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

she window saying: Hello, oeagiavcs
wan to hold down yer clams' Inc
speaker was sneering at me through his
mittened hands i 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.
don't want 10 take advantage OF any one,
not even drummer for farm machinery.
The fact is, Pm dangerous. Why, there
amt man in this territory That would
ask me to SO out on the prairie with NM
If be knew my record. I'm sure dea'h'
what do you mean; Explain your
self.
IL 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
damnatly. The first time it raned- the
next time it showed ana blowed like the
devil and oil, and the last time Murray
and | went out t. the claims we spent
three days in his twelve by fourteen
shaDty with the horses. why, cam go
to Heron or Bellep:ain hut terrible
storm sweeps down on the poor people.
Therefore the boys fight shy OF me.
Moore was whstling through his teeth
at my yarn. He didn't put much i'm
portance upon it.
"Ohl ! know all about that, but don I
scare worth a cent, ana, besides look at
the sun shining out there Now, you get
yer toggery on and we'll be off after din
per Bailey's gong too. Now rustic
III see you later.
This settled the matter. and accordingly
got things into as good shape as possible
In the office, and went early 10 dinner at
the Western house The boys at the table
were also talking about going out Oh their
claims. and cursing Sparks. Of the land
Office, because OF the ruling which obliged
them to be ON the pre-emption once a
month, no matter what the weather
might be.
Il guess we're about all IN the same
fx," said Adams; there's Bailey and
Moore and Shelby, myself and -
And Seagraves," | said, quietly
"Wh-a.at! Not you, Seagravcs.'
"fou bet am.
THAT settles my hash; If Seagraves
goes, don't, you can bet high Oh that.
coyotes to gnaw.
'Gentlemen. I'm sorry for YOU, but
I'm going TO break my record OF try a
dying"
Aud about 2 o'clock, behind Mooye's
little team, we'll nigh buried In blankets
and robes, we drew out Of the main street
and headed west, amid chorus of yells
Git there, Eli! Seagraves is sure death;
push on the reins;' etc.
The sleighng was excellent, and the
vast level plain, ~ bare as the bosom Of a
frozen sea- was sparkling under brilliant
sun shining from n deep blue sky. Oul
course lay straight into the wilderness t.
the west, distance Of nearly thirty miles
AN easy trip if the roads are good all the
way
Bailey and Moore Kept up a lively chat
ter over then huge buffalo coat collars
and hailed every passing team with jolly
shouts, and when we were about tel
miles on our way Bailey said. II CUES
Seagraves Will escape this time"
lifted my head aud took "A look at the
northwestern sky; then said: mo, boys
we're IN for it, sure
Aud we were; Ion borne on the wing
IT the north wind, great fleecy dome OF
cloud slaty blue below and silver white
above, was rising, vast, wide az the north
ern horizon, seamless. dim and noiseless
sweeping with the speed OF a shadow upOr
Us. The day was yet brilliant, but thu
frost white edge OF the cloud had alread,
Aid across the face OF the sun, making
the depth Of the dark blue dome more
ominous and stern Ii would be dark IL
two hours.
"Well, boys, the blizzard Is coming
sure, and there are just two things to dc
push on as hard as we can for the CLAIM
or turn back.
"There's no turning to this crowd,
Moore replied, rs he touched the pone:
with q whip. | submitted though will
some misgivings, ! am free 10 confess.
The road was getting worse now, as WI
were getting beyond the settlers shanties
and beyond the travel to and from the
town. Houses grew more and more In
frequent, tue wind began 10 rise, aud The
anow TO sift along the plain, softly, spas
medically, yet insldiously, and almost be
fore We knew II the road WAS full o.
drifts Wherever TUT OF weeds o. {
Clump Of unbuIned grass stood Il drift
had formed, stretching out its solid bull
across our track like huge lazy polal
bear, over which the ponies were forced
20 draw the sleigh.
The sun was entirely hid soon after, an(
occasional fakes Of snow struck the face
Ike threats, while the wind, growing
colder, bit most sgvagely. The prairie
was burned bare here, and the sliding
snow ran like tongues Of flame here anc
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 the
west, the wilder and more bare the prairie
became; soon we would be outside the
line Of actual settlement Bailey was In
tending TO get of at a point about five
miles before we reached Moore's claim.
His claim lay four miles due south from q
certain corner stake which we were tC
pas very soon, but as we were approach
ing the stake Moore and determined to
hap him with Us, and not allow Of biz