Rensselaer Union, Volume 5, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 February 1873 — Two Days Lost Within Twenty Rods of a House. [ARTICLE]

Two Days Lost Within Twenty Rods of a House.

It was the misfortune of our fellowcitizen, Mr. E. E. Payne, to be on the prairie about five miles south of Kasson, in Dodge County, last Tuesday afternoon, when the storm came on. Hewaswithin half a mile of a house, with the wind on his back, and losing sight of the dwelling he was governed by the wind, which, without his knowledge or consent, turned from southwest to northwest, throwing him entirely out of the way he desired to go. He was soon lost in the blinding storm, and after wandering about for an hour, he put up for the night by blanketing and turning loose his ponies, wrapping himself in a buffalo robe, and sitting down beside his open sleigh,, which was turned on its side. By continually slapping his hands and kicking his feet he managed to keep them from freezing. He prayed, and sung and kept up his courage, hoping to find a house in the morning, as he was near a pair of bars. The morning brought no relief, however, as the storm had increased so that nothing could be seen ahead. He crept out of his snowy nest, but not daring to leave, ho crawled back again only to shiver and suffer, as his clothes had been wet, and were now frozen. Mr. Payne’s pony stood sentinel within two rods of him whinnying, and he got up and tried to lead her, but could not. He followed the fence to a track which led to a granary, stacks and a stable. He staid in the stable from about ten o’clock a. m. until three p. m., thinking the owners would come to feed the stock there, but fearing they would not he started to find the house, which he supposed not far distant. He was lost once more, but as he was about to burrow in a drift he found the fence and from that the stable again. During his absence the owners had been there, fed the stock and fastened the stable so he could not enter. He found an empty shed covered with snow, in which he stayed that night without his robe. Thursday morning the storm had so far cleared that he could see the house to which the stables belonged, and which was not ten rods distant. He had beep all around it the day before, and had lain within twenty rods of another house the night before. He was kindly cared for until Monday, when he arrived at his home in this city. One of his ponies remained until Thursday morning near the sleigh, and the other was found not sixty rods away, and both perfectly safe and sound. Mr. Payne thinks that he will lose half his toes and part of his heels.— St. Pavl Pioneer.