The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-04-03
IN THE CLUTCH.
N Qnad. In nctrolt fnc Tn ,,


 It k d mldwintrt day clear and sun. shiny and th" two nr three inches ot snow under foot k slowly melting Two or three more such days as this and the southern sides of the httlc hillocks would show the short grass which has been hidden so long
 \ traveller on horseback i> jogging slowly over the trail which stretches ont across the broad prairie like n never ending serpent He whistles and sings and has uo fear Why should hr2 dozen miles away. just whcr" tn" snow capped plain has a faint fringe ot green. k his home IL tlsa plain trail and there is no one to modest him The sound ot his voice as he huns an eld familiar air. k still iintlv sounding in our cars when n shlvcr seens to pass through th" air II k Il sort oi magnetic touch thnt chllls Nau for the moment There are u dozen rabbits in sight. and each one le making for the timb"rtringcd creek eight or uiue miles away They run as if greatly alarmed. and Not no one has frightened them There k a second shiv cr, and wo in~tinctiv"ly turn t1 the west You may ride fifty miles in that direction and not meet with tree ar bush or fenc, Two or three miles away k n stray hors" moment ago h" wns staring at .i- ns if he hat never seen hu- man hc.ugs before That second shlvcr started him otl for the timber nt Il wild gallop He looks back n- he runs, as If he feared that wolves wcr" on hi- trali
 See' Az if coming r,p out of th" snow covered ground black cloud has caught the w"st"rn rky nid i- climbing mp At first pht it was no larger than hlan- ket, in twenty seconds it K a mile long It k hardly a mluut" hy the watch b,. fore th" whol" west K n gray black and the cloud k driving faster than loco motive runs
 The traveller still whistles and sings The sun + warm upon hin. and th" black cloud has yet sent out no sign Of q sudden th" sun goes out of sight, As if funeral pail had been drawn over it's face. and the horse wheels aui faces the west Th"r" k no need of signal now Iicr" ls an icy breath rushing along which crisIs the melting snow ae II touches and the whole w"-t l- whit. with ~uow-ilakcs The horse hold- his head high and shorts in alarm The IT. der uttors an exclamation of rurprls,--. a groan of despair. and then the rarr bepn- Rac"2 No' The hliIlard IF tearing along at the rnte ot sixty miles an hour Instinct wnrns the horse to push for shelter WIfo and children in th" rahiu on tine creek are calling for the rider
 No man i. brave vi hn will not struggI" against fate But how u-cIcs+ Mid day ha- been turned to night The clear attno- lh"rr i- -o oppressed with whirl ing snow that one must ir"atiir ht t.arj,- The wind howl- raves, slri.k~ eny"l op"s The breath oi the new born hIz gard ctit- -tab- thrust, witi,er. The trail l. plotted out in an inytant ln stiuct l- haifl"d hy cGld and hurricane
 The ior-c ha- not run two miles be fore he i- b"w,idrr.-d After that he can run no more OH account "f the depth of snow H.. -toI- turns his head from the biting blast- and rays by hi- attitude " can do no mor" ihc rider jean. forward ou hi- -alll. and iecls his blood chilling and hi. llnb- growing uscle-. 1hrr. i- 4 ficrcer more exuItAnt shriek tp the blast, but the traveller smiles at Il Hc l. growing warmer uow The wind do"-u sla-h and cut as if did l he blizzard wlll -non pa-- and the sun will shine again. Ile "iil -leep for quarter of All hour--t"n minute five He nH-i -l"ep.
 And days after when the wall. and tear- of widow and orphans have given plac" to grief which iAsts through life time the .oft south ~ind- will melt the drift and reveal horse and rider frozen stiff aud stark There will b. word. of regret to-day --carccIy remembrance tomorrow The prairie- of tine ws..t arc as the great lake. of the eat The aw- ful storms of winter claim their victims on the one; the roaring gales of summer demand their pound of flesh on the other
 Purify Your Blood.
 Arncr1 ar.riu1 ,.rer.arafiop. df. ,ns