The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1891-08-07
A NIGHTS ADVENTURE.
The Experience of a Traveller on
an Illinois Prairie.

y
man from the soldiers of the last war,
to whom it had been allotted by the
government land warrants, as part
paw for services rendered. Most of our
readers are probably aware that the
men who served in the campaign OF
1872 were entitled to one hundred and
sixty acres of land, over and above their
monthly pay, and at the close of their
service they received warrants or
bonds for this land, which land was
marked off into townships, and those
into numbered lots each man receiving
specified lot Most of these warrants
were sold at the time of their reception
for trifiing sums-say, from five to
twenty dollars-and many of them have
not vet been looked up by their own
ers; but, no civilization is spreading
west. more attention is now turned to
this matter, and spectators are busy
buying up the old claims
The man for whose heirs had inter
ested myself had bought large num-
Der of consecutive lots. They were To-
Gated near the head of the Kaslsaskia,
and we have reason to believe that they
were uncommonly valuable.
After having armed myself with the
necessary documents, l set out on my
mission. | reached Nandalia without
difficulty. and from there | took the
stage" for Shelbyvillc. Beyond Shell
byvillc. | still had some sixty miles TIC
go. and there was no method of con
vevancc. save such as chance might
l,,l Il
that there was a settlement in Macon
county, which would come in my way
if kept along by the river: but | could
get no direct clcw to its whereabouts
] knew, however, that | should find
"squattcrs' on my route, and from
them could learn all that was neccs-
sary.
Ten miles from Shclbyvillc made in
a small boat: and then | purchased a
horse of an old settler, and from him
learned that | should find plenty of
"squatters'' on the very land of which
] was in search. 1t 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 darkcning
of the sun: and, upon looking up,
found that huge clouds were rising in
the northwest. and | could hear the
wind as il 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, | spurrcd up my
horse. and allowed myself to hope that
i 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
i kept on my way, with only sort of
wind-driven mist; but at the end of
that time the rain began to come down
in torrents For awhile | allowed my
self to quail before the combined force
of rain and wind: but found that the
enemy must be met; and, at length,
with a stout e Ejaculation of defiance, |
faced the storm and rode on. No shell
ter arose to my view, and night fell
upon me. 1t was dark -O, how dark!
so dark that the sable mass might have
been cut with knife. | gave the
horse the rein and let him follow his
own instinct. 1t still rained as though
the big lakes had been tipped over upon
the land, and the wind, too, still pipcd
away without tagging
must have ridden thus through the
utter darkness for two hours-it seemed
7 4ln,,,rl+ I
light ahead of me. 1t twinkled like a
misty star and then disappeared, but
soon | saw it again, and ere long | be-
came convinced that human habita-
ton of some sort was ahead of me. |
urged my beast on, and soon | had the
real pleasure of pulling up before a
house What sort of a house it was |
could not tell: | could only see a dark
mass and single window, from which
shone the light. l alighted from my
horse. and after CROPPING about for some
time found II door and knocked lusti-
ly. My call was answered by wom-
an, but the wind put out her light, and
as she turned back to relight it | fol-
lowed her.
AT first the female, a middle aged, in
telligent looking person, was a little
startled at my manner and appearance
but soon Gained her fears by making
known my situation and business
When | asked her if I could remain
there during the night she hesitated,
and said she would ''let me know" but
she asked me to sit down by the fire
and warm myself. There was COM
plete puddle of water where had been
standing, for the rain was almost
streaming from my garments, SO took
off my overcoat and the lady imme-
diately took it and carried it out of the
room.
1t was not until | had drawn a seat
up to the warm fire that | thought of
my poor beast, and when the woman
returned asked her if my horse could
be taken care of. She replied in the
affirmative. and also told me that |
could remain through the night. | had
left my portmanteau upon the horse,
and of course | spoke of taking care of
the animal myself. The woman told
me that he had already been led around
to the stable and that if | wished - go
out could do SO without exposure to
She weather. She offered to lead the
way and followed her.
II = I