Oxford eagle., 1890-02-06

coErS sfiii come out IN the sun and bar X
as before, but Emma has lost interest in
natural history. The gate in front Of
the Jones residence has fever broken
hinges than during that memorable sum
mer when she and Joe 50 often said
goodbye in the moonlight
Joe moped; bis work was neglected
and he often went 10 johnson City. He
seldom returned intoxicated. but FIRE
quently il was plain that he had been
drinking. Emma lived al the Kelley
claim only half a mile away and on calm
DAYS be could hear her singing as she
moved about the house. This was bit
terness hard 20 bear. but Joe managed to
endure il after fashion. When the
two men met civil words always passed
between them Joe did not blame John
Kelley. he had not intcrfered until after
the quarrel and II she was lost 20 him
what difference who she married so that
her husband treated her kindly? Only
Joe would have wished that they might
not live % near together IL was like
''beholding Heaven and sharing hell.
a. Tom Moore saws in I-alla Eookh
Often he thought of moving away. bat
he could never resolve fully 10 make the
start II vas something after all 70 hear
her voice occasionally. 10 see her shake
out the dish cloth At the kitchen door
or hang the weeks washing on the line.
To what straits has love brought men
when such things are a comfort anS
must suffice. But Joe Is not the only
one who has lived on such scanty fare.
Thus year went over. Joe had never
spoken to Emma since the quarrel and
though there Vas no open rupture he
tween him and KELLEY il was evident
that they would never again be friends.
HO~ could it be expected? And 80 We
come TO the 18th Of December Iss7. a
day that will never be forgotten By those
Sho were in southwestern Kansas at the
time On account of the great blizzard
Sunday. the 18th was warm and clear
With no prophecy Of the coming storm
The forces of nature seemed 70 - Al
rest. for they were gathering energy
for the coming conflict Of the ele
mentS
Joe had retired early and perhaps Nas
dreaming OF the days when he and
Emma hunted agates by the river. when
he was reused by some one shouting
outside the house IL was Kelley. En-
ma was sick and would Joe 20 for nr.
Tylers She vas 50 bad that il would
not do to leave her long alone and he
had come for the nearest assistance. II
would only Be a little out of the way for
Joe 70 GO by Jones place and he could
tell Jones to bring Emma-s mother over
at once. Would he go? Joe's natural
humanity overcAme ali personal feeling
and he said at once. res. he would 90.
Kelley must get back to his sick wife.
Tell the doctor not 10 waste any time -
were his last words as ne rode away.
Before he reached home he could hear
the hoof-beats of JOe's horse far out on
the prairie. hurrying nOrthward- Joe
had not wasted any time and il the
Doctor would be as prompt all might be
we'll
The doctor did not reach Eellev-s that
night. but Emma's father and mother
arrived shortly. When the storm burst
upon them in all its fury half an hour
later. they were hopeful that Joe might
have reached his destination safely. but
knew that it would be i'm possible for DIR.
Tyler to obey the summons Ii xas
eight miles to the doctors's claim and 10
travel eight miles in such storm was
not 70 be thought Of They did not take
into consideration the fact that Joe net
the storm fully ten minutes before il
reached them That ten minutes would
have been his salvation Ten minutes.
more or les>. in a genuine blizzard. /.
life or death.
IL was a night of terror. The sick
woman moaned in her agony and the
storm ragged in its fury The house
shook as if in the grasp of 4 giant and
the fine snow sifted in through every
crevice- \ house must he air tight t.
exclude the snow in such astorm-z KEY
hole viii admit enough to make a snail
drift Once when Kelley opened the
kitchen door 20 take observations where
observation was impossible. frightened
antelope tried to rush into the hoslSe.
He could have killed j, easily. bat in his
disturbed state of mind he drove IL out
into the night Il was all one. Tor he
found Il when the storm was over f-ozer
stiff in the door yarI- When norniua
dawned and he again opened the door
be could not distinguish any thing in
the vhIrling storm An object three
/ feet away would have been invisible. 1,
was intensely cold and the wind like a
Wild anarchist seemed to howl for de-
struction and chaos He was worried
about Joe IL the storm had met him on
4 s1s4. ,T.s,
ever, no search could be made till the
blizzard ahated. He shut the door and
went back into the room occupied By
his wife and her parents. A weak voice
that could scarcely be heard for the
wind without was doing its best. howev-
er, 70 drown the noise of the storm Ma
ture, unaidei. had been skilIfuf - tbs
best physician and John Keller vas .
father
! shall not attempt 10 de~crihe Joes
riSe or picture his death ssrprzIe.
There wzs 10 witness and Aav ar-ous,
woGld only be eon 5ectzre. He mast haxs
seen the storm coming for when -
stopped az the Tones' re<s3eaee h called
their attention - black cIas.s n IA.
zorth- ard % the peculiz- xziIs-~ e "a.
Wind that always forbo.aes s-o-ua- az.s
urged them 20 make haste. not onIE On
their daughters aeroznt- bat their owr
Then he g-lloped Away. 70 6xht The eIe-
rents and die They found ki- thr~e
DAYS Afterwards within a quarter %
mile Of Dr. Tyier's house Three min
Hte< Of the ten would have save-i him
They buried him On his claim uz,s@r
the cottonwood grove that he had plazr-
ed A wooden slab AZ his bead rs.sas-