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

dining-room. and her husband, george a
Ruthven, and turned TO our coffee and /.
cigars.
George, how did you gain that mag
nificent woman for a wife,?
Not at all discomposed at The broad
ness Of my compliment to his WIFE,
George smiiingly responded:
"Yoa remember the great blizzard
which swept over the western prairie
states, particularly Nebraska, during
january OF 1872 Yes? Well, IL was
from that blizzard that l was rescued
by the most beautiful woman IL mas
ever been the happy lot OF man to pos
sess.
II was at that time, as you know.
embarking in the practice of law, ana
had. TO use an o.d-time phrase, artl-
cied' myself TO one of the most prom
inent legal firms in this city. 1 grew
steadily in favor OF my superiors, who
are now nv partners, so II happened
that when an occasion arose in an i'm
portant land suit. requiring that man
be sent TO Ainsworth, Neb.. 10 obtain
necessary Information from the rec
ords, was selected for the duty.
~ reached Ainsworth without incl
dent and spent couple OF days there
examining the court records, unui
discovered that one link of evidence
was missing. l shortly learned that II
could be replaced by certain afhoaNits
which a banker at Atkinson. 50 miles
down the road could give, II he should
be so disposed. Unfortunately only
one passenger day was then
running and / found that had just left
and that no other train would start un-
ill late in the night. That would be
slow freight, which would not get me
IN Atkinson much before the passenger
the next morning. SO 1 concluded TO
drive the 55 miles.
"Hurrying 20 the livery stable l in
duced the proprietor TO take me as TAI
as Long Pine, the next station, where
/ could and did obtain a relay OF bron
chos and another driver 10 Bassett
There / obtained another relay anC
started for Newport, the next stop
and by the time we reached there, tn
snow was falling quite fast, but still
there was no indica ton of the horrible
storm In which 30 many lives wsr'
lost and In which the cattle rancho
suffered almost 10 bankruptcy by thou
sands of head Of cattle being destroyed
AS we proceeded. the storm increase
in virulenee and 1 was glad, indeed
when l could toast my chilled feet a
the blazing hearth in the small hot'
the place afforded. while my driver Wa
seeing about an exchange of horses
The nveryman returned and II
formed me that he had not been alb
10 induce the local stable keeper
undertake a Journey, even 10 the neS
town, Stuart, though he said, II n
case was very urgent. he would Il
me have a team TO drive through IN.
self. provided / would assure hi
against loss. Unaccustomed as l WI
TO western billiards., l jumped at tn
chance. and quickly closed deal vii
him.
He produced the scrawniest-loo
ing team of bronchos one ever sa
and hitched them TO ramshaSk
sort of slat-bottomed buckboa
buggy and bid me godspeed with
expression on his face clearly sho
ing he never again expected 10 4
either his team or myself alive.
TO the team, he never did see IL,
both the animals gave up the ghost
but j am anticipating.
by this time the storm had
sumed terrific proportions. The sno
which had been falling softly and i
lily, now pelted down in solid mass
mixed with flakes of ice, cutting "
biting force against my face, wh
the soughing of the wind had risen
shrieks and howls and came with
force that at times seemed power
enough TO lift bronchos, buggy q
driver into the next county.
course lay along the railroad ira
There was no road worthy of
name to follow, as the level charac
of the country and entire absence
fences permitted one taking astral
shoot from one point to anotl
with only the possibility of meet
with some small slough that would
auire "a little careful driving to CT
Driving along with my head do
wards TO shelter my face from
pelting sleet and ice, quite forgo
look for my landmarks the telegr
poles, but more ugly blast than
had experienced caused me to
quick glance about over my mui
Instantly / awoke to my danger.
telegraph poles had disappeared
had turned from my road and
driving across the wild, desolate, u
hAbited prairies. on which q n
was not 10 be met for miles.
sThs storm now swirled and po
ed and roered with ferocious p,
n