The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-07-09

DFouGnOS nhu phsSeu over one Oh Tue
many graves which mark the failure
of some hardy pioneer on these in
terminable prairies. and my buggy
had crashed against the small monu-
ment that some mourning friend or
relative had placed at this savage, soli-
tary resting place.
II tell you, Harry, my boy, never
want again to experience such an I'M
comfortable feeling as that which
flashed over me on my discovery.
This obstruction really appeared to
me TO be the mark of my own end. /
am willing to admit that it was with
something of the unreasoning ps. er
of maniac that lifted and pulled
at the blackboard, until with a shout
of widest joy. raised IL over the
obstruction and jumping into II.
whipped up the fainting bronchos until
had driven far away from the lone
ly, soul-harrowiDg locality.
but now saw the strength of my
bronchos was fast waning, and.
threatened by this new difficulty, mad
~ urged them on, shouting and ours
ing, crying in my despair. Slower.
slower became their pace. while about
me the storm ragged and snarled. re-
ceded and attacked. hurting the bat
tering ram of its power dead in the
breasts of the mean, little, feeble
team, and many. many times bringing
them to dead stop.
II think ! must have become a
maniac as at last / saw one stumble
and fall, with his hoof caught in some
orifice in the ground, while the other
sank slowly, patiently, into the snow.
his life going out in his last struggle
to rise
II remember indistinctly of sitting
by the side of the b-onchos with that
awful storm beating about me. and
laughing and chattering as / toyed
with their ears, or playfully tickled
their sides with the broken butt of
the whip Then / remember OF
springing 10 my feet and gibbering as
ran, making wide circles about
them, dashing up to their heads as I
have done in my school days, waving
my arms to scare them into a scam
per.
Then as the fatal warmth began
stealing over me, a sank into the
snow and tossed handfuls of it at the
scurrying clouds and flying sleet.
when | opened my eyes / believed
myself in dreamland. About me was
every evidence of comfort and refine.
ment. The delicious sense OF warn
fur coverings impressed me, and
raised myself slightly to take in mor'
OF my surroundings. AS / lifted m,
eyes they Toasted on the fairy wh'
had provided my dreamland with al
these comforts. She was darkly, radi
antly beautiful. and | reached out IN.
arms to bestow shower of affection
ate gratitude upon her. Then ! re
called the storm. saw again my dea'
team, myself running in madnes
about them, and how had sunk j
exhaustion into the snow. And is thi
death?' cried to the beautiful spiri
hanging over me- No. she answered
YOU have been saved, and win, hope
soon be able to arise
ut is useless to dwell on my re
coyery TO full consciousness. til
myriad of questions asked and the ar
swers returned to them. My escap
is easily explained. You know, Harr,
how it was almost impossible in thos
days to obtain lumber for the COT
struction of houses on the imme Ms
prairie lands of the west, and hoy
:, even in the present day, houses al
built by cutting long strips of so
! from the buffalo-tramped earth, lai
in layers to the desired height, an
covered with a roof of thatch 5
closely woven as TO be impermeab
to the rains of summer or the snow
of winter. Rough as they are
exterior, many of them are the hons
) of wealthy ranch owners, and al
:, filed with all the comforts to
: found in the most palatial residences
5. of the city.
h well, in plunging through d
e drifts my bronchos had ut last falle
o in the yard OF one of these sc
dwellings. Frank Coleman, the pr
Il prietor of the ranch, pushing from Il
d barn through the banks of sno
y heaped before the door, saw the dea
G. team. Shouting encouragement
e the driver he knew must be som
r where near, he worked his way abo'
II until he discovered my unconscio'
u form partially covered by the Dirt
r. Then. with the fairy upon whom n
g eyes had opened, he carried me in
E the house.
5 "You now know enough. I am n
/ going to tell you how my fairy b
e came my wife. We occasionally Wis
Q the ranch on which my father-in-ia
n Mr.. Coleman. has since construed
y one of the most handsome residenc
e in the west, and then we live ov
those scenes.
&c well, going, old boy? Glad to s
you at any time, and my fairy mi
y herself tell you the rest OF our stor
"Oh, yes. / obtained the affidavit
SC went after in time. and the rest
of my adventure was my present pa
u nership."
ar
~ Not Like Lightning.
ri Jimmy" exclaimed the first be
- otaacher iurnped on YOU pretty QuiC