Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1839-04-09

Mn RUSSELL The changes which the
last twenty years have wrought in Illinois,
would be incredible to any who had not
witnessed them. AT that period our set
Elements were few, and the spirit of enter
prise that now pcrvades every corner of the
State, had not then been awakened. The
bluff Of our own beautiful river had never
sent back the echo of the steam engine
Without market for their produce, the
farmers confined their labors to the wants
of their own families. Corn was nearly
the only crop raised, and from the time il
was ''lad by" near the end of June. till
''pulling time," in November, was a hol.
day, and the intervening period was passed
IN idieness, except the Saturdays. On that
day, duly as it arrived, the settlers, far and
near collected at the distilery, and amused
themselves with shooting al mark, .tradinp
nags,' and too often when the Gun had mass.
ed freely around, in fighting
This, sir, is by no means a picture of all
the settlements of that early period, but
that 1t is graphically true of MANY. none OF
our Oldest settlers will deny. But TO my
narrative.
One Saturday afternoon in the year 1919
young man was seen approaching with
| slow and weary steps, the house. or rathe,
the distllery of squire Crosby, of Brcnt's
Prairie, an obscure settlement on the Mill.
tary Tract. AS usual on that day, large
collection OF people were amusing them.
| selves at Crosby's who owned the only dis.
| tillery IN that regon--was a magistrate
and regarded by the settlers as a rich and
great man.
The youth who now came up TO the
group was apparently about twenty-one
years OF age, OF slender form, fair and del
icate complexion, with the air of one ac.
customed TO good society. Ii was evident
at glance that he was not Injured TO the
hardships OF a frontier life, or labor of any
kind. But his dress bore strange con
irast with his appearance and Manners
lie wore hunting shirt of the coarsest lin
sey-"ooIsey, common straw hat, and T;
par OF deer-skln mocassins. A large pacl
completed his equipment.
Every one gazcd with curiosity upon the
new conner. In their eagerness TO learr
who he was, whence he came, and VIVA
Was his business, the horse swap was lief
unfinished the rifle was laid aside, ano
100 VIZ '"oy hh cup Hou icHlpOIdIl
respite.
The young man approached 'Squin
Crosby, whom even stranger could dis
tlDguIsh as the principal parsonage among
them, and anxiousy inquired for hous'
where he could be accommodated saying
that he was extremely i'll and felt all th'
symptoms Of an approaching fever.
Crosby eyed him keenly and suspicious
ly for moment, without u.tering a word
knayes and swindlers had been recently a
broad, and the language Of the youth be
irayed that that he was Yankee nam
at that time associated in the minds Of tn
ignorant, with every thing that Is base.-
Mistaking the silence and hesitation o
Crosby, for fear Of his inability TO pa,
the stranger smiled and said, i avn not with
out money and putting his hand in Ia
pocket TO give ocular proof Of the assertion
he was horror struck TO find that his poke
book was gone. Ii contained every cen
Of his money, besides papers Of great valu
10 him.