The Colfax chronicle., 1891-10-10
A NIGHTS ADVENTURE.
Tho Experience of q Traveller on
an Illinois Prairie.


During the spring Of 1910. 1 was el
gagged by the heirs of a gentleman wh
had died in Bangor, Me-, to go out t
Illinois, and look up township,
which had been bought by said gentle
man from the soldiers of the last wal
to whom it had been allotted by tn
government 'land warrants" as par
pay for services rendered. Most of on
readers are probably aware that tn
men who served in the campaign o
1912 were entitled to one hundred ant
sixty acres of land, over and above thei
monthly pay, and at the close of thei
service they received warrants o.
bonds for this land, which land wa,
marked off into townships, and thos.
into numbered lots, each man receiving
specified lot Most Of these warrant.
were sold at the time of their reception
for trifiing sutns--say, from five tt
twenty dollars-and many of them have
not yet been looked up by their own
ers; but as civilization is spreading
west, more attention is now turned tc
buying up the old claims"
The man for whose heirs had inter
csted myself had bought large num-
Der Of consecutive lots. They were To-
Gated near the head of the Kaskaskia,
and we have reason to believe that they
were uncommonly valuable.
After having armed myself with the
necessary documents, set out on my
mission. Ireached vandalia without
difficulty, and from there I ''took the
stage" for Shelbyville. Beyond Shell
byville, still had some sixty miles tc
go. and there was no method of con-
veyance, save such as chance might
throw in ones way. l had learned
that there was q settlement in Macon
county, which would come in my way
If kept along by the river; but could
get no direct clew to its whereabouts.
l knew, however, that / should find
"squatters" ON my route, and from
them could learn all that was neces-
sary.
Ten miles from Shelbyville made in
small boat; and then purchased
horse of an old settler, and from him
learned that should find plenty of
'squatters" on the very land of which
1 was in search. It was early in the
forenoon when started on with my
horse, and made easy progress on the
alluvial track upon the western bank !
of the Kaskaskia- About two o'clock |
In the afternoon, whatever pleasing |
rcveries may have been engaged in |
were cut short by sudden darkening |
OF the sun; and, upon looking up, |
found that huge clouds were rising in |
the northwest, and / could hear the
wind as it moaned through the trees,
upon the table land to my left. knew
there was storm brewing, and knew,
too, that my hopes of shelter were du-
bious. However, l spurred up my
horse, and allowed myself to hope that
might come upon some chance
"squatter' before the storm broke.
False hope! In less than half an hour
The storm was upon me. For two hours
kept on my way, with only sort Of
wind-driven mist; but at the end of
that time the rain began to come down
n torrents. For awhile allowed nv
'elf to quail before the combined force
IT rain and wind; but found that the
'nemy must be met; and, at length,
With stout ejaculation o defiance, 1
aced the storm and rode on. No shell
er arose to my view, and night fell | !
lPon me. 1t was darlx-O, how darkl !
70 dark that the sable mass might have !
'een cut with knife. gave the :
orse the rein and let him follow his /
wn instinct. 1t still rained as though !
he big lakes had been tipped over upon
he land, and the wind, too, still piped :
way without Tagging.
must have ridden thus through the 7
tier darkness for two hours-it seemed 4
} me ages-when l thought l saw q
ght ahead OF me. 1t twinkled like q
isty star and then disappeared, but !,
ION saw it again, and ere long be-
lme convinced that human habita- m
on OF some sort was ahead of me. II it<
rged my beast on, and soon l had the n
al pleasure Of pulling mp before a II
)use. What sort of house il was I ~
'uld not tell; could only see a dark
ass and single window, from which n,
one the light / alighted from nv sa
'rse. and after cropping about for some III
ne found door and knocked lusti- m
My call was answered by q wom- Il,
!, but the wind put out her light, and M
she turned back to relight it l fol- nj
we'd her. In
At first the female, q middle-aged, in do
lligent looking person, was a little he
'rtled at my manner and appearance tn
{ soon calmed her fears by making mr.
own my situation and business.
hen asked her If l could remain lin
ere during the night she hesitated. IN,
d said she would ''let me know but do
; asked me to cit down by the fire En-.
warm myself. There was a COM mn
te puddle of water where had been ne
nding, for the rain was almost m
canning from my garments, so took str
my overcoat and the lady imme- WA
tely took 1t and carried il out of the raj
m.
was not until had drawn a seat tar
a u