Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-02-08

new ir FEELS To FREEZE.
Acute pafss. Followed ~ Very Com
Portable and Satisfied Condf-
tion OF Mind.
Minneapolis Tribune !


Early in January. 1854, | left Red
Wing in company with s. j. Willard,
John Day. and Albert Olson for place
fourteen miles distant, near where Vasa
church now stands, for the purpose OF
cutting and hauling logs preparatory for
our settlement at that point the follow
ing spring. II WAS clear, beautiful
day, with the thermometer 2O' above
zero. We had a span OF good horses, q
sleigh partly loaded with lumber, forage,
and provisions for few days.
We arrived at the spot Just before
dark and encamped in rayine well
sheltered with timber. Alter making
ourselves comfortable with good sup
per, and a blazing log fire, all four laid
down to sleep on bed made on the snow,
with thin layer OF hay on top of some
boards. and were we'll wrapped up Ia
blankets. During the night the tenn
poraturo changed 30 terrible cold, the
thermometer falling TO - degrees below
zero, as We learned aitcrward. Had we
known this and kept our fire burning.
there would, OF course. have been No
danger. But being very comfortable Wa
all fell asleep early in the night, and
were unconscious OF the danger we were
in until awakefed by the pain Of intepso
cold, and then we were already 30 over
come with the cold that We lacked power
Of energy to get up or even TO move.
Comparing notes afterward, we found
that all had experienced a like sen'a-
tion-namely, first an acute pain, like
the point of needle in every pore but
free from all mental anxiety except dull
conception of something wrong and a
desire to get UP, but without sufficient
energy to 10 so. This feeling, however,
did not last long, and suit sided gradually
into one of quiet rest and satisfaction
until consciousness ceased altogether,
and without any struggle or pain, either
bodily or mental We had all reached
that stage when. bvan accident, the arm
and bare hand Of Mr. Day, who lay on the
outside. fell in the snow This started
the circulation in his body and gave him
such intense pain that he quickly aroused
himself and got on his feet aud of
course We were all saved. 70 took long
time before We could use our limbs sufi-
ciently TO rebuild the fire, and during
that time We suffered much more pain
than We had before. am satisfied from
that experience that person perishlng
in that way has "A very easy death, he
cause he sinks gradually Y into stupor,
which blunts his scnsibility both 10 ply
steal pain and mental agony long before
life becomes ext net.
II was about 5O degrees IN the morn
ing when We got up. We did not lie
down again or ettompt to haul our build
inglogs, but started I'm few hours on
bee line for q rayino that would lead us
back to Red Wn3 II was a struggle
Of life and death TO get acroas the rolling
prairie. aud had the cold been accompa-
nied by a blZzlrl We would not have
got across
To keep warm We took turns 60 walk
or run behind the sleigh, and Mr.. VII
lard was walking when he WAS suddenly
missed. and the team TUNED back, fol-
/ lowing its tracko short distance 10 a hill
side, where we iou1d hm sitting down
in tie snow apparently comfortable aud
with no desire to move. Hc rather cen
sured MS for coming back after him.
claiming that De Was all night and would
hayc como along when hc got otrcady but
thc fact was that hc was already 80 atupe-
fed with the cold that Doe would never
have made any oxeltion to move.
After % drive of ten miles wc arrived
at the first aui only inhabited house he
tween Nasa aud BED Wing, aud 1t WAS
( high time that we found shelter both for
our.clyes and the horses That was tho
coldcs, day Of that year, and 90 me tho
coolest in the history OF Minnesota.