Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1894-09-21
IN THE STORM.

was likely to mako 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 O hard task to which he had set
his hand, to carve home from the broad
prairie, and to DO alone in the doing of 1t.
He had not much money, and so went
where land was cheap, far beyond the 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 rudG
hut Of sods.
Towards first years crops had done
we'll, 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 schoolhouse chimney for the first
time.
80 they have found teacher " he said
to himself. II suppose it Is all right. But
I dare say it's girl-they always get girls
out here-and she's bound to have a hard
time of It. Girls that have to earn their
own living ought to stay cast It's bad
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 hillocks in
the land.
One day Howard looked In his flour bar
rel and In his potato sack and found that
supplies were getting low. 1t was 10 miles
to the nearest town. Early the next morn
ing he hitched up his team and started
off, on the way passing the schoolhouse.
There boy was just starting the fires.
He had hardly completed his errands In
the town and started back when a sudden
storm came up, a terrible blizzard, such as
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 school
mistress and her little charges had been
on his mind all day. He did not know
who she was, had never heard her name,
bOou uSI OIlg hCAOSo OliO NAoOeAhSO "a
the white fields, but he knew she was a
woman who was struggling alone to make
her way in the world. This fact appealed
to him.
The storm had come so 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, driv
ing, freezing storm. AS for Howard, he
was already in the fight, and it was only
O question whether he should try to re-
turn to town or push on few miles far
ther He felt instinctively that man
was needed at the sohoolhouse He pushed
steadily forward.
The snow drove about him and covered
the track and blinded him. 1t stung where
1t struck his face and hands. 1t froze upon
his beard and upon the harness Of his
horses. More than once he thought he he'd
lost the way and halted and CROPPED 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 1t was cow
ardly to give up so he urged the horses
forward again. Then he sank into a leth-
argy and the cold began to do its work
upon him. Suddenly he was aroused. The
horses had stopped, and house doomed
up before him, dimly seen through the
storm. Howard drew up his stitfened
limbs and stumbled from the wagon and
threw himself against the door. 1t 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 the dim
light Of the room this Is what he saw: A
dozen children huddled about stove, in
which there was only tho 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 If 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, "Susiep' 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
we'll 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 ak,
and going out into the storm once more
began to demolish his wagon. From 1t he
made q great armful Of frewood 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 wait. 1t was quite night
when the last stick from his wagon had
been burned and the storm abated. Then
from all about anxious parents came
streaming toward the sohoolhouse, plow-
ing their way through drifts, and finding
their children safe were glad to join in
the congratulations that Howard frankly
told them were in order.
1t was not very difficult now to persuade
Susie to give up her idea Of making her
own way in the world. But the children
were not willing to give up their teacher.
| So compromise was effected, after the
wedding, by moving the sohoolhouse over
ON to Towards claim. And there for
many q day Susie taught, while Howard
titled his land, and together they built a
home that was In every way deserving of