The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1888-04-06
IN A BLIZZARD.

In A BLIZZARD.
Twas setting up type in the office of The
Bloomington Spike one bright day in
February, 1882, when I heard voice Mt
the window saying: "IIello, Seagravesi
wan to hold down yer claimS" The
speaker was sneering Mt me through his
mittened hands | shook my head but
motioned for him to come in, which he
did.
AS he stood before the rusty cannon
stove l demonstrated with him for his
rashness.
"Now. I'm an honest man, Moore 1
don't want to take advantage of any one,
not even drummer for farm machinery.
The fact Is, I'm dangerous. Why, there
amt man in this territory that would
ask me TO 90 out on the prairie with him
If he knew my record. Pm sure death"
"What do you mean? Explain your
self"
~ will. I've been out on that pre-
emption OF mine promptly at the end of
every thirty days ever since the last day
of October, and every time it stormed
damna3ly. The first time it rained, the
next time 1t showed and blowed like the
devil and all, and the last time Murray
and | went out to the claims we spent
three days in his twelve by fourteen
shanty with the horses, Why, l can't go
| to Heron or Bclleplain hut a terrible
| storm sweeps down on the poor people.
| Therefore the boys fight shy of me-"
Moore was whistlng through his teeth
at my yarn. He didn't put much inn
portance upon it.
"Ohl | know all about that but don't
scare worth a cent, and, besides, look at
| the sun shining out there. Now you get
| yer toggery on and Wen be off after din
ner Bailey's going too. Now rustic
| I'll see you later.n
This settled the matter, and accordingly
| got things into rs good shape as possible
in the Office, and went early to dinner at
| the Western house. The boys at the table
were also talking about going out on their
claims, and cursing Sparks, of the land
| office, because of the ruling which obliged
| them to be on the pre-emption once q
| month, no matter what the weather
| might be.
81 guess we're about all in the same
| fix," said Adams; "theres Bailey and
Moore aud Shelby, myself and"---
| "And Seagraves, said quietly.
"Wh-a-atl Not you, Seagraves'"
| "fou bet am"
"That settles my hash; If Seagraves
goes, don't, you can bet high on that.
| I'm not ready to turn up my toes for the
| coyotes to gnaw."
| Gentlemen, Pm sorry for you, but
| Pm going to break my record or try q
| dying"
| And about 9 o'clock, behind Moore's
little team, well nigh buried In blankets
and robes, we drew out of the main street
| and headed west, amid chorus of yells.
Cit there, Eli Seagraves is sure death;
| push on the reins;' etc.
| The sleighing was excellent, and the
vast level plain, as bare as the bosom of =
frozen sea, was sparkling under brilliant
sun shining from deep blue sky. Our
course lay straight into the wilderness to
the west, distance of nearly thirty miles
An easy trip if the roads are good all the
| way.
| Bailey and Moore kept up lively chat
ter over their huge buffalo coat collars,
and hailed every passing team with jolly
shouts, and when we were about ten
miles on our way Bailey said 81 CUES.
Seagraves will escape this time"
| lifted my head and took a look at the
northwestern sky; then said: mo, boys,
we're in for it, sure"
And we were; for, borne on the wing
Of the north wind, a great fleecy dome of
cloud, s!aty blue below and silver white
above, was rising, vast, wide rs the north
ern horizon, seamless, dim and noiseess,
sweeping with the speed of shadow upon
us. The day was yet brilliant, but the
frost white edge of the cloud had already
slid across the face of the sun, making
the depth of the dark blue dome more
ominous and stern. 1t would be dark in
two hours.
"Well, boys, the blizzard is coming,
sure, and there are just two things to do
push on as hard as we can for the claim
or turn back"
"There's no turning to this crowd, ~
Moore replied, as he touched the ponies
| with whip. | submitted, though with
some misSvings, | am free to confess,
The road was getting worse now, as we
were getting beyond the settlers shanties,
and beyond the travel to and from the
town. Houses grew more and more in
frequent, the wind began to rise, and the
snow to sift along the plain, softly, spas
mo icllly, yet insidiously, and almost be-
fore we knew it the road was full OF
drifts. Wherever tuft of weeds or Il
clump of unburned grass stood, drift
had formed, stretching out its solid bulk
across our track like IA huge lazy polar
bear, over which the ponies were forced
to draw the sleigh.
| The sun was entirely hid soon after, and
occasional flakes OF snow struck the face
like threats, while the wind, growing
colder, bit most savagely The prairie
was burned bare here, and the sliding
snow ran like tongues of flame here anG
| there or spread like silver white ocear
foam upon the side of some smooth, black
ened knoll. We passed many shanties
but they were empty, for the most part
the owners having moved back east fol
the winter. The farther we went to thu
west, the wilder and more bare the prairi,
became; soon we would be outside tn,
line of actual settlement, Bailey was in
tending TO get of at point about fiv'
miles before we reached Moore's claim
His claim lay four miles due south from
certain corner stake which we were 4
pass very soon, but as we were approach
ing the stake Moore and determined Il
keep him with us, and not allow of hi
making his venture at night. Accord
ingly, Moore pulled up short, and we both
looked immovably at our friend. Bailey
was n brave man when there was any
thing depending on the venture, hut as h,
rose to his feet and looked around him HI
hesitated.
1t was fearful scene. As lar as tn,
| eye could penetrate the stability or th'
prairie seemed changed to the furious
lashings of foam white waste of waters
Great waves of snow met, shifted, spread
raced like wolves, joined again, rose, buf
feted each other till putis OF fine snow
sprang into the air, like spray, only to fal
and melt in the sliding streams. All wa
unreal, ghastly. No sky, but u formless
impenetrable mass of flying snow; n
earth except when a sweeping gust lai
bare long streak of backened sod tina
had the effect, the terrifying effect, of
hollow, fathOmless trough between tn
kissing waves, and over all the night an
tempest were speeding like the flight
twin eagles,
Our companion set his teeth and mad
as il to spring out and set forth. "Si
down. we shouted, "Do you intend
commit sulcidei' And, with laugh o
his relieved expression, we pushed tn