The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-11-04
IN THE BLIZZARD.
CFrom the Buffalo News.l

more time over it,
William Reade, a prosperous builder,
turned to his mail with an air that
showed plainly that the discussion was
at an end. Nevertheless, Chadwick, his
head clerk. fingered, and said. hesitat-
ingly: Mr.. Henderson is apparently
willing to make important concessions,
sir"
IN return for which" Mr.. Reade re-
torted, 7 am expected TO make equally
important concessions I won't do II
and that settles it, Chadwick
Very well, sir and Chadwick with
drew 10 the outer othce, where ne re-
marked to a fellow clerk: The old man
is as obstinate as ever. Theres no
moving him"
'+once he gets his mind made up, you
might as well try to bridge the NOrlh
river with a wish as to persuade MN 10
change
terly, it's clearly for his interest 70
accept Henderson's proposition He'll
lose money if he doesn't, but that's ms
lookout, and I suppose the rest OF Us
are not called on to worry over It
The clerks went at their work. and
for some time there was silence IN the
Office Nobody entered from without,
and it looked as II the entire day might
pass without a caller, for 1t was storm
ing furf0usly- The great blizzard OF
February, 1899, had begun Not all the
clerks IN MI EEGAQE ) empty nav IL
ported for duty, and the employer him
self had been an hour late in arriving
at the office. Presently MI Reade came
from his private room. dressed 10 go
out He paused at Chadwick's desk.
I'm going up to Rowland PARK, ne
said. and may not be back until Late
in the afternoon"
But. Mr.. Reade.'' exclaimed Chad
wick. with a glance at the snoW-en-
crusted windows, do you think you
can get back at all. even If you are able
.-l- ~hmaae rNnnw
I planned yesterday to 60 up to
day" was the employers reply. and
see no reason for changing my plan
Matters viii be quiet here, which IS an
added reason Tor leaving the office N
your charge"
That settles it. grumbled Chadwick.
iuaudibly, after Mr.. Reade had gone
out II Old Obstinacy had made up
his mind to go. he'd start, even though
the drifts were over the tops OF the
houses"
At that moment the drifts in the city
streets were by no means impossible.
A great force of the unemployed had
been provided with shOvels, and in
many places they cleared the sidewalks
of snow as fast as IL fell. This was
the case in the vicinity of Mr.. Reade's
Office. and as he STROBE sturdtly in the
direction of the nearest L station he re-
necred with cOnt6mptuOuS Impotence
on the suggestion of his clerk that he
should postpone his trip on account Of
the storm
q
ergy and determination they'd accom-
plish something worth while" he said
to himself.
Rowland Park. his destination. was
the name given to a tract of land re-
Gently opened up for residential build
ing in that extensive and in some
senses unknown region north of the
Harlem It was within the boundaries
OF New York city, but SO remote from
the business section of Manhattan Is
land that comparatively few people
knew just where ii was. even if they
mad ever heard Of It's existence.
There was little enough excuse for
ignorance. however. for during the past
few months the Dillboards of the city
haQ been Dlastered with faring an
nouncements of its desirabihty as a To-
cation for homes. own your own
house" was the bait held out to pur-
cnaseTS, and the principle on which a
land company had laid out new streets.
marked of building les and even be-
gun the erection Of a score of hoglses.
MI Reade had the contract for the
building operations, and every now and
then he went up to see how things were
getting on.
He found trains running on the Sec
ond avenue line with satisfactory regu-
lartty, and though there were several
delays before he arrived a the terminal
station, II did not occur to him to be
ANXIOUS about further progress But
when he went down the station stairs
and looked for a trolley car to take him
two or three miles further. he saw no
sign Oh LEaIlC OF any description. The
SURFACE tracks were deep in snow. and
inquiry at a stormbound grocery near
by resulted in learning that the surface
railroad had given up the fight
It would have been the part of or
binary prudence to take the next train
back to the city, but there Mr.. Res6e's
oosinacy came into play. He had
Travelled thus far, and he would not be
defeated in his purpose to visit Rowland
Park
Can't you harness up your team and
drive me a couple of miles up the road?''
he asked of the grocer.
Not for the price Of the horse and
wouldn't risk it
Disgusted at the mans timidity. Mr..
Reade looked Up the road He could
see the line Of trolley poles. he could
plainly distinguish the scattered houses
on elJ1er side The snow was not very
deep. the distance not very great. moth
ing for a man in perfect health and he
determined to walk it
De slad TO face the wind. which was
no. tEe least troublesome in that ir
blinded him. His eyes allied Ivf+5
snow, or the fine particles. thawine at
- contact with his skin concealed
ana 50 fastened his lids together F,v-
cry rev steps he had to turn about ana
dig his eyes clear
This was amusing at first. and he
rather enjoyed the novelty of exueri
encing within the borders of a great cifv,
difficulties that he had sunl,osa15 49,
confined to the desert waste but befors
very long he began to doubt the Wis
12ll OF MS undertaking, and he looked
with a sheepish sense of discomfort ar
4ne houses near the roadside. There
were plenty of houses. most of them
occupied, and he encouraged himself /
with the conviction that IN case ~
should feel exhausted he could be sure
OF shelter and relief
AItef a time the fear Of exhaustion he
Ssll-s q realty He felt the cold wind one /
s.- -. 20 the next his entire body was
- - aelsL 7 oE a iethargfc glow that IVES
--gl mp teasanr save that it SUGGESTED
ylelllIls r,, % 1t and sitting down in the /
sAe rms was startling and he re.l111F- {
Ter MS energy but now not a house C0II1T