The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1906-08-08
CHAPTER XIV.

fishf n gale OF wind.
There is a breath of heaven of which
the s9ie message is death. 1t is a wind
with no fine-sounding name, for it be-
t0Tgs TO the Forth, where men endure
'ffaings and have no thought Of naming
FARM 1t blows for six months of the
SenT- III veers from south-southwest TO
norfhwest-by-north, and it is born upon
2 gray icefields round the pole. For
many hundred miles it raves across the
nxozen ocean, gathering deathly GOODNESS
M every league. On its shoulders it car
r1es tons OF snow, and then striking land,
IL RACES and tears, bowls, means and
screams access northern Europe into far
frozen Asia. In passing il clothes all
kSnssia in white, and still has plenty to
spare Tor bleak Siberia, northern China
and Japan.
y Few northern races manage TO live
on III such numbers as to save extermina-
non and that is all. More than n third
OF them are partially or wholly blind.
fhelr existence is a constant and UNEQUAL
struggle against this same wind and its
phuless aaxiliaries-snow and frost. The
tsarth yields no increase here. A little
sparse vegetation, sufficient only to nour-
ksh miserable REINDEER and a few horses
"A scattering of pine trees, and that il all. |
Although no sanctifying spirit can be
said to walk upon the waters, the sea
alone s~ustains life, for men, dogs and
reindoor eat fish, not dried but frozen,
when they can get it.
1T was across this country. and in face
al this wind, that a party of men and
women made their way in the late sum-
mer several years ago. BY late summer
one means the first fortnight in July in
these high ATTITUDES. These travellers
were %twenty-one in n.;mber-sixteen men
and five women. One woman carried n
haby--a jail bird-born in prison-un-
baptized. 1t did not count, not even as
half a person, to any one except its
mother. Men and women were dressed
alike in good fur clothing, baggy trousers
ncked into felt boots, long blouse-Iike fur
coats, and caps with e~arflaps tied down.
hfcots, trousers, coats and even caps bore
signs of damage by water. When north
crn Siberia is not frozen up it is in a
state of flood, and travelling. excen. by
water. is almost impossible. These peo-
Ile had come many miles by this compar
atiyely easy method at imminent risk,
1or they had Travelled north on the bosom
- 'fsN AANNhs bfillNt iltI lutN HHNe tIlIef- |
ally burned their vessels in order to cut
sDf pursuit.
The men dragged light sledges. three {
no a sledge, and four resting. The wom- !
en- carried various more precious burdens !
delicate instruments, such as com I
passes and aneroids. Beneath the fur :
caps throbbed some singular brains, from !
ainder the d~raggled brims looked out some I
strange faces. There was a doctor among :,
them, two army officers, a judge and 9th !
who had not been allowed time to be- !
anything, for they were exiled while
students. il
The whole party pressed forward in 81 !
Fence with tight-locked lips and half-clos- /
'd eyes, for the rushing wind carried n p
nne binding snow before it. Only one Z
spoke at times. 1t was the woman c
carried the baby, and she interlard- a
"a her inconsequent remarks with
of song and bursts of peculiar s.
-ackling laughter. Suddenly she sat t
on a boulder. n
Il will sit here" she said, Gin the n
SUM-" h
The whole party stopped, and one Of W
he women answered: 10
Come, Anna" she said, "we cannot a
wait here" Still speaking, she took her
,rm and urged her to rise. ia
"Bnt." protested she who had been adj w
dressed as Anna, where Is the picnic TO
81
The picnic, Anna Pavloski." said a if
s~quarely built man, coming for hi
and speaking in a wonderfully deep Ell
Ind harmonious tone of voice, "is to be III
leld further OF. You must come at
,nec." ~
II think" she said gently, that | will Z
yait here for my husband. / expect him hi
lome from the Office. He will bring the ev
newspaper"
They were all grouped round the wom- tn
N now except one man, and he stood oh
part with his back turned toward them. al
lie had been dragging the foremost sledge. ba
the broad band Of the trace was still W,
cross his shoulders. He had been lead an
AZ the way, and seemed In some subtle
tanner to be recognized as chief and Wa
",
Again the woman who had first spoken do
.ersnaded; again the broad-shouldered ste
ian spoke in his commanding gentleness. de-
was, however, of no avail. Then after los
Few moments of painful hesitation. ne no
the group and went to where the sn,
ader stood alone. ar,
~Pavlosxi,. he said. the
Yes. Doctor He never turned his he
sad, but stood rigid and stern, looking up
Knight before him, scowling with ewes
which the horror now would never "fc
Ide, into the gray, hopeless distance. No
statue could reproduce the strong. lin.
I'D despair that breathed in every Limb he
I'D feature. son
something" said the doctor, 'must be fire.
me. We are behind our time already.' his
suppose il is my duty TO stay with the
~. said Pavloski. II cannot leave Ibea
q nArfN2 nannnA no.. l.lt-rn,. 49,