The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-03-03

Former Richmonder Tells About Fight
He Had for Life.

The following realistic description Of
personal peril and suffering is by a
former Richmond boy. r.. w. Manly,
who for the last twelve years or more
has lived In Kansas. 1t is an extract
from a family letter, and shows wildly
some conditions that are incident 10
life in the West:
/ am going to try to give you in this
letter some idea OF this country in cold
weather, and some experiences ] have
had in the late Billiards, which are
simply duplicates Of many others, and
which we take here as a matter OF course.
A week ago last Friday the wind was
in the northwest ana blowing furOusly,
driving the snow before 1t as 1t can only
do in a prairie country or at sea, but
there was no SUCH tnlnS as not going 10
town, since the coal was low, 10 say MOTH
ing Of the other supplies. We have no
thermometer, and | was really little de-
ceiVed IN the temperature, or l would
have tried 10 make some kind OF shift
70 avoid the trip, for life Is often lost
in these storms, and l have experienced
enough OF them TO fully realize their
danger. The "trip TO town was made
without serious inconvenience, although
the snow driven by the gale v as so thick
that the limit of sight was only about
two rods ahead Of the horses, and my
general direction being east and south
east the wind was at my back; but /
could see IL was getting colder, and the
snow already fallen was beginning TO
drive and drift before the wind that was
increasing in violence.
All went well till | turned north on
the only mile / had u travel north, when
the snow, driving into the eyes and caus-
ing the tears 10 flow freely, soon MAD
ice gathering on the eye "Winkers,' ana
before an eighth of a mile was travelled
the two sets OF lashes had caught and
frozen together. leaving me blind for the
rest of the mile, except as l would thaw
one eve out at a time with the palm OF
my hand and get an occasional glimpse
of a
fenced on bOht sides there was no danger
of getting lost, and town was only Two
and 4 half miles ahead.
This matter OF the eyes freezing shut
II common in these storms, and presents
one Of the most stliCUs CANCERS IN being
out in the bliZzarIs. l now began 10
figure on now the trip home was going
TO be made, as / must travel squarely IN
the eye of the wind large share OF
tie way. There was a large quantity OF
sage aGVlcc given by friends IN town
not to try It; but it had to be done TO
prevent anxiety on the part OF home
felix's" to say nothing of other reasons.
The Thermometer when L started for
home registered ten degrees below zero,
and they told me II had been falling All
the forenoon and 30 far into the after
noon. [ WraIIed up well, turned my
coat collar no, and drew my cap down
over my eyes, and covered my face with
a thin silk handkerchief loaned me for
The roads were now badly dEfted. and
I had to be very careful in driving, as
the handkt rchief, which made an ele-
CANT protection for the eyes. made see
ing sin more indefinite. | was getting
along nicely, however, until going down
a slope at a good gait. IAushed into
deep drift and down went both horses
Inn after a good deal OF flcundering and
MANY noble efforts. they regained their
footing. and, turning 10 one side, got
into shallower snow
/ now began, to debate the subject OF
dispensing WIN .,'e nei!s era ,h saoad
would be hard TO keep. l have travelled
This same road for twelve years, but the
limited sight, the drfted snow and the
terrible wind made IL a strange land 10
me. and ! had to depend a great deal
on the team TO tell where L was; a..
wind that had been blowing on the right
side OF my face was blowing full on the
left side. and | realized at once that the
team had left the road and were going
north instead OF west. I now saw | had
to dispense with my face covering and