The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1857-09-05

, nave wrought IN lilDOir, would be iDcTedi
ble to any one whO'has not Witnessed them
At that period the settlements were few, ant
the spirit o! enterprise which now pervade
every corner Of the State, had not beer
awakened. The bluffs of the beautiful Lii
nois river had never sent back the echo o
the steam engine. Without market fo
=. their produce, the farmer confined their la
bors TO the wants Of their own families
. Corn was nearly the only crop raised, anC
from the time it was "laid by,n near th,
,, end of Junc, till pulling time in Noven
Der, was a holiday, and the intervening pc
riod was passed in idleness except the Sat
urdays. On that day, duly as it arrived
the settlers far and near, collected at the
dlstilery, and amused themselves at shoot
ing at mark, trading nags," and too often
when the cup had passed freely round in
fighting.
This Is by no means picture Of all the
settlements OF that early period, but that 1t
Is graphically true OF many, none OF the old
settlers will deny. But to my narrative.
On Saturday afternoon, in the year 1919,
young man was seen approaching with
slow and weary steps, the house or rather
distil!ery of Squire Crosby, of Brent's Prai.
rie, an obscure settlement on the Military
} Tract. As usual on that day large collec-
ton of people who were amusing themselves
at Crosby's, who owned the only distiilery
in that region. was 4 magistrate, and regard
ed by the settlers Is rich, and consequent
ly a great man.
The youth who now came up to the group
was apparently about twenty years Of age.
and OF slender form, fair and delicate com
p,eXon, with the aiT Of one accustomed to
good society, and it was evident at "A glance,
thai Ia. MAS mot iuur.I n RI. IarI. ~. q.
frontier life, or labor of any kind, but his
dress bore strange contrast with his ap-
pcarauee and manners. lie wore a hunting
coat o! the cOarsest .insey woO!Sey, Il com
mon straw hat and pair Of Gcer-skin moe
cas.ns. large pack completed his equip
Incnt-
Every one eazed with curiosity upon the
new conner. Ia their ea.erucsS 10 learn
who he was, whence he came and what was
his business, the horse swap was left uniin-
isi,d-thc rife was laid aside, and even the
busy tin cup had a temporary respite.
The youu. man approached Squire 'Cros-
bC, whom even a stranger could distinguish
- tie principal person among them, and
auXiou-iy inquired for house where he
could be accommodated, saying that hc was
extremely IL and !e.; a.. the symptoms o! al
appr0ach.u. fever.
y
flr a moment without uttering word
kuayes and swnd.erS had been recently
abroad, and the language OF the youth be
iTayca that he was a - Yankee" a name at
that time associated ia the minds of the
ignorant with everything that is base
Ni-tghin. the .cECe Of Crosby Tor = fear OF
a.s inability to pay, the stranger smiled and
said, '' am not without money" and put
ra. a.7. haIl to his pocket to give ocular
EE-o! e the assertion, lie was horTor-strCcK
IT, Gad ti.-t las pUC!iet-O0ok was gone. IL
contained every cent of his money, besides
Iapefs of great value - him.
W.;hogt a.tA.Ug-wilhout even a sin
lie letter Ur paper 10 attest that his charac-
ter WAS even hoH0:4b,e-in a strange LAID,
and sickness rapidly coming on him--those
feelings nearly drove him to despair. The
Squire who pfi-ed himself on lis sagacity
IN detecting villains, uow found the use Of
Li, tongue. With a loud and sucorinL voice
lie said, " Stranger, YOU are barking cp the
wrong tree if you think to 'co;ch' me with
tina, ar Yankee trick OF yoUrn." He pro-
ctedel in that iubuman strain, seconded 10y
nearly every one present for the "Squarr
was powerful! and few dared displea him.
The youth fe keenly his desOlate situation,
and casting his eve around over the group,
in tone OF deep anxiety inquired, Isn't
there any VINO VII. receive me: " Yes,
wiH,' Cglvd man among the crowd; 'yes
poor, SICK stranger, | VIII shelter you
Then, in i lower tone, lie added, " ! know
not whether you are deserving but know
YOU are L iei ow being and in sickness and
in want; ANA for the sake Of Iim VINO died
for the guilty, If not for your own sake,
vi. be kind 10 You, poor young stranger
The man who stepped forth and proaercd
a home TO the yo tn in the hour OF suffer
ing, was SIMON DAVIS, an elderly man who
resided near Crosby, and the after was
deadly enemy. Uncle Simon as he was call
ed, never rctaliatcd, and bore the many per-
secuiions Of the yindictiye neighbor, without
complaint. His family consisted OF his wife
and daughter, his only child, an atiectionate
giIl of seventeen.
The youth heard the offer Of NJ Davis,
but heard no more, for lvercome by his feel
iDgs and extreme illness, he felt insensibe
to the earth. lie was conveyed to the house
of his benetactor, and a physician called.
Long was the struggle between life and
death. Though unconscious, he called upon
his mother and sister, almost necessarily 10
aid him. When the youth was laid upon
her bed, and she heard him calling for his
sister, Lucy Davis wept and said to him,
poor, sick young man, your sister Is far
distant, but vii! be to you a sister," " ell
did this dark-eyed maiden keep her promise.
Day and night did she watch over him, eX-
cept during the short intervals when she
yielded her post at his bedside to her father
At length the crisis of the disorder arriv-
ed-the day that was to decide the question
of life or death. Lucy bent over him with
intense anxiety, watching every expression
of his features hardly daring to breathe, so
fearful was she of awaking him from the
only sound sleep he had enjoved for nine
long days and nights. At length he awoke
and looked up IN the face of Lucy DAVIS,
ard family inquired, 'where am ?" There
was intelligence in that look Youth and a
good constitution had obtained the mastery.
Lucy felt that he was spared, and bursting
into flood OF irrepreSsible tears, rushed
out of the room.
1t was two weeks more before he could
sit up even for short time He had alrea-
dy acquainted them with his name and resi-
dence, but they had no curiosity to know
anything further, and forbid him giving his
| history till he become stronger. His name
was Charles Wilson, and his parental lone,
Boston.
\ few days afterwards, when Mr.. Davis
was absent from home, and Lucy engaged
about her household affairs, Wilson saw at
the head of his bed, his pack, and recoiect-
ing something that he wanted, opened it.
The first thing he saw was the identical
book whose loss had excited so many regrets.
He recolected having placed it there the
morning before he reached Brent's Prairle,
but in the confusion of the moment that CIR
cumstance was forgotten. He examined ana
found everything as he left it.
The discovery nearly restored him TO
health, but he resolved at present to conflne
the secret in his own bosom. 1t was graft
! flying to him to witness the entire confidence
! they reposed in the honor and integrity OF