The Colored citizen. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1894-1894, 1894-10-29
IN THE STORM.

pered the refusal little by explaining 10
him that she liked him quite rs well as
anybody, but she had certain ideas about
independence and winning her own way
In the world, and she wanted to be free to
follow those to their logical conclusion
Ben Howard did his best TO prove to her
the futility OF these notions and wasted q
good deal Of valuable time In the effort.
When he saw that no eloquenoe of his
was likely to make Susie Barton change
her mind, he packed together his few be-
longings and started toward the land on
which his eyes had long and longingly
been set-the Dakotas.
1t was hard task to which he had cot
his hand; to carve home from the broad
prairie, and to be alone In the doing Of 1t.
He had not much money, and SO went
where land was cheap, far beyond tho out
post of settlers. He took up his claim and
paid his entry fee, that gave him the right
to call the land his own, and built q rude
hut of sods.
Howard's first years crops had done
well, and after the winter was ON he per
mitted himself to add some comforts to
the bare equipment Of his home and
bought some books and prepared to get
through the dreary, lonesome time as best
he could.
The long, cold winter of the north was
fairly on when Howard, looking from his
door one morning, saw smoke ascending
from the sohoolhouse chimney for the first
time.
$50 they have found teacher, he sAid
to himself. Il suppose 10 is all right. But
dare say It's girl--they always get girls
out here-and she's bound to have hard
time Of 1t. Girls that have to earn their
own living ought to stay east. It's bud
enough out here for man."
The SHOWS came, and the whole rolling
plain lay white and glistening from hori-
zon to horizon. The cattle had been
brought In from the fields and hidden In
the sheds that now were covered with the
snow, and so made only little hillooks In
the land.
One day Howard looked In his -four bar
rel and In his potato sack and found that
supplies were getting low. Itwas 10 miles
to the nearest town. Early the next morn
Ing he hitohed up his team and started
of, on the way passing the sohoolhouse.
There boy was just starting the fires.
He had hardly completed his errands In
the town and started back when sudden
storm came up, q terrible blizzard, such ~
only the wide plains Of the frozen north
can know. 1t would have been the part
OF wisdom for Howard to turn and get to
shelter as quickly as he could In the town.
But somehow the Thought of the sohool-
mistress and her little charges had been
on his mind all day. He did not know
who she was, had never heard her name,
had seen her only across the distance Of
the white fields, but he knew she was q
woman who was struggling alone TO make
her way in the world. This fact appealed
to him.
The storm had come % suddenly that no
one would dare to venture out until Its
fury was spent The girl and her pupils
would be alone In the schoolhouse, prison.
ers perhaps for many terrible hours. Even
the people nearest would not. dare try to
make their way there, for they could not
hope TO battle against the binding, driy
ing, freezing storm. As for Howard, he
was already In the fight, and 1t was only
q question whether he should try to re-
turn to town or push on q few miles far
thcr. He felt instinctively that q man
was needed at the schoolhouse. He pushed
steadily forward.
The snow drove about him and covered
the track and blinded him. 1t stung where
II struck his face and hands. 1t froze upon
his beard and upon the harness Of his
horses. More than once he thought he had
lost the way and halted and groped about
for the road. He became chilled, so that
he could hardly move, could hardly guide
his horses. Once he felt It was no use to
battle further and stopped, and the storm
ragged about him. But he knew it was cow
ardly to give up, so he urged the horses
forward again. Then he sank into leth-
argy, and the cold began to do Its work
upon him. Suddenly he was aroused The
horses had stopped, and q house ioomed
up before him, dimly seen through the
storm. Howard drew up his stiffened
limbs and stumbled from the wagon and
threw himself against the door. It opened,
and he half fell inside, carrying with him
great gusts of chilling wind and snow.
As soon as he had brushed the snow
from his eyes and become used to ths dim
light of the room this Is what he saw: A
dozen children huddled about a stove, In
which there was only the least spark Of
fire, and a woman standing upright, look.
ing at him with white face, but with an
intensity of questioning that seemed to
ask IL he were man or ghost Half dazed
with cold and suffering as he was, that
look brought him to himself He said but
one word, "Susie" and opened his arms.
And the next moment he held her TO him
and was pressing his frozen beard against
her cheek.
A man may be warmed from within as
well as from without. He forgot his hours
Of suffering and battling with the storm.
He put aside her questioning and all
thought of himself. The fire in the stove
gave out only the least glimmering Of heat.
The fuel was all gone, and the children
shook with cold Howard seized the az,
and going out into the storm once moro
began to demolish his wagon. From it he
made a great aImful of 1rewocd and
brought it In, and he added it on the fire.
Then he managed TO get his horses out Of
the harness and brought them into the
schoolroom. Then he sat down with Susie
to falkland TO walt. 1t was quite night
when the last stick from his wagon had
been h'.-ned and the storm abated. Then
from aI about anxious parents came
streaming toward the schoolhouse, plow
ing their way through drifts, and finding
their children safe were glad TO join In
| tho copurafulafiona that Howard frankly