Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1886-02-27
LOST IN THE STORM.

A trip on horseback over the Kansas
plains in the vicinity of Syracuse, when the
sun shines brightly and the air is crisp and
braciug, il 10. an unpleasant experience,
unless its object be such as that which has
kept the settlers thereahouts busy for a week
or more-the search for victims of the storm
Although there have been many colder days
in Kansas than those experienced during
the recent blizzard, there never was a fiercer
wind nor more binding and cutting snow.
For days it seemed as though the earth was
wrapped in vapor, and objects not titty feet
away were not distinguishable.
When the storm suhsided and the intense
cold had moderated sufficiently to make it
safe for men to venture out, reports were
received of many fatalities, and since that
time men have been busily at work scour.
ing the plains in search of possible victims
of the blast, and for the purpose of visiting
remote habitations and relieving distress.
Riding in the face Of a keen northwest
wind that secured the prairies bare in some
places, aud in others polished the heaped.up
masses Of snow until they looked like bright
est silver, a rescuing party came upon lit
tie plain board shantY about twenty miles
west Of Syracuse that told plainly enough
that death was within. Ga one side of the
building the hard earth was swept clean,
while on the other side the glittering and
hard -crusted snow was piled from tive to
ten feet high. Against the door of the shan
ty the snow had beaten until it could scarce
lv be distinguished from the side OF the
house: while all about the place were evil
dences of recent settlement and the hard
beginnings of pioneer life in the wilder.
ness.
One OF The horsemen dismounted at the
cabin door, and, kicking the ice and snow
away, Gaaiy forced his way into the
wretched abode. Not stick of furniture
remained. The one stove was cold, and the
floors and sides of the house were covered
with frost In some places on the north
and west exposures, where little cracks
were to he seen, some of them partly stuffed
with rags, the snow had drfted in.
A glance at the furthest corner revealed
a mass Of bedding, and under it, ,stiGin death,
with frost on their hair. bat eyes closed as
in sleep, were the bodies of a young woman
and two little children. One of the latter
was wrapped tightly in the mothers arms,
and the other WAS chuglng tightly on her
back. No one spoke, but further scrutiny
struggle, and how TO the very last the wo-
man had fought against the inevitable The
handle of the ak with which she bad de-
molished The furniture had been burned !,
the blade itself being fshed from the cheer
less hearth, and 50 close had been the econ
omy Of fuel that, though everything that
could be split had been used, not splinter
was to be found anywhere. Pinned against
tbo of r,aI which tho
woman had written:
"We are going to bed. Ihave used every
thing that could find, and the fire is almost
gone. We have had nothing to eat to day.
If you would Only come. Little Mary cried
for you tonight, and before we went to bed
we all prayed for you aud for US. I'm afraid
about you-the storm is dreadful-but | al-
so fear that if you come you will be too
late"
"Where is the man?" some one asked.
HLost, OF course" was the reply Of nearly
all the others in concert.
One by one The men filed out into the
bright sunshine and swept the horizon with
their hand shaded eyes. Everywhere snow,
and bleak, bare spots stretching away for
miles and touching at last the blue above.
The men mounted aud by common consent
began search of the country within mile
of the claim. After half hour or more
spent in this way, one of the riders spied an
object, which bad been partly uncovered by
q preceding horseman, and moment later
the body of a man was brought to view.
A little to one side, where the snow had
been blown away, were discovered the foot
prints of the wanderer, and without much
difficulty, though they were lost sight of
frequently, they were traced in one instance
to point not more than fifty rods from his
own house. As he was empty handed, 1t
was evident that he had never got more
than halfa mile away on his search for re-
lief and that perhaps mt the very time
when his faithful wife and little ones were
lying down to their last sleep, he may have
been plodding aimlessly but painfully in the
dreary circle, almost within sight of his own
door.
The mans remains were conveyed to the
| house, and the men returned to make ar
rangements for the burial OF the unfortu-
| mates.
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