Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1896-12-31

story came TO The conclusion that he
had overheard the we robbers making
their plan. or that he WIS one OF the
gang and had q~uarreled with the pair
and betrayed them TO ecure revenge.
I'm New Years eye. after several DAYS
thaw and rain. and when the river was
bank full, my grandfather was caring
for his horses in the stable when that
same little old man. dressed exactly as
before, suddenly appeared at the door
and said:
Good evening. Mr.. Davis. | see you
have traded Bartholomew county for
Lawrcncei / was glad TO learn thar
you needed my warning about the rob
bcrs. / stopped to tell you that YOU
are in great danger here. Before III rn-
ing all this land Will cave into the
river and you'd best get away as soon
rs possible"
Il want to thank You for yonr warn
Ing about the robbers" said my grand
father as s,o as he could find his
voice, 'and 10 ask you"
Cant wait-can't waitf' interrupted
the little old man. It's all right
hurry up-Sec you again"
With that he was gone. Ny grand
father went out with his lantern and
locked carefully about him, hut he
could not wen ind riie trace Of 4 foot
in the soft soil. Even where the
stranger had stood leaning against
the doof-post there wasn't "a sign To
prove that lac had feet. Grandfather
was badly ratified over the affair. as
also was bis wife, bat il was decided
- heed the warning. The horses were
hitchctl 10 the wagon. the wagon load
Ell with their household goods. and II
III o'clock ut night they arrived ut Il
roadside inn three miles away. When
tEty told their story they were laughed
40. but the light of the morning told Il
! different story. White river had cut
Il new channel for itself across q long
bend, and cabin, stables and five acres
Of land had disappeared. The waters
had come down SO suddenly an with
such n rush that had the family re-
manned in their cabin there would have
been no chance of escape. Whenever
the story was told II was agreed that
there was something queer in that little
old mar turning III to give a second
warning and there were some people
who believed with my grandfather that
the stranger was not OF flesh and
blood. After q couple Of years The In
cident WIS. however. forgotten by all
save my relatives. and they recalled *
| only TO wonder If there wouh ever
come another warning. Soon after the
disaster Mr.. Davis sold his land and
joined n party emigrating TO Elmon-
son county. Ky. There he purchased
land and built a sawmill on Green
river-the first in the county. While
the mill was running steadily the help
was changed frequently. as none of the
white mel about cared To work long
and my grandfather owned nc slaves.
] He ut length hired 4 negro who had
been set free by his master, and the
two ran the mill while a white iran
was hired on the farm.
1t Was about five years from the sec
ond appearance of the little old
when my grandfather stood on his
doorstep one New Years eve looiing
about. His wife had started the day
before for 4 visit to relatives III IGaitNa
and a negro m was in the h0ttt~'
to cook for the men. The white man
and the negro had one TO the sawmiii,
situated about a half mile away. to
file the saw for The nscrrow's work.
There suddenly appeared before my
grandfather, coming from he could not
say where. the same little old man. and
in a voice perfectly familiar he said:
Pleasant evening, Mr.. Davis. So
you have made another change. Things
happened up on White river just as l
told you they would. eh!'
-rhey did. and we W you our
lives" replied my grandfather.
Tut. tut. But that Is nothing, You
are In danger again, and | came to
warn YOU"
< .x1 <.IY kt.nt pau w-,plra+1,1 1x.1
firmly resolved that II the little old
MAJ ever appeared again he would find
out more about him He was I'M
what startled owe: his appearance, but
his mind was made up that he would
prove his caller a man of flesh and
blood. or q spoOk- The little old man
did not come nearer than six feet TO
the doorstep, but as he stood there Mr..
Davis planned 10 spring upon him
should he turn away as abruptly us
on former occasions
60 Owe to the saw-mill,' continued
the old man. MADE your approach
very softly. You viii find two men
seated on a log and talking about yoi.
Go at Once-good night"
III ygrandfather made a spring ana q
grasp ut him, but, to his terror, the lit
tie cid man vanished from sight, as If
dissolved in air. Not the slightest
loise betrayed his going. One instant
he was therr-the next he was gone.
TO make sure that he had not been
dreaming, NY granfathcr called to Vie
colored woman.
She declared that she had heard the
voice or an old man. but had not looked
out to see who the caller was. AL
though greatly upset by the circum-
stance. Mr.. Davis SION started for the
mill to see what the men were about
Sure enough, he found them sitting on
a log IN the carriage, and, after some
careful mancuvering. he got close
enough to overhcar their conversation.
1t appeared that the white man was
tired Of work. and the negro was anx-
ions 10 run away t. the North. Their
plan yas to kin and rob my grandpa
thez, and that very night. He made
good his retreat to the house, where he
fOund a nefghbOr named Saunders. and