The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1885-04-17

cooked their own food and slept ~
night. When they went away In the
fall. they left their simple furniture IN
their hufs. confident they would lind II
safe upon their return In the spring.
The people were honest In that locality
Houses were too far apart TO warrant
tramps In visiting il. and the value Of
herdcr's outfit was 80 small as TO be
hardly worth stealing.
1T may seem that am a long time
getting 70 my adventure. but the facts
have related are necessary to full un-
Outstanding Of what occurred.
- was much interested in the lonely
life OF the herdcrs. and often visited
them. where | was always welcome
One Of them. a Canadian. who went by
the name Of French Joe. was an in
terestiDg character. Most Of his life
had been spent in hunting and trapping
in the great Northwest. and his stories
OF adventure were always eagerly list
encd 10 by me. He was now an old
man and no longer fit for the chase; so
he adopted the easier and more quiet
life Of hcrcer. In selecting a place
for his little house, Joe had been wise
II was situated Just At the foot OF a
steep bluff. which surrounded Il on
three sides. leaving it open To the east
Upon level piece OF bottom land he
had built his corral. and wide creek,
with steep banks. formed its eastern
boundary. II was twelve miles distant
from our place and seven miles from
the nearest house.
, ..ln the fall. my cousin. Charlie Bray
ton. came from the East to make me q
visit. He was sixteen years old. an en-
thusiastic hunter and an accomplished
> shot. We passed many happy days
!. hunting, for the country abounded with
i small game, and deer were frequently
A seen.
.Charlie had been with us two months
!, and was 10 return home soon. when.
late in November, we started for our
last hunt together. We took an ample
/ lunch with us. expecting TO be absent
) all day. and hoping to get deer OF
q two. which were reported as being
y quite plenty. The day was beautiful
clear and cool. with n crisp snow cover
= ing the ground and bright sun over
= head. We hunted until nearly noon
= and had killed some small game. wher
= we sighted deer and started In pur
- suit We followed il several miles, bn
could not get shot. and finally we los
= sight Of il. II was two o. clock in tn
4, afternoon and our long walk had givei
- us good appetites. We we're Just abou
to partake Of our lunch. intending. whel
- il was finished, to start Mt once 70
~ home. when a few flakes of snow struc
:, ~ me in the face. The day had been >
- bright and clear up to this time tina
n. - torn "a
u tered our minds: but il was now evider
- that one was impending. Looking :
~ the northwest, dark and heavy clou
!" !. was seen. which. while we gazed upo
- IL. rapidly increased in size and 500
~ spread over the sky. yelling the su
u from view, and throwing dark an
IN threatening shadow over the Landscape
~ ~ II seemed only a minute or two unit
M we were standing in the midst Of
y. driving storm. which each moment u
~ ~ creased in violence. The air grew pc
~ ceptibly colder. and. although warml
-, dressed, our teeth were chattering wit
= cold.
- Il had heard Of the dreadful storI
- called the blizzard which leaps like
tiger from its lair. carrying death in !
I, path. and l knew instinctively that v
~ were in the midst Of one All ha
learned concerning them fashs
- through nv mind. ] remembered TIL
Ia n stage-driyer had frozen 20 death M
III was found sitting upright upon b
~ coach. | knew that a farmer goir
from his house 10 his barn only fe
y, rods had lost his way in one Of the
~ storm. and was found dead within
III few feet If his door. Only the prcvio
- winter. four men had started for the
~ homes from little town. while u
- weather was mild and pleasant. al
.rv never reached them alive. having be-
~ oyertaken on their way by 'blizzars
um II was not certain just where '
his were, but / knew II must be sever
miles to the nearest house. While
It'll stood thinking Of these things and y
in ing TO decide what we had better q
His the storm had grown 30 violent that
i'm could hardly see Charlie. who sto
ned trembling BY my side | hurriedly
en- planned to him the nature Of the stoi
ire. and our dangerous situation. Clear
our our one hope was to keep moving.
ing remain where we were was TO I
ute speedily Of cold. We took each oti
hy the hand and started, keeping
her wind at our backs. one direction OH
nd ing as much hope rs another. y bel
ais impossible TO face the fur Gus gale.
an hour or more we stumbled blint
ling onward. going we knew not whe
The We talked but little. the roar OF
40 st.rt,, haino ~ Cr.at that our vol