pouring Rain and Famed by q FurI-
GUS Cyclone.
From the PhiIadslphia Timss.l
We were just finishing supper one evening,
when to some ones observation that it was
getting dark mighty fast, our chief looking
up dropped knife and fork and yelled ::
Thunder boys, it's going to rain. Hurry
up! Get the things inside the tent" Get
the mischief! for pittsr, pAtter-whiz-
bang and one of the worst hail storms that
ever swept the plains WAS upon US, driving
as ala round dozen in numbsr-into a lit
tie eight by ten tent. Three minutes after
the frst drop fell it would have cost man
his life to have gone any distance from
shelter, for the ice was coming down in
blocks six inches in circumference and in
perfect sheets. Our covered wagon started
off on a trip across the country-proving
itself literally q prairie schooner-and
brought up in the river beyond, and, despite
the effort of dozen stalWart 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 ridge-pols
with might and main, while the hail pelted
the reof, sides and ends of our tent with
such force that no one could stand against
the canvas, and through the hollows which
the stones knocked in our supposed tightly
stretched tent the water poured in volumes.
The mules of our outfit tore loose from
their pickets, and rushing wildly about
sought shelter along the high banks of the
river. One wise old ass called BALKAN
backed mp against the lee side of our tent
and assisted not a little in keeping it from
blowing over. One particular mule-the
meanest brute that ever wore long ears,
kRA nkT % kORd khNn 1nEp
out the storm, which lasted about twenty
minutes. We were about a mile away from
the nearest point of Shelter village of
rough clap-board houses, which had been
run up in day or SO with the first talk
of building . road. So, after the storm,
for this village We started. Wet to 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 in the town
we found the usual western hospitality. To
our demand for fire by which to dry our
clothing, the landlord replied that We should
have one Just as soon as he could hunt mp the
necessary fuel. In the course of an hour the
fire was started and around it We clustered,
turning a dezen pairs of shoeless feet up to
the warmth, and by alternating stfore and
aft" drying the outside and wetting the in
side, we finally succeeded in restoring circu-
lation. A heavy rain now set in, and how it
can rain out here on the prairies Our land
lord and his son stood In the hall sweeping
back the water as it flooded in under the
door-a practical illustration of King Canut-
and the food and about as successful. Bed
tirne arrived and dozen stiff boys, shoeless,
coatless, as well as less several other articles
of attire which need not DO mentioned, all of
which were left behind to dry by the only |
fire the hotel offered, marched out through |
the wet hall and climbed ladder to the loft. |
Here We wrestled manfully with the bugs
till near morning, when 1t began blowing !
such terrific gale that dozen fellows came |
to sitting posture to 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 cellar in town; lay down |
and sleep; it's better to be on top than nm. |
der any day." We lay down. In the morn. /
ing our landlord brought up our shoes.
clothes, etc., in buahsl basket and emptied |
them ont on the doog TO be scrambled for, |