The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-10-30
THE YOUNG FOLKS.
Bright and Interesting Letters for the
Coming Men and Women.
BY AUNT SUSIE.

BY AUNT SUSIE.
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This is Corner set aside sor the Little Friends of
TiiE CONSTITUTION for their entertainment and de-
yelopment IN The art Of Letter Writing
Rock ISLAND, ILL.--Dear Children: A
letter from Aunt Susie tells me you enjoyed my
letter, when imagined it was growing cold
though one of the nieces wrote that she would not
like TO be as imaginative as Uncle VIII.
u you Will look on your map you viii find this
little city opposite Davenport in Iowa. | was at
Davenport last winteHnot long after nearly fro2e
to death at Appleton. l had to cross the river to
take a train at this place There Is no bridge OK
cept one for the cars, and generally ferry boat
plies between the cities, but the river was frozen
and no boat could run l never thonght how
would get over even when carriage came for nue.
on runners like a sleigh. supposed the depot was
ON that side of the river and the tsnin would take
me over the bridge; SO / got in the carriage,
wrapped myselfin q buffalo robe, and prepared TO
take things comfortable. The carriage went along
SO smoothly that was delighted with the motion.
lpecped out of the window and we were sliding on
the ice right over the river. The driver whipped
up his horses, and one of them galoped thought
he would go right through hole in the ice or come
to a thin place and then the whole thing would 20
down. ] thought we were going in sure. But the
truth is ] was not thinking Of tho horses nor the
carriage, nor the driver. but of myself l did not
want TO be fshed out. Miles and miles away, after
the ice had disappeared would look out and see
place where there was no snow, and the ice looked
as clear glass, and almost thin, and TIE water
running under it, But he would skip over those
places just like he solid ground fel; some
what like old lady in Georgia, who Travelled for
the first time a railroad train. She was telling
some friends of her novel experience, and
especially when she passed rapidly over high
bridge; one Of her auditors asked her wha. she did
and she replied: "Why child, held my breath un-
Ill didn't weigh o pound" But was not as heavy
as l thought looked out and saw dozens of wagon
loads OF wood and merchandise crossing to and fro
across the river, and Twas comferted.
At any rate got over safely and took my train for
Du Buque, Iowa, where had another experience
and if Aunt Susie does not think this letter too long,
will put that in.
Du Buque is On the Mississippi river and Sioux
City on the Missouri, just across the state.
1t had been quite cold in Du Buque, about 60 be-
low zero, but was warmer the night left being
about 100 above zero left Du Buque on the night
of the 9th of January 81. in sleeper. About 4
o'clock in the morning the porter and told me
we would be obliged TO make a transfer. as there
was break in the road. So dressed hurriedly and
went out, noteven taking time to put on my gloves
We were on an ernbankmept and saw number of
men go down 10 get in a road Though corn field
and / followed. 1t looked like a good road and
may be it was under the snow, but did not see any
of it, The snow was about eighteen inches deep,
with about one inch of the top frozen. AS | would
step would go down to my knee through the fee
i
horse ever had such hard work as / did. As
plunged through the snow found that it was ter
ribly cold, and that q blizzard was blowing.
Most of you don't know what that is but the
Texas uephews and neees win understand when
say it is a frozen Texas northern.
A Texas northern is summer breeze compared
to blizzard when it gets regularly down to work
1t is the bitterest OF cold winds and the all filed
with millions of PARTICLES of fine Ice that almost cut
the skin as they strike the face. had gone about
fifty yards, when found that from the violent
exercise and the bitterly cold wind that cond not
breathe, but / painted like lizard. Iput my
satchel down, and my hands were so cold that
had to look and see if had let it CO. and then sat
down and put my back to the wind and my hand
kerehief to my face SO to the air before in
entered my lungs did not feel as III conId get up
again and almost did not care to move was
almost frozen and did not know whether it vas best
10 try to get up or just sit there and die But con-
claded that twas too cold and TOO far from home to
die; so started on. The reason the men whom /
followed came this way to avoid the full force
of the biting wind. But did not think ii could be
any WORSE and lift was wanted to feel it any way
so started for the embankment and just at the foot
oft found snow drift that looked about as deep as
] was high. But thought had just as soon drown
IN snow drift as freeze to DEATH and plunged in
1t hardly waist Deep but had to crush the ice
the surface with my satche and then pull myself
along. While was standing it made me smile to
feel the snow slipping down into my shess But
fell down on the snow bank and broke the crust
and then crawled out like lizard. In getting to
the top of the bank, which was almost like glass
would throw my heavy satchel ahead of me and
then pull myself up In going down tho bank to
cross frozen river put the satchel behind me as q
sort of anchor and we both sided down together
and across the little river 1t was not very pretty
nor graceful know, but as the boys would say II
got there all the same" When got into the car
thought never had felt as delightful place, and
had 20 m Ttnf,,
Then my hands ached as If had the toothache in
every joint You see they were almost frozen and
as they began to thaw the pain was unbearable. II
would have been so comfortable TO have put them
in water. Would you have done so? III had
would doubtless have lost the use of my hands for
some time at least. let ice water pour ON them,
and then having dried them felt discomfort ex-
cept for month or more my hands felt as If they
had just come out of hot WATERFALL scalded.
That day. however, l saw something which re-
paid me- and which most Of yon have never seen.
They were sun dogs" You did not know that the
sun had any dogs, did you? When the weather is
very cold and growing colder, apparently about five
ten feet from the sun and about fifty feet long are
two columns of light that look almost red enough to
be fire. that follow the sun from midday untll sun
set. 1t makes beautiful sight, and when bfizzard
is blowing-as on this day--the air is filed with
millions of particles of ice and they glitter and
glisten like small diamonds IN the sunlight 30 that
the sight is worth feeling some very cold weather to
see.
One more thing want to add saw, o few days
after this, at Nebraska City, immense slabs of ice
cut from the river, frozen together and made in
bridge across the river, on which they carry
ing railroad iron on immense seds. II looked
very pretty at distance, and is the only time ever
saw ice used tor that purpose.
/ hope little Miss "Afousey" will not get this
letter. Ahectionaiely, UNCLE WILL.
.
[ALL letters for this column must be adj
dressed to The CONSTITUTION
CORRESPONDENCE.
Horace G. Johnston, Griffin. Ga; | want to DIES.
cribe my grandma 10 you. she Is grown woman
60 years old she would be just the size of my mama
only lhe,e hem bigger and WOMB q black can