The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1893-04-27

FAs xg-IA III tnlng. 10 De sure,
dt9sSf115SN9}SYN he often read in the
tM-zi '~sfs'sN" Eastern papers that
bl:zzard had swept over his State and
had done all sorts of dreadful things.
Brt it had never come his way, and he
firmly believed that these stories were
,be malicious inventions of dishonest
newspaper correspondents in the pay OF
railroads. and town-site companies
anxious to divert immigration from Da.
kOta Stills used to inveigh against
these cruel stories bitterly. To mention
the word "blizzard" in his presence was
tbe signal for such storm of protest as
suggested that if he had never actually
encountered one he kept the possibility
Of it always with him.
Stills was proving up" on a claim
not far from the city of Watertown. He
kept grocery store in the city, but left
| 1t early every afternoon in charge of his
brother so as to be able to sleep on his
calm. He had to walk four miles across
tie prairie, but he argued that the
waking did him good, and it became at
At very simple matter. He left town
Que afternoon in February, little later
an usual, but still IN ample time to
nah his shack before dark. 1t had
iaa warm, beautiful day. The sun
hablazed out of a perfectly clear sky,
and, although the air was sharp, every
body had gone around with his top-coat
on bis arm, if, indeed, he had bothered
with it at all, Stills knew that the
Weather changed quickly sometimes,
sad be never ventured on his long walk
without plenty of protection. So he
took his coat with him-a heavy, old
time bufalo-with his arm looped over
u and his hands in his trousers pockets.
Nothing momentous is apt to occur
nowadays in walk across a Dakota
prairie. The Indians, wolves, buffalo
snd everything else of former interest
pswgone forever. Gophers shoot around
arough the grass, but gophers are as
mall OF account as sparrows in New
iork or turkey buzzards in Trinidad.
now and then jack rabbit would rear
lmsell on his hind legs, point his long
n toward you and bound feetly away.
Eometlmes coyote would bark shrilly
II beyond in the distance, and it might
possible to catch a glimpse of him,
ua once in great while you might
a@ole on colony of dogs. But when
lnese incidents had occurred the pos
0iltles oil the prairies were exhausted,
puyou were left to your own resources
y entertainment. In this aspect of his
4ss o'ilts was fortunate. He had little
'llnk OF, but he possessed the rare
suny az will of not thinking at all, and
Suiu move on, mile after mile, without
'lls conscious of anything.
w .ne February afternoon l men.
s'su suits was thus occupied, that is,
4, "@ s pioddlng along mechanically
~ n's mind in condition of simple
rS'e, suddenly, and as if awakened
s,.a aeamiess sleep, the thought APP
sl'u IN his mind that he was cold. It
probably been there quite a while
"s ne perceived it, for now that he
peicelVe 1t, he seemed to recollect
,. m sort OF way that he had been
.,' sDIe Time uneasy. He reassumed
os.s VI MS mental operations and
sin vim !. a'onnd him. Something queer
t.. ~ Tue AR. When he last noticed
rs' ,s 'ne weather was clear, sunny and
IN M, .... NOW 1t was very cold, and the
|,,as sss'nea eSi to deepen profoundly every
,s" Inc northern and eastern skies
,'a uead gray in color, and the south.
st western wore sickly red hue.
,soSphere ,s,a9 was strangely still
~. n'ck. There was no sun
. ~ ~. ana get it could not
s,sS S0ue down. Stills was op-
po a. ne seemed to feel that some.
s.eaalul was about to happen.
b,S saa ~ 10 take his bearings. Less tnan
A.oI mile in front of HIM he saw
FOR an instant he could
ted vu' !. plainly, and yet, even as he
r.' seemed to become indistinct.
,ss @ oe,ween him and the house
v Will ueep cou.ee, and he fixed the
Il !, n,s ~, eyes where he wanted to
Een,.. , These observations, from the
4 |sht ~ oonu s OF time when he first
N A. '. ne ielt cold, had certainly con-
the ent;r mure than three minutes, but
! ieu !. sn',re dome above him was
Z ihe t;ma us snack | was lost to view, and
p buttoussaa s as mad got his big coat Ion
ck uo,;e ea up he was sensible of
''u o. the air aud a distant