The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-11-18

or her more terrible moods. get in the
habit of using big words for very
small experiences. Every fall in the
mercury becomes a cold wave. and
every decent, ordinary storm is dubbed
a blizzard. AS q matter of fact. the
genuine Western blizzard. when the
air is full of singing, singing. frozen
particles, blowing six ways to Sun
day. when a man can't see six feet in
front Of him, when all landmarks are
lost, and oil signs fail. is something
of which the Eastern States are bless
edly ignorant Such an one came With
in the experience Of the Rev. John
Eastman, of South Dakota, and he has
never forgotten it. nor is he likely to.
Mr.. Eastman is member OF the lnde-
wakantan Sioux. an Indian with ali
the Indian stoicism, which belittles
hardships for which the white race
would find few words strong enough.
Yet his description of that nights ad-
ventures are thrilling enough to prove
that the word blizzard is not one to be
lightly applied to any little four-lDch'
we--behaved city snow fall.
It was one Saturday evening when
Mr.. Eastman had been sitting cozily
In front of cracking fire after din
ner, thinking over his sermon for the
following day. He was tired and the
warmth and quiet were very grateful.
But he remembered that his horse was
tired too. He had driven him twenty
miles that day and put him up un-
b!anketed. And so, though he did not
usually attend to the animals until
lust before he went to bed, he decid-
ed to 20 out and make them comfort
able early. and be done with chores
for the night.
1T was only a step from house to
barn." says DR.. Eastman. Il did not
think it worth while to take lantern,
but I did put on an overcoat when 1
saw how stormy it was outside. 1t
was black night and there was
blizzard on. The wind was in my face
and the fine hail stung like shot from
gun. It fairly bit my cheeks, so that
as I crossed the garden I turned to
have the wind at my back and get my
breath by walking backward q few
minutes. saw the light in the house
glowing family through the sleet, as
I walked. Then for few minutes L
bent my head and butted into the
storm. When I turned again for breath
ing space I could not see the house.
Neither, though I knew had not gone
far enough, could I find the barn. l
realized that had gone wrong some
how. but it was not for some minutes
4 that I understood that the situation
was serious and began to look for it.
Z I should have thought I could find my
way to it blindfolded, but here I was
zig-zagging back and forth and get
ting nowhere.
"I don't know how long I cruised
around as a dog would search a trail.
1t probably was only few minutes,
\ but it seemed an hour. 1t was the
Iiongest part Of the nights experiences.
I was slow to confess to myself that,
keen as I believed I was in prairie
craft, was really lost, and could not
help myself even a little bit. I sup
pose I went around in circle, but
there was no proof to my mind Of the
fact.
THE place was the prairie at Flan-
dreau, where I now live. 1t is as level
as this floor, ard is now we'll settled,
but then. it was miles to any other
house. Every inch Of the prairie was
like every other inch. When I knew
I was lost I made up my mind to be
as long as possible in freezing to death.
I gave up trying to find the barn and
Just walked without thinking where
was going. kept saying: Walk, walk,
walk
THAT was easier said than done. 1
haven't said anything about the cold
But it was cold. 1t was the most aw-
full cold q man can feel. But I well
coined every twinge as an assurance
that I was holding my own, fighting
off the numbness that would have
meant death. My feet I kept alive
BY running every little while. OF
course. went with the wind good
4 deal. I realized that 1 shouldn't. and
called myself a coward and forced
myself as moral duty to face it. And
fancy it was this moral duty that
| saved my life-kept me fighting some
fthing all night, though for that matter
Thought myself. calling myself fool
all the time 1 pounded myself and
I-fol-o1 r1orSo1f
"Sonfe time in the night the temper
ature must have moderated. At any
rate, the snow began to stay where 1t
fell. I have about given up all hope
of living when suddenly I noticed it
was harder to walk through the snow.
Then I began to feel sleepy. 1t grew
on me and thought I would lie down
and rest, for I was very tired. But 1
rebelled against this as piece Of folly.
I kicked myself and again called my
self fool.
"Then the first I knew I was down
on my hands and knees in the snow.
I guess did not much realize my dan
GER. remember I noticed the snow
drifting around ne. I had my back
to the wind. I had found horses and
cattle frozen to death. standing with
their backs bumped up against the
wind.
II was conscious Of the drift creep
Ing up on me. and said to myself that
I was being slowly buried alive. I
wondered who would find me, if they
would know me, what they would say