The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1906-08-31
you stop at Martins and bring me out

was lovely blue except near the sun,
where whitish rays shot downward to-
ward the southern horizon. "Sun's
drawing water all day, and I'm afraid
It's weather breeder"
II hope not. March is an uncertain
month anyway. Well, get up, Dan.
Come, Jerry"
What lovely day 1t was! As far as
the eyes could see, the prairie stretched
like floor, broken only by few dis
tant groves of cottonwoods and pop
lars. The grass was short and brown,
fading into misty, violet haze in the dis
lance. Great tumbling weeds rolled laz-
lily over the ground in the softly STIR
ring air, and the Broken Bow trail
stretched off to the west like streak
of warm sunshine.
II wish was going with you to-mor-
row, father" Teddy said, as they drew
up at the barn.
II don't like leaving mother alone 80
long," Mr.. Redmond answered. "I've
got to start early and won't be home
till night, and It's pretty lonesome for
her. 1t amt as If there was neighbors
handy"
81 wouldn't leave her either" the boy
declared, eagerly.
Mr.. Redmond got off early the next
morning. Teddy watched Dan and Jer-
| ny trot down the trail and across the
prairie till they were out Of sight. Just
a little disappointment covered his
round face, but he would not let his
mother see it.
The station agent had given him a
ball Of strong Irvine with which to re-
place the clothes-line and other frag-
ments of rope and string that formed
the wire" Of the North Dakota and
South Eighty Telegraph Line. This he
promised himself to do in the after
noon.
Mrs. Redmond was deep in prepara-
lions for the expected visitors, and
Teddy worked faithfully, carrying wood
and water, securing tins and the old
fashioned copper candlesticks, and pol
ishing the few silver spoons, which
Mrs. Redmond brought out from their
place of safe-keeping in an old trunk,
till they shone like new.
He quite forgot about his telegraph,
and it was not till sudden blast of
wind swept around the house, rafting
the windows, that he went to the door
and looked out
The warm, spring-like air had grown
icy cold, and over in the northwest a
strange looking bank of gray clouds
was coming nearer and nearer. He
could see the tops of the distant cotton
wood trees bending and shivering in the
wind that was hurrying along in furi-
Gus gusts before the cloud.
Its blizzard, Teddy" his mother
said She shut the kitchen door, and,
holding her apron tightly over her head,
looked anxiously along the trail. 81
do hope your father hasn't started yet. "
"Id better get the cows in, guess"
Teddy said. You come help me, moth
err"
The COWS had been turned out In the
little yard adjoining the barn. They
seemed to know that something unus-
ual was happening. Huddled together
in the most sheltered corner they shiv-
cred before the cold wind and lowed
mournfully.
1t took but few minutes to drive
them into the warm barn; then, fasten-
ing the door securely, Teddy and his
mother ran back, hand in hand to the
house.
They had no time to lose. The cot
tonwoods along the fences were bending
and cracking, and the grey cloud was
close on Them driving mass of sharp,
Icy particles Of snow that cut their
faces like sand. Snap, Teddy's dog,
slipped in after them, and crouched,
whining and shivering, by the stove.
Mrs. Redmond looked at the clock
with dismay. 1t was nearly five o'clock,
and already SO dark that she could
hardly see the figures.
From the windows they saw the tum-
bling weeds now racing madly across
the fields, but the driving snow soon
shut out everything like white wall
and the wind shook the house till the
floor trembled.
To fully realize what blizzard is
a person must live in the West, and see
the bare, level prairies with hardly a
tree for miles, not a hill to check the
wind except the low sand bluffs along
the rivers.
Many of the settlers plant what are
called "wind-breaks"-that is, large
groves Of cottonwoods, poplars, or will.
lows. These are generally planted OH
the north side of houses and barns, and
are of considerable use in breaking the
violence of moderate gale.
But blizzard! Nothing can stand
up against it. Cattle huddle together
with their heads from the binding
snow and often die from exposure II
the storm continued long.
People caught out In blizzard make
for the nearest shelter. Often it is only
a hay or strawstack, from which they
pull enough to make hole, into which
they creep and lie, warm and sheltered