The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1909-01-07

WOIlduilOOu.
Lets have it." came in a chorus
from the party.
Well, fill your pipes, and III tell
you my story. You see, fifteen years
ago, l wasn't as prosperous as l am
now. l was just starting out ranch
ing. had only been here some three
years. then, and where this house now
stands we only had a small log cabin.
Young Jack over there was only six
years old at the time, and Miss Ruth
was trotting round, a young three
year-old. The winter had opened bad.
ly; n had come very early, and
with 1t bitter cold weather. We had
plenty OF fuel, SO we managed to keep
warm enough. The cabin was In the
same spot as this house o Is, SO
the two big rocks helped to keep off
the fierceness Of the wind; but we
were completely buried under the
snow, SO that we had to dig a tunnel
from the front door Out into the open
air. Myself and all the boys were
kept mighty busy talking forage out
to spots where the cattle could get it,
and so not starve to death. Well,
one morning, about two weeks before
Christmas, after a heavy snowfall, l
these trips, intending to gather all the
cattle togther as much as possible,
and to build some large hay-stacks,
so that they would have plenty of food
for some time; also, Is cur grub was
getting pretty low, we were going to
| push through to Dolores to provision
UP for the rest of the winter in case
we couldn't get through again for
some time. I also wanted to get the
Christmas presents for the kids; so ]
told the little wife not to be anxious
| if / didn't show up for several days.
Well. we all started, only leaving
n of the boys behind, who had been
sick and wasn't quite well yet. We
had the deuce's own Job fixing up the
cattle and getting through to Dolores.
1t took us " a week, and several of
the boys were badly frost-bitten. We
were ready In a few days to push back
again, but another heavy snowfall
came, and another. and another, until
really it seemed to be showing all the
time. The days slipped by, one by
one,u until Christmas came, and there I
was snow-bound in Dolores, getting
more and more anxious about the
folks at home. knew their grub
must be getting low; and, besides,
here was Christmas day, and nothing
for the kids. was nearly wild, l can
tell you. Well, two days before New
Years there al 4 let-up, and I made
up my mind to push through at any
cost. l could only induce n Of my
men to come with me; the others nat.
ly refused. They said it would be sure
death; that another storm was com
ing up--this time a regular blizzard.
At any rate, we started on our fifty
mile ride. The trails were simply
one succession of immense drifts, so
we made mighty slow progress, as we
had to lead a packhorse. After one
days riding we had only gone twenty
five miles, and a new storm was com
ing up; and 1t proved a regular snort
err, too. We dug a hole in the snow
and lay down for a few hours sleep,
for we were dead beat; but 1t was SO
cold that we were only able to get
about forty winks, and started again,
so as lot to freeze to death.
"The storm increased, getting worse
and worse as we went on; the snow,
driven by the fierce wind, cut our
faces like SO many needles, while the
bitter cold seemed to numb every
faculty and to be slowly freezing out
our very lives. My horse then gave
out-couldn't move another step, sc
l let him 60 and mounted the pack
horse. Night then came on, and our
whisky. that had given us some
strength and warmth. gave out. We
didn't know where we WERE, but
thought we couldn't be many miles
from home If only we were on the
right trail. My mans horse next gave
out, and, as l was stronger than he
l made him get On my horse and hold
ing on to the saddle. walked along by
his side; but only a mile or so further