Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1901-02-09

pain in my fingers told me my hands
had been frost-bitten, while my feet I
seemed mere chunks of ice. no power o
Of motion n
Suddenly there came q jar and
the bronchos were brought 20 halt
Tug as they would, they could not
raise the wheels over the obstruction
In our course. Now really alarmed at
NV situation I jumped from the
buggy, Notwithstanding the pain In
my nearly frozen feet, and brushed
away with my hand the snow which
was packing In front OF the buggy.
"I was Mortified 10 see that the
bronchos had passed over one of the
many graves which mark the failure
OF some hardy pioneer on these in
terminable prairies, and my bugsy
/ had crashed against the small monu-
ment that some mourning friend or
relative had placed at this savage. sol'-
tary resting place.
"I tell you. Harry, my boy. l never
! want again 70 experience such an un-
comfortable feeling as that which |
! flashed over me on my discovery. !
This obstruction really appeared 70
me 10 be the mark Of my own end. !
something OF the unreasoniug power
= OF a maniac that I lifted and pulled
at the blackboard. until with a shout
] Of widest Joy. raised IL over the
- obstruction and jumping into IL
whipped mp the fainting bronchos until
+ I had driven far away from the lone
e ", soul-harrowing locality.
l "But now I saw the strength Of my
e bronchos was fast waning. and,
L threatened by this new difficulty, mad
5 " urged them on. shouting and ours
$ ing. crying in my despair. Slower,
d slower became their pace. while about
y me the storm ragged and snarled. re-
n ceded and attacked. hurling the bat
II tering ram OF its power dead in the
D. breasts of the mean, little. feeble
team. and many. manv times bringing
le them TO dead stop.
er 81 think l must have become q
10 maniac as at last / saw one stumble
and fall. with his hoof caught in some
n orifice i'm the ground. while the Other
ar sank slowly. patiently. into the snow
re his life going out in his last struggle
n 20 rise
II. Il remember indiStinctly OF Sitting
nd by the side of the bronchos with tha
p | awful storm beating about me. an'
he laughing and chattering as I toye'
III with their ears. or playfully tickle'
Die their sides with the broken butt o
re the whip. Then I remember o
ies springing 10 my feet and gibbering a
'u- ran. making wide circles abou
I'd. them. dashing up TO their heads as
ied have done in my school days. wavin
ed, my arms 10 scare them into scan
at per.
tel Then as the fatal warmth bega
vas stealing over me, sank into th
= snow and tossed handfuls OF il at tt
in scurrying clouds and flying sleet.
BILE when l opened my eyes believe
10 myself in dreamland. About me W.
ext every evidence of comfort and refn
the ment The delicious sense OF war
let fur coverings impressed me, and
ny raised myself slightly 10 take in mo
him of my surroundings AS l lifted n
vas eyes they feasted on the fairy w
his had provided my dreamland With 4
18th these comforts She was darkly, rae
antly beautiful. and reached out 4
ok arms 10 bestow a shower of affectio
aw. ate gratitude upon her. Then /
Ike called the storm, saw again my de
ard team, myself running IN madn'
an about them, and how / had sunk
ow- exhaustion into the snow. And is q
see death? / cried 10 the beautiful spi
AS hanging over me. No. she answer
4, az you have been saved. and will, ho
st-I soon be able 10 arise
1T is useless 10 dwell on my
as covery 10 full consciousness,
low. myriad of questions asked and the
laz- swers returned to them. My esc'
sses. is easily explained. You know, HaF
with how il was almost impossible in tn
ghile days 10 obtain lumber for the c
n to struction of houses on the imme
tn prairie lands of the west, and h
erful even In the present day. houses
and built by cutting long strips of
Nv from the buffalo-tramped earth.
rack. | in layers TO the desired height,
the covered with roof of thatch
acter closely woven Ss 10 be impermes
se of TO the rains of summer or the sn'
aight OF winter. Rough as they are
ther. exterior, many of them are the no
citing of wealthy ranch owners, and
Id re- allied with all the comforts to
ross. | found in the most palatial resideI
oyn- of the city.
| the well, in plunging through
'ot to drifts my bronchos had at last ia
rraph in the yard of one Of shese
4 any dwellings. Frank Coleman, the
take prietor OF the ranch, pushing from
uffier. barn through the banks of 5
-. n 81 .