The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-08-04
IN TEETH OF THE STORM.
BY JAMES KNAPP REEVE

Whom Bon asked her II she would
marry him, she said "No." After this
she tempered tho refusal little by ex-
planning to him that sho liked him
quite rs well as anybody. but she had
certain ideas about Independence and
winning her own way In tho world. and
she wanted to DO free 10 follow these to
their logical conclusion. Ben Howard
did his best to prove to hor the futIlIty
Of these notions. and Easted good deal
OF valuable time in tho effort
Valuable time. you understand, be.
cause Ben Howard was young fellow
and had his own way 10 make in tho
world, too. Tho Ohio farm had done
well enough for HE father, and it had
brought up and clothed aud fed and cd.
ucat0d quite flock OF young Towards,
but there was not enough OF It 10 divide
up and give them each farm, 80 Ben
was going out into tho big world to
make one OF bis own.
When no saw TINT no cloquence Of his
was likely 10 mako Susie Barton change
her mind, he packed together his few
belongings md started toward tho land
on which his ey0s had long aud long.
ingfy been sct-thc DakotaS.
II was hard task to which he had
set his hand, to carve homo from the
broad prairie, and 10 be aIono in tho do.
ing oIit. He bad notmu money, and
so went where land was cheap. Ia. be-
yond tho outpost OF settlers. Ho took
up his claim and paid his entry fec.
that gave him tho right TO call tho land
his own, built rudo hut Of gods. and
put his hand literally to tho plowlnE.
This was In the spring. II Ben had
not boon a littlo heartsore, no would
have enjoyed this struggle with nature.
Hc took keen Joy in turning tho virgin
soil, in sowing the grain, in seeing II
start into life In bright, green spears
above tho brown mold. II was not go
very bad, US long Us he could labor hard
all day and at night lilo down to tho
sweet sleep that he had earned. But it
was different thing when winter came.
But am getting ahead Of my story.
Many things happened out there on tho
broad Dakota prairie before winter
camo toiL The railroad camo. running
so near Howard's claim that no could
eco the smoke from the cnGines on a
cloar dav. And with tho railroad, poo.
pie came. It emptied them out rs II an
cneuto had taken place. Other sod
houses spfaRg up, dotting oil the wide
expanse as il by magic, and hcre and
thcro somo forchanded aettleT put up O
house Of boards, the wonder and envy
and admiration Of all his uoighbore.
Towards first years crops had done
we'll, and after the winter was on no
permitted himself to add some COM
iorts to the baro equipment OF his home,
and bought some books and prepared TO
get through the dreary, lonesome time
as hest no could.
Perhaps It was because Of these books
that tho other settlers came to Howard
when the school project was first
preached. With truo American in.
stinct they had no sooner established
their homes than they began to think
about the education OF their childrcn.
Howard told them ho would help tho
matter on all no could, but. having no
children OF his own, nor much prospect
OF any, no would not put himself in the
front. So whom tho house was being
built No worked sturdily at il, and
when II was finished wont back to to
his own place and gave little thought
again to tho school.
The long, cold winter OF tho north
was fairly on when Howard, looking
from his door onc morning. saw smoke
ascending from the schoolhouse ehim-
nov for tho first timo,
so thoy have found teacher he
said TO himself. ~ suppose 1t Ia all
right. But darc cay it's u girl-they
always got girls out here-and she's
hound to have hnrd time OF II, Girls
that have 10 earn their own living ought
to etay cast. It's bad enough out hero
! for n man."
Tho snowe cane, and tho whole roll
ing plain lay white and gIistening from
horizon to horizon. Tho cattle had
been brought in from tho fields and hid.
den in the sheds that now were covered
with tho snow, and so made only little
white hiilocks in tho land. Tho mon,
having nothing 10 DO out Of doors, kept
| inside md waited for the winter to pass
Almost no sign Of lifc broke tho whito
monotonv except tho little columns Of
smoke ascending hero aud there, and
| teacher und pupils making thoir way
through the snow each day 10 the
achoolnouse. Howard found his chief
occupation now, besides his books. III
watching them come and go at morning
| and nj night
Ono dav Howard looked In his flour
barrel and in his potato sack and found
that supplies were getting low. It was
ton mica TO tho nearest town. Early
tho next morning to hisched up his
team and startod oil, on tho way passing
the school house, where boy was Just
starting the iiros. uo had hardly com.
plctch his pyramids in tho town and
started back whom sudden storm cNmo
IN, tcrriblo blizzard, such as only the
wide plains OF tho frozen north can
know. 1t would havo been tho part Of
vision for Howard to turn and get TO
slcItct as quickly as lie could in the
town.
But, somchow. tho thought Of tho
school mistress and her little charges
had been in his mind all day. uo did
not know who she was. had never hoard
her name, hnd.s her only across tho
distance Of tho white folds, but no know
sho was a woman who was struggling
alone 10 mako her why in tho world.
ri, T., Fn,1 onpno1nd IN him