The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1888-02-17
DAKOTA WIFE
Details her Experience In a Blizzard
When a Bride.

When father took up his claim IN Dong.
las county, Dakota, The country was new
and thinly Settled. Father and my three
brothers took up a section, and built their
1our houses on adjoining corners, So, as
two brothers We're married, we formed a
little settlement by ourselves, This was
well, as our nearest neighbour lived eleven
miles away. | was then a merry, rot,b.
ing lass of fifteen, all the wilder for being
Just from city lifc,
Inc s'rt year avery destructive cyclone
visited that part of the country. living
as 1t does between the Mt-ss,,fi and ,Jamcs
rivers. it wse feared such visitations
might be frequent, SO father ard the bows
dug a cave midway between the houses.
Twice we took refuge there and heard
the cmo Of destruction at work among
the fruits of our industry, WE escaped
without injury, but father, who was re-
turning from the town, twenty miles
away, where we got ont mail and sun.
plies, was badly bruised by the overturn-
ing OF his wagon. AS soon as he recov-
cred, he md the boys dug a cave midway
on the route to town. The location was
marked by faur tall upright posts, which
could he sech for a long distance.
Years passed with no occasion for its
use. but father was always drcading such
a time, and kept it in repair,
-Four happy years passed, then a purity
of visitors from the cast came. Among
them was Frank Healy. We had been
great friends in the past, and became
something more during that long summer.
We agreed to be married in the spring,
and he would stay until that time, but
early in January he received a summons
home to Chicago and insisted that l go
along.
So preparations We're made for our mar
riage. We sent to Bunker for q minister,
but our messenger brought word he could
not get away. Gould we not come to
him. We must start for Chicago at
once, so decided to adopt that plan. Up.
on the 18th, after Il fearful goodby to all
but father, mother and Joe, who would
accompany MS, we started for Bunker.
There was a great quantity of snow on
the ground and only one sleigh that of
our messenger the day before, had gene
over the road. AS a consequence, our
progress was slow and laborious. 1t was
a dull, cloudy day, but we knew nothing
of billiards. then, SO did not hesitate to
start. We had mentioned / o'clock as the
time for the ceremony, SO made c%alcula-
ton on being at the parsonage at that
hour.
Before we were two miles on our way
the snow began to fall in great feather.
flakes.
l love a snow storm, and was delighted
to be out in one. Seeing father and an
other grave and troubled, / laughed and
TESTED, ard indeed was in an unusually
merry mood for one who was leaving
home and friends to go among strangers,
with only a husbands love to depend
upon.
For some time the snow fell slowly and
heavily, then the wind rose and the cold
began to increase,
Joe had suggested a return and limited
at possible danger. Father hesitatcd, but
Frank thought there was no more danger
in an advance than in n retreat, so on we
went. Heavens! what an experience that
was which followed.
The wind howlcd like a host of demons
i bent on u destruction. The snow be-
, NhuS ilhiiCICSilhalty HHG, anu, uIlSCu Nv
the blast, stung ones flesh when exposed
like needle points. We could no see to
the horses heads, and as the one track
was long since covered up, we no longer
! knew which way we were going, and
could no longer trust to the horses.
Mother became alarmed and cried qui-
city behind her vail. All my high spirits
vanished, and instead of the happy future
| had been anticipating | now saw moth
ing but a cruel death before us, with the
snow for shroud and pail.
AT 2 by Franks watch WI were nearly
frozen, and the weary horses could
scarcely move along.
Suddenly Joe put out his hand and
clutched at some object close to the side
of the sleigh.
"Hulrah." his CHEEKY voice rang out.
, Whoa"
The tired horses stoppcdinstantly, only
too glad of the chance. Joe sprang out
into the yielding snow. In Il moment he
shouted again.
Hello! Here's another sleigh, Faith
er, Frank. Pile out here with your SHOW
', clsr'
They did as he ordered and mother and
l reused to see what it all meant. But
we could see nothing and only family
hear their voices above the rushing oftle
wind.
We soon found out, however, for faith
er asd Frank soon returned and lifted
mother and ! out of the sleigh and carried
us-where?-into fathers cyclone cave.
We stood about in stupid amazement,
for Joe had brought a lantern along,
and he had light it and hung it up A
moment later we were Joined by the
minister from Bunker, who, finding it
possible tQget away had started.
The me- blanketed the poor horses,
huddled thenf together close by the mouth
of the cave, turned the sleigh box ND be-
sides them as a partial shelter, then bring
ing my trunk, Lunch basket, and the robes
Joined us.
The temperature of the cave was com
Portable compared with the upper air,
and we were very thankful forthe change.
Vigorous and continued, cxcrtion soon
restored our benumbedlimb to normal CON
dition. and we settled down to a quiet dis
~cussion of the situation, and the probable.
ity in our favor.
After a time the talk languished, and
Frank made, in a whisper, the quecrcst
proposition. / gave a decided negative,
but ut last yielded to his entrcaty, and,
almost before Tic rest realized what was
going on, we stood before the minister
with clasped hands, and he was speaking
the solemn words that bound us for bette
or worse for life.
!, 1t was a strange bridal. In that low,
dark cave, lighted only by the smoky Ian.
tern, the terrible blizzard bowling over.
head, and death lurking near in the fear.
, full cold, which steadily increased, mother
cried softly, and fathers voice trembled
as he gave me his blessing. Frank s face
was very white us he clasped me in his
arm and called me wife. My own feel.
ings We're a mixture of terror and happi.
ness, such as l hope never to experience
again.
We remained in our safe but gloomy
: refuge forty-cight hours. Then we were
dug out by my brothers and a party from
Bunker. Who were in search of the min.
! lister, and had found us by the mounds
| caused by the snow drifting over the poo,
| horses. Two were dead and the othe,
had to be killed. he was so badly frozen.
Huddled together under the ground,
| with fifteen feet of snow over lis, we has
,,1t ,,,Nnral all, ..1 A.. ---t - III