Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1909-11-09

breathe quiet air, the blue fame lamp
sang the notes of astronomical de-
lights. A heaven given drink of ice
water was first INDUCED in to quench
the chronic thirst. and then the process
of disrobing began, one at time. for
there was not room for all to act at
once.
Tea In an Hour.
The fur stuffed boots were pulled,
and the bearskin pants were stripped.
Then half of the body was quickly
pushed into the bag. A brick of penn
mican was next taken out, and the
teeth were set to the grind Of this
bonelike substance. The appetite was
always large, but half pound of cold
withered beef and tallow changes a
hungry mans thoughts effectually.
The tea. an hour in making, was now
ready. and we rose on elbows to take
it. Under the influence of the warm
drink the fur coat with it's mask of ice
was removed. Next the shirt with it's
ring of ice about the waist, comes off,
giving the last sense of shivers. Push
ing farther into the bag. the hood was
pulled over the face and we were lost
to the world of ice.
The warm sense of mental and phys
ical pleasure which follows is an in
tersting study The movement of 9th
ers the sting Of the air, the noise of
torturng winds. the binding rays of
heatless sun. the pains Of driving
SHOWS and all the bitter elements were
absent The mind. freed Of the agita-
better times under these peculiar cir
cumstances; there comes a pleasing
sense with the touch of ones own
warm skin, while the companionship
of the arms and legs, freed of their
cumbersome furs, makes a new dis
covery in the art of retting next to
oneself.
In the Heart of Storm.
On March q it blew half gale at
night, but ut noon on the following
day the wind eased. The bright sun
and rising temperature were too
tempting to remain quiescent. and.
though the west was still darkened by
threatening clouds. the dogs were put
to the sleds and off they went among
the wind swept hummocks. We had
not gone many miles before the first
rush of storm struck us.
| Throwing ourselves over the sleds,
we waited the passing of the icy blast.
There was no suitable snow near to
begin the erection of shelter, but a
few miles northward was promising
area for camp, and to this we hoped
to take ourselves after few mo-
ments' rest The squall soon spent its
force. and in the wind which followed
good progress was made without suf-
fcring severely. The temperature was
IL degrees below zero F. and the ba.
rometer 29.O5.
Once in moving order, the drivers re-
quired very little encouragement tt
prolong the effort to fair days
march in spite of the weather. As
the sun settled in the western gloon
the wind increased its fury and forced
us into camp. Before the gloom was
finished steady. rasping wind brush
ed the hummocks and piled up the
snow in large dunes like the sands OF
home shores.
The snow house was not cementet
with water. The tone Of the wind die
not seem to indicate danger, and, fur
thermore, we were beginning to real
ize the great need of fuel economy
We therefore did not deem 1t pru
dent to use oil for the fire to mel
snow. except to quench thirst.
} Not particularly anxious about tn
outcome of the storm and with sense
blunted by overwork and benumbe'
With cold, we sought the comfort o