The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-11-25

Miss Clemens, sitting at her desk III
the little white schoolhouse known as
District No. 81 at the crossroads in
Rock township, was so intently occupied
with the work before her that she did
not notice the peculiar gray cast to the
sky without. Had she done so it is hard
ly probable that she would have FELT
any apprehension, for, born and reared
in New Orleans, she was unacquainted
with the sudden atmospheric changes
common in Northwestern Iowa.
But a year out of college, she had
come north to visit relatives, and, more
for diversion than anything else, had
consented to teach the winter term in
this modest prairie sehoolhouse.
1t was late in November, and already
the ground was covered with thin coat
of snow. A half hour before she had
dismissed her few pupils, but remained
to attend to some duties lncident to the
morrow's session.
A small fire burned cheerfully In thu
stove and the room was quite comfort
able. So she worked on and on. unmirld-
full of the dying day or that peculiar,
ominous gray that was swiftly spreading
across the heavens.
Suddenly she became aware Of chilli
ness in the room. She went to the stove
and stirred the fire, then putting on her
Jacket she UullOt1Su IL tiSAliy epOoI AiSA
and resumed her seat.
But the air grew colder rapidly. Her
fingers became numb; her breath became
visible. She turned 8 the collar of her
Jacket up around her neck and leisure
ly put away her books and papers. BY
the time this small task was completed
she was shivering with the cold.
Arising, she went to one of the north
windows and glanced out And what
she saw filled her with amazement.
Instead of a seemingly endless expanse
of almost level prairie, bounded only
by the horizon, the,dplane appeared to
come to an abrupt ending against an i'm
penetrable wall of grayish black less
than mile away. She could see the
Marston farm, with it's two-story frame
dwelling and large red hay barns, and
beyond it the Williams homestead, with
the thickly planted grove of cottonwood
on the north and west. But no further
could her vision penetrate
AS she watched, the buildings and the
trees of the Williamsfplace suddenly DIS
appeared behind the wall that seemed
rushing toward her, and a moment later
the Marston buildings seemed to be blot
ted out of existence.
In utter amazement she watched fences
and prairie disappear, and then with a
force that shook the schoolhouse anc
seemed to tear it almost from it's founda-
ton, the storm burst upon her.
Fine particles of snow and ice, driven
between the sashes of the window. COW
cred her head and shoulders. The colo
became intense and the frail building
rocked from side to side in the gale. And
then Miss Clemens knew it was bllz-
zard
Unfortunate is he who Is caught in
blizzard on the open prairie. No faculty
that he can summon to his command, no
knowledge of the country, can guide his
footsteps then His vision extends only
to the end of his eyelashes-that awful
pail shuts him in from all the world. In
an instant he becomes an aimless wan
derer knowing not whittier to direct MS
steps; which way to turn. The frozen
particles of ice, driven with terrific force
by the mad hurricane, pierce his flesh:
the awful GOODNESS benunbs his limbs.
Folly it is to seek secluded spot to
wait until the storm has passed, for
often the hIizzards last for days, and the
chilling. Of the blast would freeze the
blood within his veins before aid could
reach him God pityJthe man overtaken
by a blizzard ON the prairie!
Shtyering violently, Miss Clemens OPEN
ed the door of the stove. Only bed OF
diving Goals remained. Resolutely she
started to fetch SOmel1uel 1TOiH TIE Sileu
nearby. but when she opened the door
she could not see beyond the threshold.
The shed was but a few yards from the
door. but to venture even that short dis
lance was to invite an awful fate. The
wind whirled cloud of snow and ice
into her face and she staggered back and
closed the door.
In agony she paced rapidly back and
forth between her desk and the door to
keep from freezing The storm increased
In violence; her blood3seemed chilled; her
feet and hands seemed packed in ice.
An hour passed-to- her it seemed an
age drowsiness was creeping over
her, but desperately she fought 1t off.
The icy air. penetrating to her lungs,
seemed to chill them, so he pressed her
Inns together and uttered silent prayer.
Suddenly to her ears there came a
faint sound, as of someone calling afar
off. She paused and listened. Again she
heard 1t. She fastened to the door and
pulled 1t open, and out of the angry
storm there come a voice calling: Miss
Clemens. where are you? Do you hear
mel"
She shouted in return, but her voice
seemed lost in the wall of the storm.
] Unmindful Of the chilling air, she hiieo