The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1886-04-22

answer cams back;
Slid with tho drummer two hours agol
---------->.S---
In The Clutsh.
| II il . mid.winler day, clear and sun.
shiny, and tho two or .hree inches OF
snow under foot Is slowly melting. Two
or three moro such days ~ this and The
southern sides Of the little hillocts would
show the short grass which hAs been hid.
den so long.
j A traveller on horseback l. jogging
slowly homewards over the trail which
stretches ont across the broad prairie
like never-euding serpent He whistles
and sings. and has no fear. Why should
he? A dozen miles away. juat whore the
snow-capped plain has : faint fringe Of
green is his home. II is plain trail.
and there is no one to molest him. The
sound Of his voice. as he huns "a old
familiar air, is still family sounding in
our ears when shiver seems 70 pass
through the air. II is sort OF magic
touch that chills you for tho moment.
There are q dozen rabbits in sight. and
each one is making for the timber fringed
creek, eight or nine miles away. They
run as II greatly alarmed. and yet no one
has frightened them. There is second
shiver. and We instinctively turn to the
west. You may ride fifty miles in that
direction and not meet with tree or bush
or fence. Two or three miles away is
stray borse. A moment ago he was
rtarlng ut us as il he had mover seen hu-
man before. That second shiver started
him of for the timber at wild gallop.
He looks back a. he runs. ~ II he feared
that wolves we're on bis trail.
Seel Al II coming up out Of the snow
covered ground, black olond has csught
the western sky and il climbing mp. Az
first sight II WAS no larger than blanket.
in twenty seconds 1t 10 mile long. II is
hardly minute by the vstch before the
whole west is gray black, and the cloud
is driving faster than locomotive runs.
The traveller still whistles and sings
The sun is warm upon him and the black
cloud has yet sent out no sign. OF . ssd-
den the sun goes ont Of sight, ~ II . fu-
neral pail had been drawn over it, face.
and the horse wheels and faces the west.
There 10 no need Of signal now. There 10
IN 10y breath rushing dong which crisps
the melting snow ~ II touches. and tho
whole west is white with snow fakes. The
horse holds bis head high and snorts In
alarm. The rider uttes an exClsmation
Of surprise - groan Of despair, and then
the race begins. Racer Mol The blizzard
is tearing along 1t the rate Of sixty miles
an hour. Instinct warns the horse 70 push
for shelter. Wife and child 10 The cabin
on the creek are calling for the rider.
No man Is brave who will n0t struggle
against Fate. But how useless Midday
has been turned TO night. The clear
atmosphere is so oppressed with whirlipg
snow that one must breath by gasps. The
wind howls, raves. shrieks, enyelops. The
breath OF the newborn blizzard cuts. stabs.
thrusta, withers. The trail IL blotted out
in an instant Instinct 10 bafied BY cold
and hurricane.
The horse has not run two miles before
be is bewildered. After that he can run no
more on account Of the depth Of snow.
He stops, turns his head from the biting
blasts. and says by bis attitudes; Il csn
do no more" The rider leans forward on
his saddle and feels his blood chilling and
bis limbs growing useless. There is .
Hercer. more eXultAnt shrek 70 the blast.
but the traveller smiles st IL. He u grow
ing warmer now. The wiud don't c1t and
slash a. II did. The blizzard will soon
pass, and the sun will shine again, Hs
will sleep for = quarter Of ~ hour-ten
minutes five. He must sleep.
And days after. when the walls and tssrs
Of widows and orphans have given plscs 70
grief which lasts through Lifetime. the
soft south wind will melt the drift and
reveal horse and rider frozen stin and
stark. There will be words Of regret to-
day scarcely rememberancs to.moSrow,
The prsiries Of the vest srs ~ the great
lakes Of tbs east. The awful storms Of
winter claim their victims on We one:
the roaring gales Of summer demand thsir
pound Of hesh ~ the other.