The age-herald., 1898-02-13

from behind. Then came serious trouble. The road had become a glassy slide of ice, and horses, buggy and I suddenly slid downward like a shot. The horses fell heavily, but fortunately they were so in- tellgent that they lay still as soon as spoke to them.
 When had managed after much work to get them on their feet again I was at my wits ends to how to get down that deadly slope Climbing back was out of the question. Both horses had worn their shoes off and their hoofs would not hold. Finally I took off my boots and walked in my stocking feet to get some grip on the ground. So I led the animals, but every few feet one of them would fall and slide, dragging everything with him.
 Put Socks on the Horses
 Seeing that the chances were that I would lose one or both beasts at that rate, l stopped and got three pairs of heavy socks out of my valise. I put one on one fore and one on one hind hoof of each horse, saving the rest for reserve supply, and we managed to reach the valley at last
 It was pitch dark now and the work of hunting for a ford across the stream in the storm was anything but pleasant. Fin ally we reached a place where there were marks as if somebody had crossed recently, but tie banks were three feet above the surface of the swollen river, and every thing was sheeted in ice. drove the team to the bank, but could not coax them to go beyond the edge of ice. The river roared angrily, the water was swift and as black as ink and the horses trembled with fear. But cross we must. for the snow was stop ping and the feared northwest wind was beginning. Already it bitterly cold and I knew that in few hours it would be death to be without shelter. I crawled on the wagon tongue, held both brave horses by the brdle and made a speech to them in the most gentle tones that could command. I patted them and coaxed them. No go. At last thrust one foot into the water and stirred it up, begging with all my heart. Come Fanny. Come Jimmy"
 They Plunged
 Suddenly Fanny plunged in. Jimmy fol- lowed, and I went into the freezing water with them. I braced up and led them till we reached the other bank. Then we had enormous trouble to get up, but managed 1t finally, and, striking a good road, found a house after driving about twenty-five minutes.
 The house whose light shone on through the blizzard was only a small log cabin, but no grand hotel in Europe or America had even seemed so inviting to me. Even the huge dog, who tried to make supper of me, seemed like a friend. I was soaking wet under my outside gar ments, which were stiff with ice, and my hands and feet were helpless Jumps. young man giant with curling blonde hair, came to the door, He looked like an an- gel to me.
 How in the world did you get down here without being killed?" he asked in surprise. Before could answer he noted my ice-covered clothes and exclaimed: My goodness, you've been in the creek. Drive as quick as you can up the road. You'll find big farmhouse and a barn just ahead, and you'll be best off there."
 tried to thank him, but he said: "No, no, not now. Hurry, hurry, you need shelter. I'll see you tomorrow" The horses seemed to understand. for they ran as if they had been resting all day. When we reached the big house I could not get out. I was frozen so that I was helpless But the dear, good people there-Pennsyl- vania Germans-soon had me before a fire, and though the supper was only pork, po- tatoes and tea, I promise you it was de- licious
 Blizzard Bound
 was blizzard-bound there for three days. The thermometer was twenty-five degrees below zero most of the time, and it was as much as any one could do to go as far as the barn to look after the horses The air was full of ice needles that cut the face and hands cruelty.
 Of these good people and their kindness to an utter stranger also of the two pretty daughters, Anna and Susan, and how the blacksmith cut me out with one and a schoolmaster, months after, the other, must tell some other time.
 started again early on Tuesday morn- ing and made only twenty miles, stopping over night with some Scandinavian settlers. On the next evening, in the middle of prairie, with the temperature five degrees below zero, the forward axle suddenly broke under and all my belongings pitched out on the frozen ground. Among them was the brandy bottle most pre- cious thing in winter travelling snatched a broken half and got nip out of 1t be- fore it was all gone
 Took to Shank's Horses
 The axle could not be repaired without tools, so pulled it out of the road loaded my valises and blankets on the horses. and started to walk across what seemed a limitless plain. Look as would, there was no sign of a living being in sight It was savage, desolate.
 I walked ahead of the horses which had been trained to follow me like dogs. Af- ter marching about five or six miles l saw light ahead and soon reached a tumble down fence. Then I saw a house, which looked not only uninviting, but sinister. A broad-shouldered, dark woman, whose un- combed hair and unpleasant face made her look like a witch, came to the door and demanded what was doing on the prairie in the night. Behind her were three vil- lainous looking men. One of them told me to clear out as quickly as I could. I cleared. Luckily the men had not seen my horses. The training I had given them proved fortunate, for had they not become accustomed to following me at distance I would have had trouble with the gang. as they turned out to be horse thieves who had terrorized the country round about. This I discovered when I reached another house late that night. It was the stage station, and the men there told me that my horses certainly would have been taken had they been seen.
 When I went back that way In the spring