Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1885-04-10

head. We hunted until nearly noon
| and had Killed some small game, whom
we sighted deor and starlcd In pur-
suit We followed IL several miles, but
could not get shot, and finally we lost
sight of It. II was two O'Clock in the
| afternoon and our long walk had given
us good appetites. We were Just about
to partakc of our lunch, intending, when
it was finished, to start Mt once for
home, when few flakes OF snow struck
me in the face. The day had been SO
bright and clear up to this time that
tho possibility of storm had not en-
tered oHr minds; but it was now evident
that one was impending. Looking to
the northwest, dark and heavy cloud
was seen, which, while We gazcd upon
II, rapidly increased In size and soon
spread over the sky, yelling the sun
from view, and throwing n dark and
threatening shadow over the landscape.
1t seemed only minute or two until
we were standing in tho midst of a
driving storm, which each moment in
creased in violence. The air grew per-
ceptibly colder, aud, although warmly
dressed, our teeth were chatterlng with
cold.
II had heard of the dreadful storm
called the blizzard which Leaps like a
tiger from its lair, carrying death in its
path, and knew instinctivcly that we
were in the midst of one. All | had
learned concerning them flashed
through my mind. l remembered that
a stage-driver had frozen 10 death and
was found slit ng upright upon his
coach. knew the farmer going
from his house to his barn only few
rods had lost his way in one of these
storm. and was found dead within
few feet of his door Only the previous
winter, four men had started for their
homes from little town, while tho
weather was mild and pleasant, and
never reached them alive, having been
overtaken on their way by a blizzard ,
81 was not certain Just where we
were, but | knew it must be several
miles to the nearest house. While |
stood thinking of these things and try
ing to decide what we had better do,
the storm had grown so violent that /
could hardly see Charlie, who stood
trembling by my side. | huricdly ex-
planned to him the nature of the storm
and our dangerous situation. Clearly,
our one hope was to keep moving. To
remain where we were was to die
speedily of cold, We took each other
by the hand and started, keeping the
wind at our backs, one direction offer
ing rs much hope as another, it being
impossible 70 face the fur Gus gale. For
an hour or more we stumbled blindly
onward, going we knew not where.
| We talked but little, the roar of the
| G hniner hot
could hardly be heard The snow soon
through the drifts. Our strength was
rapidly failing, the cold was so severe
that it penetrated to the bone, and the
fury of the tempest increased with
every moment. What hope could there
be for two boys lost upon the trackIess
prairie in such a storm as thisp
"Charlie soon grew so much exhaust
ed that he could scarcely move, but to
stop was certain death. l urged him
onward, although my own strength was
also nearly gone. At last we halted,
unable to proceed further. We rested a
few moments, when took q few steps
forward, dragging my almost senseless
companion after me. Suddenly the
l-ground vanished under our feet and we
shot downward and struck upon what
seemed to be TIE roof of a house, from
which we slid to the ground. The abun-
dance of snow prevented our being in
jurcd by the fall. When we recovered
from onr surprise and looked around
we found we were standing by the side
of little house. The wind could not
reach us where we were and the out
lines of the building could easily be
seen. Walking around the house we
came to a door, carelessly fastened, and
were soon able to enter.
1--WE were saved, at least for the pres
ent. 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 intc 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
it was at the foot of an almost perpen-
dicular bluff, it was protected from the
storm, which swept harmlessly over it.
Clearly, so far as protection from the
wind was concerned, wo were safe.
Thus shielded, we became more COM
Portable, and, by exercising at lively
rate for few minutes, soon grew
warm.
eve were very faint with hunger,
and the first thing we did was to re-
fresh ourselves with our lunch With
out stopping to consider that We might
be kept prisoners for several days, we
were so inprov dent as to eat nearly all
the food we had brought with us. We
still had the game we had killed, which
consisted of half do zen quail. five
prairie chickens and three rabbits.
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 n
number of art cles likely to be of serv-
ice. There was chair, bench, q.
small table, little piece of salt pork, a
bunk containing lew blankets and a
tick filled with hay, an axe, and, best
of all, an old cooking stove. A long
rope VIII ch Joe used in lassoihg cattle
hung on the wall.
"a further search revealed about
peck of popcorn, sack of coarse salt
and little corn-meal.
''Ihe weather had grown SO cold that
the hut was no longer comfortable, and
lire was the first consideration. We
had matches, the bench was split in
pieces. and u fire was soon roaring in
the old stove. AS we would need more
fuel, took the long rope from where it
hung, knotted it around my waist, and,
bidding Charlie take hold Of it and pay
out slowly, / started for the corral only
few yards distant. found it without
much difficulty, and, guided by the
rope. made number of trips from 1t to
the hut with entire safety. In an hour
or two we had rails enough in the house
to keep a fire for a week. Chopping
them into the proper length occupied
us until darkness came on.
During the night we took turns in
keeping up the fire, each sleeping for
two or three hours at time in the
bunk. Morning came, but there was