Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-01-23
1owA's coLDEsr NIGHT.

"Reminiscences Of Mrs II. E Stacy in
Aleona Republican,
AS sit by the Ire .onigh. my
thoughts are turned backward to this
night forty-seven years ago We were
p.oprietors ON the "st Nichols Hotel"
a building my husband had bought Of
father OF Mrs Ambrose Call. some four
years before. Let me 60 back a little
further This building stood where the
city hall stands today A noble struc-
ture-one story. buff Of hewn logs,
facing the south. A door. but no win.
dow in the front. II had given shelter
to many poor wayfarer who but for
its four walls. might have found
d-eary bed. Il was here that man by
the name Of Lawton preached one Sab
bath afternoon and organized the NJ.
e. "ciass" that afterward became the
NJ E. church Of Algona. Those who
Joined that afternoon were William
Moore and wife Robert Moore and
wife, Mrs Thomas Whitehead Mrs.
Thomas Stacy and think Malicia
Clarke and wife, all Of whom now live
in the Silent City.
was sitting in our spacious par
Tor on that memorable day referred
70. when the door opened and Lewis
H. Smith entered. He had just ar
rived from the camp at Estherville,
said they had disbanded and the
rest would be along IN . few hours
except Mrs. 1ngham-who. with the
three children. would remain at West
Fork. now Emmetsburg. for . while.
Up to this time the day had been fine.
but about 2 o'clock D. m. 1t commenced
showing I Immediately repaired to the
kitchen to consult my Iarder ana soc
what could find for crowd OF men
to eat: for. you know. We did not have
a market TO 60 to-not even small
grocery store. but we always had
something. so the inner man was kept
from starving. BY o'clock the storm
a storm on the prairies can assume.
The wind howled and the air grew
denser and denser. until It seemed as X
a heavy blanket was drawn between
US and the sun Mr.. Stacy and Mr..
Smith came in occasionally. quite wor-
ried. but not much was said. Boon
night was upon us. and still no sign
Of the wanderers We put our lights In
the west window. vainly hoping they
might help the wayfarer tfudGtnE the
snow.
About o'clock in the evening we
heard the creak OF their wagons ana
Immediately went to the kitchen. what
was my CONSERVATION when some one
came and said that Mrs. Ingham and
the children were there. Sure enough.
they were being brought In. and,
thankful to say. they were not frozen
merely numbed and dazed. While
was unwrappins them the door was
thrown open and two men appeared
carrying q third. A cry from MIS-. Ing-
ham. William. what is the matte!
told us who 1t was They laid him
down, entirely insensible to all round
About Ave miles out he had taken
lantern, and going ahead Of the teams.
by the guidance OF the wind. had
brought them all safe to shelter. Had
he risked his own life to do e? For
hours we feared 80. but about noon %
the next day he revived All that long
night we watched tho sufferoe. bound
up the frozen fingers Of some Of the
men and tried to cheer all. What .
task! The wind bowling - Il never
howled before and tho snow 1a1lin1
thicker and faster than W had svsf
seen It. % dragged the night end "
tprayed for the morning. Some of the
men spsnt the night In our spacious
dining hall cutting up the raSls that %.
closed eur garden. In order - MO -
warm. Even then We Wese ~ Wa@
enough 70 hurt us any. AStsS . WhSje
the Oorntn6 dawnsd on . laAlseene
covered with snow, and ell flA1 Day u
cootinusd to snow ana tie wind 20
howl. Dc. u. -, was eonoo1oFol -
lcosd . night as AlgoRs ever ezDsS.
ienced.