Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1902-04-25
for breath. and still yelled on ~ shs
sam~ fvightful speed.

y
same fvightful speed.
Before I could prevent IL, my ,ha
mules were turding toward home, but
I urged them back with shouts and
line. and bowed my head over the
dashboard 90 escape the singing ice
particles. They went slowly On with
eyes closed and shoulders braced
against the wind for a few hundred
feet. and then they doggedIy insisted
on turning round, in spite Of the
whip. went to their heads, hut the
strong brutes backed and circled,
blowing the sleet from their nostiils,
utterly rebeiling. l ran back to the
wagon and from the seat fairly pulled
their jaws around to their tanks as
they sheered of from the storm
Then one of them deliberately lay
down with his tail to the blizzard
and both became entangled in the
harness, and when / succeeded in TN.
hitching the standing mule, he ierked
away and lumberingly galloped OF in
the binding snow.
AS the remaining mule was kicking
mmanageably in the deepening drift,
and as ] was very cold and becoming
exhausted, | gave up the attempt 70
free the brute, and started back &c
the village for aid. But when | had
made 20 steps from the wagon. the
full meaning of the storm broke on
me. | stood in the midst of a white
wall. seeing nothing. hearing nothing
hut the roar of the ice hurricane,
which was so complete and steady
that il gave me sense Of absolute
loneliness, as a vast silence does.
So hard did the fine hail beat and
brnise me that | turned my back &c
it's force and tried TO reason out the
way 10 the house. which .ould not
have been 40 rods from where the
wagon stood. ! turned due east, iudg.
ing from the tracks OF the storm, and
plunged swiftly along with the gale
until ! stopped in panic at being
wholly lost on the trackless prairie
Now the wind. rising every minute
dashed me furiously from all direc.
tons; my sense Of distance and place
was hopelessly confused in the whirl.
ing chaos of snow.
To stand still would he soon &c
freeze. and after scared calculation
of my bearings. ! went on in Nhst
thought the direction of the village,
although the inclination 10 go with
the storm was almost irresistible. u
was not until after what seemed an
hour Of futile struggle that ! halted
the coming blizzard. and was amazed
10 see the dim. low outline ~ some
vast thing strangely moving toward
me, AZ il a wide. slow gray blanket
were creeping over the ground oat
OF the storm. IL was not until the
front was almost on me that made
out a flock OF sheep.
The grizzled leader walked almost
To my feet and there stopped for sew.
eral seconds. fixing his snow-crested
black eyes upon me in mild surprise.
Then he forged ahead with the storm
Behind him i'm solid mass moved an
immense flock. nothing visible 10 me
except their snow-covered backs and
the moving legs and downcsst heads
OF the ones ON the edges Of the gar
that opened a. they neared me and
closed as they passed me by, often
touching my clothes.
There seemed To be thousands OF
the sheep as they fled past in the
driving gale. | could not imagine
where they were going. bat every one
Of the Solemn-faced creatures seemed
10 have a fixed purpose. just as the
end of the flock seemed nigh, big
black dog loomed mp in the rear and
came straight al me. with a trife of
suspicion in his eyes. He took my
joyful greeting in friendly manner.
however. but | looked in vain for any
ranchsr accompanying the flock. !
tried to detain the dog. thinking that
surely he had some human companion
not far away. but after regarding m.
doubtfully for a minute. he trotted
after the sheep and disappeared in the
storm.
II struck me that the faithful guar
dian must he taking the flock home.
and SO | ran hastily after him with
the blizzard al my back. As | knew
nothing then about western stock. !
did not understand that the sheep
were only drifting aimlcssly with
their tails 10 the storm. These silly
creatures will wander before u storm
as long as they can stand. unless the
leader finds bush or a gully where
he can take refuge. Then he stops.
and the whole flock pack around him
t. leeward and lie down 10 die.
The sheep travelled rapidly through
the rising drifts. and the black shep-
herd and | followed. supposed then
,fat he was heading them toward the
ranch. but now | know that he had
been caught alone with the herd and
being powerless To check their fight,
had refused, with high. dumb hero