The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1902-01-17

ITsn -OId Settlers' Picnic in west
n ern Nebraska I heard the fol-
tr~s-g story from one of the hale
cso-e-rs. as we sat IL the shade of .
topped prairie wagon: / came
III 20 the North Platte country in the
srly seventies. where my sister had
teen some months teaching the frst
shocl established in the country. Ii
ras led in . one-room sod house
about a mile west Of the town
seross the trzckless prairie, the Local
tc- icing q central one for the great
.r number of pupils a. the settlers
then lived mostly along the river bot
.ur1s and the sloughs-
Thi-gS were booming when I came,
r-eer from the east: the season had
ben remarkable for the beautiful
golden autumn weather. which lasted
far into December. 50 that the week
before Christmas there was no snow
shatever- This surprised me- as I had
Heard So much Of the fierce billiards
ar. ~narthers- on the North Platte
ured 10 call at the little schooihouse
.v-ry ast@rnoon. and walk home with
GU SISTER acroxs the prairie gazing at
the Gorgeous sunsets that seemed to
81 - world with radiance. there was
rcs even . tree TO break the circled
Ire of the far horizon
Tuxt before Christmas came a cold
r~Il- and after that the prairie lay
hack and lonely. the pools and
.mrses Of the shifting river among
re sands were ice-locked. and the
few sheepm-n who had been induced
II the open weather TO leave their
fe.lxs on the range were now driving
tfem TO the bottoms and the south
tl.s in expectation of storm that
would cut Us of from the world But
sTsry one was cheerful The stores
-sre bright with holiday goods and
e-ngrsed with farmers and their
wires. grain was coming in at the
s.ev atorx, the overland trains were
r--ular. and the expected storm did
Cc- cause alarm
I hzd promised to obtain some
E1ee-s for n Christmas celebration at
Ev sistcr's sod schoolhouse- and one
zfte-noon + drove out with a wagon
ard mule team toward the river Now
l. that country of sage-bush and
b-zalo grass Christmas green. we're
s-lrce, and although crossed many
r-Ilies and wandered several hours,
The b.st I could get was sumac ber-
res. some gray. feathery grass and
few enormous -tumble-weeds. which
rFht be decorated with ribbons
All the afternoon there was a curl.
ous depressing silence IN the air; un-
broken clouds hung like a pail 1T gray
flcm horizon to horizon and distant
rpi-es came with peculiar distinct
EFs although there was not thu
> ~htest breath OF wind As / drove
h0rreward- I noticed that the cattle
ani horses. which usually we're scat
tered widely over the range nihblinl
~ the frosty stubble, had gathered
rr-nd the south sides of the straw
s-ls and corrars. and that many Gov
e!s ~ przirie-chickens were wingins
. the river thicketa- The weathel
hal hecorne very much colder. ant
Sill the temperature fell
when drove UP to the house wher'
e. sister and boarded. on the west
En- eafskirt Of the village, our hos
cane out into the yard
Vile you're hitched up" he said
yc-d better drive on to the school
hD-s-- and get the schoolma am an
a. The children tina. are coming thi
~ay. There's going to be blizzard
y ~or't come before four o'clock.
treFllei- -ITi 90 then"
-Feu drive right on now. young fel
."r he said with . glance at til
''af"n SKY Tell her to dismiss tn
@hool and hustle for town Can
Hke no chances with this weather.
heing a sendcrfoot, replied. a
rgAf But his precautions SCENE
iccaah. for the little sod schoolhous
rs in FUN view Of US. and could I
t-aeaed In less than Is minutes casil.
AZ trottcd the mules over III
f-alria- suddenly noticed that III
- ash above me seemed flied vii
.gng. wiring snow Then IL
1sNn h0rixcn and distant settler
- A1s~ with the smoke crrIiE
80 h wee suddenly blotted ont !
NAits iinprnetrahle curtain
-s sAlitly trailing nearer hidiz