Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1893-12-28


fireplace in the living room. drinking
their coffee after 4 late dinner. The
lights We're not liz and the family sat in
the tiickcring light Of 4 bic fire Of
cracking pine logs. which threw out
quaint shadows in every direction. This
party was the usual enc that yearly
gathered at Jack NalStons to spend the
Christmas holidays With him and his
family. As they sat iii the cheerful
warmth and glow Of the fire they list
encd to the fearful storm that roarch
outside. A blizzard had been raging for
the past three days. the wind howlod
and Shrieled through the mountain
peaks. driving the faSt-taling snow be-
fore il and piliny it up in immense
drifts against every obstruction 1t
was Il bitter. biting. cold wind. too, rs it
tore through the valley like a demon
seeking whom it might destroy. doing
its utmost to completely bury the house
from view in the snow; but. sheltered
us 1t was by two giant rocks. one on
each side. with the mountain side 1T its
back. the house was safe in its snug lit
tie spot. even from the storms greatest
fury The inclcmcnt weather had kept
the men indoors. and they We're grum-
bling over their enforced dlencSs. and
Dragged about the amount of game
they would have baggrd had they only
been able to get out
Say. Jack. It's some time vet before
midnight. Can't You spin us IL YARN"
finally said Bobby CaruthcrS. after Il
long pause in the conversation.
"Wrll. l. was jus, thinking" said
Jack. of just such a night rs This.
fifteen years ago. when. if it had not
been for the pluck of that little woman
EOnier. ] would not be here tonight TO
50" the New Year come in" and he
SaZ"d Hondly 1T his wife, who still
locked like young woman as she sat
III the tiickcring light. although on Ole
SIZE SAT h"r son, Il fair Young giant. and
on the other her daughter. Il beautiful
Slfl Just DlcSSonliny into WOmanhoOd.
Lets have it, came in a chorus from
the party.
We'll, fill yonr pipes, and I'll tell
You my story. You sec. fifteen years
ago ! wasn't as prosperous as | am
now was just starting out rlnchng,
had only been here some three years.
then. and where this house now stands
we only mad Il small log cabin. Young
Jack over there WAS only six years old
ut the time and Miss Edith was tr0tting
round, a young three year-ol1 The
winter had opened badly: snow had
come very early and with it bitter cold
weather. We lad plenty of fuel so We
managed to keep warm enough. The
CABIN was in the same spot as this
house now is, SO the two big rocks
helped to keep off the ficrceness Of the
"lnu, nut We We're completely buried
under the snow 50 that we bad to dig a
tunnel from the front door out into the
open air. Myself and all the boys were
kept mighty busy taking forage out to
spots where the cattle could get ut it,
and so not starry" to death. Well, one
morning about two weeks before
Christmas, after Il heavy snowfall.
started out with all hands on one of
these trips. intending to gather all the
cattle together as mach rs possible. and
to build some large hay -stacks. so thai
they would have plenty of food fol-
some time; also. rs our grub was get
ting very low. we were going to push
through to Dolores to provision up fol
the rest Of the winter in case we
couldn't get through again for some
time. / also wanted to get the Christ
mas presents for the kids; so told the
little wife not to be anxious if l didn
show up for several days.
We'll. we all started. only lravin;
on" Of the boys behind who had Beer
sick and wasn't quite well yet. w
had the deuca's own job fixing up tit
cattle and getting through the Dolores
1t took lis over Il week. and several o
4 tho boys were badly frost-bitten. vi
were ready in Il few lays to push bacl
again, but another heavy snowfall
came. and another, and another. uni
really it seemed to he snow'n: all III
Iilnc. The days slipped by. one by one