The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1890-02-13
CAUGHT IN A BLIZZARD.

| IL was in connection with hiy-nauliun
/ in ono Of the msrsiIy, unsettled town.
/ ships of Iowa that there occurred an in.
| cidcnt Of extreme peril, OF fortitudc and
/ intelligent exercise of the faculties amid
great danger, which, at the timc it came
| 10 light. was almost lost sight Of in our
interest to the widespread caiamitic,
which fell upon our unprcparcd neigh.
| bor- on the more newly settled prairies
! OF the North aud West.
The little railway station of Dupont.
| in one the thiuly settled districts, was
| built entirely in the interests of the hay.
| pressing business, for which the unin.
habitrd flats of Lowland and Gull Lake
townships furnished thousands OF tons Of
| grass.
over this tract, dozen mile. in cX-
| tens, us far back from the railway as hay
can be- hauled with profit are scattered
every summer 'hc camp, Of the haymak
/ crs, and the low ricks or "Stuchs" grow
and accumulate until they dot the prairie
! so thickly rs to become for the time the
! distinguishing feature ol tn" landscape.
There arc at the station large hay barns.
! containing steam presses, to which, from
September until April, the hay is hauled
slowed and balc1, ready for shipment.
Among those who were hauling hav at
the time oi the great storm were Dick
Jordan aui his Small brother Orr, little
| fellow, too young to attend school rcgu-
, larly, who went along on pleasant days
to tramp down the hay in the frame of
the biz rack.
1t had been pleasant enough for Orr
to 20 on every trip that week up to the
night Of the blizzard. and the day was so
warm and tine that Dicks sisters, .Icanic
and Carrie, younger than himself but older
than Orr, obtained the permission OF their
teacher To 90 home at recess, in order
that they might go with their brothers
for ride to the hay field. Their mother
had promised that they should 20 upon
the first warm day after slcighing came
They arrived at the house Just as Dick
and Orr drove up for lunch, before go
ing after their last load for the day, and
ms 1t would he dark before they could
get back, the girls, too got each slice
of bread and cold meat TO MUNICH on the
road.
Dick spread two heavy horse blankets.
which were always carried in winter to
throw over his horses when standing.
| upon one ol the bottom bDasdS of the
rack, and seated .lcanic aud Carrie upon
them. Then, little dreaming what was
before them. the brothers and sisters
drove swiftly out upon new sleigh road
which Tel them for several miles over a
prairie almost rs level ~ 4 barn floor.
The htystaCks were reached, aud
while the boys worked at their loading,
the little girls raced about, tumblcd in
the hay, or rolled snowbtlls rs they
pleased.
The load of hay WIS taken from the
bottom OF a stack around which the
snow had driftcd, thawcd and frozen
until mucl of the outside hay had 10 he
cut loose with an axe or freed with u
shovel, bo,h OF which implements Dick
carried for that parposc 1t took much
longer than usual 10 load upon this
occasion, and evening was already draw
ing on when finally the little girls were
helped upon the load and the team wa,
turned toward home.
II had been mild and thawing all day
so mild, indeed, that Dick had feared
this would he their last trip with sleigh
until snow should come again; but rs he
climbed upon the load to stalt for home,
he noticed that q heavy gray bank had
formed across the western sky, and that
1t seemed to he growing thick overhead.
The mir nad suddenly become rather
chilly.
Tie told his brothers and sisters that it
would snow before thcy got home, and
that they had better "cuddlc down in
the hay and throw the horse blankets
over their laps. lie drove forward for
II few minutes, urging the horses to Il
hull-irot, and uncnsily glancing toward
the dcns' gray bank, winch rapidly
overcast the west aud north, aud threw a
gloom and cold in advance, as it ap-
preached.
The darkness came ON rapidly, and
soon the roar Of high wind broke upon
Dick ears.
"lt's 20 blizzard" he thought, with
alarm, for he had been born upon the
Northwest prairies and knew the danger
of being caught out upon that moved
! fiat, so far from any house, for the near
est dwelling was that of farmer across
! Gull Lake, two miles aud half TO the
southeast.
He had not much time to think or to
exercise his fears before the great storm
was upon them.
1t was nothing less than a hurricane
from the beginning, and at the first fierce
gust the big unwieIdy rack careenei with
its load so that the little girls screened
with fright, and the horses stopped and
! stood turning their heads away from the
| pelting slcet which drove down at the
first burs, Of the storm,
The air was filled instantly with this
driving ice.
Dick shouted at the animals and
slapped at them with the lines, bu. the"