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

lines Of the building could easily be
seen. Walking around the house We
came to door, carclessly fastened. and
were soon able to enter.
1--WE were saved. at least for the pres
cnt. for recognized the cabin as be-
longing TO my friend. French joe.
Sinking down upon the floor we rested
for time. and then. much refreshed,
commenced TO examine into the situa-
ton. As our eyes became accustomed
to the semi-darkness Of the hut we
could see that very little snow had pen
etrated through the walls. Nestled as
il was at the foot OF On almost perpcn-
dicular bluff. it was protected from tho
storm. which swept harmlcssly over u.
Clearly, so far as protection from the
wind was concerned. we were safe.
Thus shielded. we became more COM
Portable, and. BY exercising nj a lively
rate for few minutes. soon grew
warm.
I'VE were very faint with hunger.
and the first thing we did was y re-
fresh ourselves with our lunch. With
out stopping to consider that we might
be kept prisoners for several days. we
were so improvident as 10 eat nearly all
the food we had brought with MS. We
still had the game we had killed. which
consisted OF a half dozen quail. live
prairie chickens and three rabbi +.
These would sustain life for some time.
so we had no fears Of starvation we
then proceeded to make an examination
Of the contents of the hut. and found, To
our delight. that it contained quite
number OF articles likely to be OF sery-
ice. There was chair. bench.
small table. little piece Of salt pork, q
bunk containing few blankets and
tick filled with hay, an axe. and, best
Of all, an old cooking-stove. long
rope VIII CHI Joe used in lassoihg cattle
hung on the wall.
"A further search revealed about a
: peck Of popcorn, q sack Of coarse salt
, and little corn-meal.
1.-The weather had grown so cold that
the hut was no longer comfortable. and
: a fire was the first consideration W.
had matches. the bench was split II
! pieces, and fire was soon roaring II
: the old stove As we would need more
fuel. / took the long rope from where !
!, hung. knoticd it around my waist. and
!. bidding Charlie take hold Of it and pa.
!, out slowly. started for the corral. onl,
I, few yards distant. found il withou
: much difficulty. and. guided by tn
! rope. made a number Of trips from 1t =
!, the hut with entire safety. In an hou
! or two we had RAJ Is enough in the hous
: 10 keep fire for week. Choppin1
! them into the proper length occupie
i Us until darkness came on.
= during the night we took turns !
!. keeping up the fire. each sleeping fo
!. two or three hours at time IN IN
II bunk. Morning came but there wa
a no cessation OF the storm. We dresse
4 our game. and breaktastcd from frie
4 prairie chicken and popcorn. Durin
a all the time the stove was kept as b.
"A as rossible. SO intense was the col
! that this was necessary.
n Not 10 weary your patience. / wi
: saw that we lived for three days in Oh
e manner. the storm continuing all IN
= time. proving to be the longest an
IL most severe ever known in that porto
Il Of the country. We melted snow to =
water. and used the corn-meal to mai
pancakes
- when the Storm ceased. the NOR
" ing Of the fourth day, every particle
n food had been eaten. We were glad
=, be able to start for home. IL require
~ half day to cover the seven mil
- between US and the nearest hous
=, which we reached shortly after moo
~ much exhausted from working our W;
- through the drifts. Here we were Il
hg and cared for in the most hospital
IL manner.
- I'VE reached home late in the eve
\" ing. and were received BY my parer
~ almost as though we had returned iro
~ the dead. They had nearly abandon
~ hope Of finding rs alive.
~ 1T was certainly narrow oscar
i. Had we varied few feet in our pro
y ress through the storm. we would ha
we missed the little cabin where we fou
raj such q welcome refuge. In that eyt
\ no,hing could have saved Us. and
ry- should not have lived 10 tell this stor,
10: my father gladly made good
! damage we had done Joe's corral a
ou furniture, but when he offered to p
eS- him for the few provisions we b
RIM consumed. the kind-hearted fell'
~ would not permit il.
10 ~ am glad. said he. that my lit
die house saved the boys lives They
ner more than welcome to all they had.
me Eugene X. Hastings, IA Golden "a
tT-