The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-05-07

"IIes at our left said Moore, pulling
the horse. about and following the cry.
Al every few rods we would stop ana
shout. and listen for his cry, which grew
each momen. stronger, but he was ho'
approaching rs, he was waiting Tor Us 10
come 10 him. soon we were within speak
inc distance, and he was directing us
where 10 find him. 1t was strange mat
he did not approach us. We thought he
| must have met with some accident, when
suddenly he stood beside u. with a
single word. Follow me, " he started OH,
the horses following him. We could not
see him. but We knew he was on the
track OF something. Soon we came upon
n small barn heavily banked with snow,
and with hoarse cheers we shook hafd'
and yelled, II told YOU sou We had hit
the barn. and the house was near by ana
easily reached.
Without stopping ~. talk Of our good
luck, we sprang out, and III few mo-
ments the ponies were safe from the biz
gard their noses deep in some hay ana
oats After rubbing the ice ana snow
from their coats, ana stirring the circuih-
ton anew in their stiff and weary legs,
we gathered our robes and things IN our
arms and made for the house, which we
reached in a short, breathless run.
1t was frame building, lsx24, which
Moore had erected for summer resi-
dence-a mere shell of thing with only
one thickness Of boards OH the sides,
through which the snow drited; and as
there was no banking, the cold air also
streamed up through the floor; but I>ia-
lively it was a palace II was shelter ana
Eight. for there was a stove and some KIND
ling and a box of coal. Weneed not freeze
for one night, anyway. We soon had
roaring fire in the rusty stove and light
in an unwashed tubular lantern. We also
found a coffee can, and soon had can Of
coffee sizzling on the stove. Then we took
tie time to ask Bailey about his advent
ure II seems that in making detour
he had caught glimpse of the barn, and
though the storm the next moment COW
cred it, vet he determined to push on
little further and make sure of it, Luck
lily we did not get quite out OF ear shot,
and the whole ended fortunately, but 1t
was big risk TO run. AZ our frozen
mince pies began to warm up and the cot
fee to send off fragrant steam, Moore
, sang eXultantly:
The wind howls mad out doors
The snow clouds hurry past
We made a great picture az we sat
around the red hot stove, with our FUR
caps and buffalo 0yercoats on. The ian
tern threw red light over Us through It's
smoky side, and the open jaws Of the coal
stove brought out every line OF our faces
rs though we were the witches i'll Mac
1
our heads the siited snow fell at intervals
| like showers OF red flakes OF gold, while
the frail structure creaked and groaned
in the blast, the snow dashed the windows,
and rushed like pack OF wolves about
the door. After food and warmth, we sat
thus talking and singing I'LL we ielt
weary and sleepy with the cold and then
our host led us TO the upper story OF the
house. where the bed stood which Moore
used when he came 10 sleep OH his claim,
and upon this we piled our blankets ana
robes, and then crept under them.
Outside the storm dashed and Kissed
like an ocean There was huttering
roar, as of myriad wings, rattle OF dis
tant musketry, the bowling OF innumer'
able wild beasts, and the walls OF women
in agony. There were vague sounds OF
rushing, Of swirling, and the tinkllng as
of distant, falling, driving sand. | re-
member waking ia the night and listen
ing in awe to the tumult, fancying the
wind some huge beast disappointed OF his
prey, and wreaking his rage on the wood
Of our frail retreat. He seemed TO grasp
and shake the house as lion would rat,
while his voice sank 10 II deep raucous
snarl OF convulsive fury. We seemed
such puny creatures such notes In the
| blasting tides II icy sands, that | was
glad when sleep put an end 10 my specu-
| lations aud fancies.
When | awoke the next morning all
was still-still ~ the grave not sound
save the heavy breathing Of my compan
| ions and the occasional cracking OF the
wood under the terrible cold; as still a.
| though the snow had buried Us deep un-
der its soft weight. And ! shall never for
get now it looked as | stepped out into the
morning air
Like an eDternai changeess sea
| OF Furnished marble lay the plain
IL dazzling, shOreless, sOuudleSs waste,
Horizon girt, without = stain.
| The air was still; no breath of sound
Came from the wide expanse
The whole earth seemed 10 lie III trance,
IL Lushed expectant silence bound
And Oh the beauty Of the morning shy
Where famed the herald banners VI the king
| And as ga2ei with farnished eye,
| LO day came on me with spring.
No one would ever dream that the night
before this calm plain had been dashed
and driven by an appalling tempest. The
terrible ride of the night before seemed
almost dream. There was no recedng
swell upon this ocean, as upon the Allan
tie; on the contrary, It looked SO marble
like and still that one could hardly mag
inc it ever being moved again. The bril-
| liant sun flashed from millions of ice
points on the snow, making broad way
of dazzling gold and diamonds
royal way for the coming of the
morning. Its glory was almost, not
quite, compensation for the experience Of
the previous night. That night as we
sat around the cannon stove in the VAN
burger grocery in Bloomtown, Moore told
our story with trimmings" adding,
among other things, the actual fact that
the thermometer was 80 dogs. below zero.
The other trimmings, which were not
facts, will not mention. Moore is good
fellow, and undoubtedly regrets the ex-
aggerations which the enthusiasm Of the
Il