The Princeton union., 1893-12-28

a' Iue huge open
fireplace in the living room, drinking
their coffee after 4 late dinner. The
Nights were not lit and the family sat in
the Pickering light of a big fire Of
cracking pine logs, which threw out
quaint shadows in every direction. This
party was the usual one, that yearly
Christmas holidays with him and his
family. AS they sat in the cheerful
warmth and glow Of the fire they list
ened to the fearful storm that roared
outside. A blizzard had been raging for
ahc past three days, the wind howled
and shricked through the mountain
peaks. driving the fast-falling snow be-
forc it and piling it up in immense
drifts against every obstruction. 1t
was bitter, biting, cold wind, too, as it
bore through the valley like demon
seeking whom it might destroy, doing
Its utmost to completely bury the house
from view in the snow; but sheltered
as it was by two giant rocks, one on
each side with the mountain side at it's
back, the house was safe in it's snug lit
tie spot, even from the storms greatest
fury. The inclement weather had kept
the men indoors, and they were grum-
bling over their enforced idleness, and
Dragged about the amount Of game
they would have bagged had they only
been able to get out.
Say, Jack. it's some time yet before
midnight. Can't you spin us yarn?"
finally said Bobby Caruthers, after q
long pause in the conversation.
Well, was just thinlsing," said
Jack, "of just such a night rs this,
nfteen years ago, when, If it had not
been for the pluck Of that little woman
yonder, l would not be here tonight to
zee the New Year come in,' and he
gazed fondly at his wife, who still
looked like young woman as she sat
IN the fl1ckering light, although on one
side sat her son, fair young giant, and
on the other her daughter, a beautiful
Shrl just blossOming into womanhood.
Lets have it," came in a chorus from
the party '1'
well, fill your pipes, and, III tell
you my story. You see, fifteen wears
ago wasn't as prosperous as am
now. / was just starting out ranching.
had only been here some three wears
then, and where this house now stands
we only had small log cabin. Young
Jack over there was only six years old
nj the time and Miss Edith was trotting
sound, young three-year-old The
winter had opened badly; snow had
come very early, and with it bitter cold
weather. We had plenty of fuel, so we
managed to keep warm enough, Thel
cabin was in the same SPOT as this
house now is, so the two big rocks
helped to keep off the fierceness of the
wind; but we were completely buried
under the snow so that we had to DIG 4
tunnel from the front door out into the
open air. Myself and all the boys were
Rept mighty busy taking forage out to
Spots where the cattle could get at it.
ana so not starve to death. Well, one
morning, about two weeks before
Chrlstmas, after heavy snowfall, i
STARTED out with all hands on one Of
%hese trips. intending to gather all the
<attle together as much as possible, and
10 build some large hay-stacks, so that
They would have plenty of food for
some time; also, rs our grub was get
nng very low, we were going to push
tnfough to Dolores to provision up for
ne rest OF the winter in case we
couldn't get through again for some
ume. L also wanted to get the Christ
mas presents for the kids; 80 I told the
little wife not to be anxious if I didn't
show up for several days.
wen, we all started, only leaving
one Of the boys behind, who haG been
sick and wasn't quite well yet. We
mad the deuce's own job fixing I'D the
catue and getting through the Dolores.
IL took us over Il week, and several of
the boys We're badly frost-bitten. We
were ready In q few lays to push back
again' out another heavy snowfall
came, and another, and another, until
really it seemed to be showing all the
dine. The days slipped by, one by one,