Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-10-09

~N0~O-oA'o PAA%N@So 'AOAS-ASO
fury.
Ordinarily, this tempest is not accom-
panied by a fall of snow. but it is character
lied by immense whirling masses of snow
which the wind tears from the plains and
toundras and which it transports afar, in
thick and suffocating clouds which prevent
one from seeing at distance of four PAGES.
The air is literally INSTRUCTED with thick
flakes, which, in few seconds, wall Hp, so
to speak, ones eyes and nostrils. The force
OF the wind renders standing upright an i'm
possibility. Advancing in such weather is
not to be thought of, and the unfortunate
surprised by one Of these tempests can only
bury himself under his furs behind his
sledge and wait there without other shelter
shivering and benumbed with cold. for DAYS
and nights, until the wind weakens If
before that hour of deliverance, his pro-
visions give out, all his efforts to escane
from death will be useless, the frightful
hurricane bearing away whatever cries he
may utter Worn out with cold, lassitude
and hunger. he sinks beneath the snow, the
white wiudiag-sheet of which speedily
marks with a slight undulation the place of
his final repose.
The black cloud which for an hour had
hung about the horizon, spread rapidly to-
wards the south and enveloPed with sotubre
mists the last glimmers of the Arctic tw
light. The wind, loaded with hoarse bel
Iowings brought from the ice-foes and ice
fields Of the Polar Sea. hurled itself upon
the plain raising whirlwinds of snow, which
sped like tall phantoms through the dark
ness towards the thick of the advancing
tempest.
Yegor had scarcely time to order the two
nartas to be brought together before the
hurricane burst upon the fugitives. Soon
every sound was lost in the roar of the
tempest, while the snow in fiaky clouds alb
sorned the air and impeled respiration.
Hegor and Nadege could no longer see
even their team OF dogs, and, in the brief
pause they made a short time afterwards to
assure themselves that no one was missing,
they perceived that the second sledge. in
which were N. Lafeur and Yermac, had not
followed them. Five minutes, ten minutes
elapsed. and still the two men did not come.
They uttered cries and Yegor discharged
his pistols. He dispatched Tel1cl as fax
back as he dare 60, but the Yalloute return
ed, saying that he could not see two PAGES
before him and that the gale had effaced all
traces of their passage.
Yegor desired to wait, hoping that the de-
layed sledge would reioin them. He ad-
vised Nadege and Ladislas to descend and
take refuge behind the marta 1t was but a
very weak defence against such a loosening
of the elements. The young girl and the
lad could breathe only with great difficulty
by holding their faces almost against the
ground.
The 0bscuritv rendered the use of the
compass impossible, and hence Yegor 10
longer knew where they were. But had he
been able to recognize his road, in what
would it have served him! They were the
playthings Of the wind, which drove them
before it, preventing them from taking any
other course than its own.
The white gloom thicl1ened, growing more
and more Opaque. Suddenly, half-suffo-
Gated cry, a cry of desperation, rang out
from the midst of the whirling cloud.
''Alonsieur Lafleur! Monsieur Lafeurl"
answered Yegor, Nadege AND Ladislas. in
one voice.
The dark and vague profile of marta
passed before them with giddy speed, as if
drawn along in q whirlWinl.
ITO the slodge!" commanded Yegor I'VE
must follow our friends marital"
The wind had extrone impetuosity It
swept the plain roGring strangely, howl
ing IS howl the wolves. Tel1el had no need
to excite the dogs; the poor animals shot off
mad!y.
Hold me tightly" cried Nadege drawing
closer to YeGor; lit seems to me as if the
wind would blow me away"
After an hour of frightful traveling-an
hour which seemed to them a century the
fugitives perceived from the scattered
bushes, standing out blackly from the white
ness of the snow, that they were approach
ing a river; but the wind and the density OF
the snow which enveloped them had so in
creased that they could see nothing.
Suddenly, they found themselves in the
midst of forest, the tall trees of which
formed an obstacle to the mutinous blast
and its icy breath. They asked themselves
by what miracle they had reached it, and
how it happened that they were still alive!
"Monsieur Lafeur!" cried Yegor.
present." answered the dancing-master,
whose sledge had been the first to stop.
You have had a narrow escape, Monsieur
Lafleur," said Yegor; Il thought l would
have to wear mourning for you!"
"Ah ma foil. I thought it was the end
of the world! The learned say that we shall
perish by cold, and L suppose the snow hur-
ricane will have its part in the closing scenes
of the last hourw
They talked without seeing each other, in
the midst of the obscurity.
The Yakoute Telzel had, meanwhile, gath
cred alder and fir branches and l1indled a
fire with them.
The fugitives uttered cries of joy on again
seeing light and fire. They fastened to the
blaze to warm themselves-they were COW
cred with snow and scarcely recognizable
Yermac made very strange grimaces.
''Ladislas! Where is Ladislas?" asked
Nadege, looking around her for the little
Pole.
Alas he was not to be found He had
been torn from the sledge by the terrible
hurricanel
Yegor called Wab. He fastened his dark
lantern to the dogs collar and, after pro
nouncing the name of Ladislas several
times, sent the animal to search for the
child.
After being gone an hour, Wab returned
alone. The animal was shaking with cold
from the bloody marks on it's paws, they saw
InaU the creature nau thoroughly SeafcheC
long distance, but without result. It had
returned to the forest that it might not per-
ish from exhaustion.
Nadege wept, repeating the name of hel
adopted brother Yegor and M. Lafleur
silent and afflicted, thought of thepoor child
lost on the frozen plain and struggling in the
darkness against the furious and icy wind
amid the binding snow.
The chief of police was touched by the
grief of the fugitives and strove to impart
to them, in regard to the lad, hope he die
not share