The Glenwood post. (Glenwood Springs, Colo.) 1897-current, 1921-12-29
CHAPTER ..

Which Describes the Journey Of Sam
son Henry Trayior and His wife and
Their Two Children and Their Dog
eambo Through the Adirondack VIII
derness in 1881 on Their Way to the
Land Of Picnty-Furthernor It De-
soribss the Soapino Of the erim-
steads.
In the early summer of 1881 Sam
sou Traylor and his wife, Sarah, and
two children left their old home near
the village of vergennes, Vermont
and began their travels toward the
setting sun with four chairs, bread
board and rolling-pin, q feather bed
and blankets. small looking glass,
skillet, an ak, pack basket with
pad Of sole leather on the same,
water pail. box of dishes, a tub of
salt pork, a rifle. a teapot, sack of
meal, sundry small provisions and a
violin. In double wagon drawn by
oxen. 1t Is a pleasure to note that
they had violin and were not dis
posed to part with It. The reader must
not overlook Its full historic signifi-
canoe. The stern, Incorporating
spirit Of the Puritan had left the
house OF the Yankee before a violin
could enter It. Humor and the love
Of play had preceded and cleared
way for 1t. Where there was fiddle
there were cheerful hearts. young
black shepherd dog with tawny points
and the name of Sambo followed the
wagon.
If we had been at the Congrega-
tional church on Sunday we might
have heard the minister saying to
Samson. after the service, that 1t was
hard to understand why the happIest
family in the parish and the most se-
loved should be leaving Its ancestral
home to 90 to a far, new country of
which little was known. We might also
have heard Samson answer:
Its awful easy to be happy here.
We slide along in the same old groove.
that our fathers Travelled, from Yer
gennes to Paradise. We work and
play md go to meetn' and put shin
plaster in the box and grow old and
narrow and stingy and mean and go
up to glory and are turned into saints
and angels. Maybe that's the best
thing that could happen to us. but
Sarah and | kind o thought we'd try
a new starting place and another route
to heaven"
Sarah and Sampson had been raised
m pdt fptn f,.
village. He had had little schooling.
but his mind was active and well in-
ciined. Sarah had prosperous rela-
tves In Boston and had had the adj
vantage Of years schooling In that
city. She was cOmely girl of u
taste and refinement unusual In the
place and time of her birth. Many
well-fuvOred youths had sought her
hand. but better than others, she
liked the big. masterful, good-natured,
humorous Samson, crude as he was.
Naturally in her hands his timber had
undergone some planning and smooth
ing and his thoughts had been gently
led Into new and pleasant ways.
Let US take look at them az they
slowly leave the village Of their birth.
The wagon is covered with tent cloth
drawn over hickory arches They are
sitting on seat overlooking the oxen
in the wagon front. Tears are stream
ing down the face OF the woman The
mans head ls bent. His elbows are
resting on his knees: the hickory
handle Of his OK whip lies across his
lap, the lash at his feet. He seems to
be looking down p. MS boots, into the
tops of which his trousers have been
folded. He is a rugged, blond, bearded
man with kindly blue eyes and a
rather prominent nose There Is a
striking expression OF power in the
head and shoulders Of Samson TrayIor.
The breadth of his back. the size of
his wrists and hands. the color of
his face betOken man Of great
strength. This thoughtful, sorrowful,
attitude Is the only evidence of emo
ton which he betrays In a few
minutes he begins to whistle a lively
tune
The hoy Josiah-fnmiliarly called
JOe-sits beside his mother. He Ia
slender. sweet-faced lad He Is
looking up wIstfuly at his mother.
The little girl Betsey sits between him
and her father.
That evening they stopped at the
house Of an old friend some miles
up the rusty road to the north.
Here we are-goin' west" Sam
sop shouted 30 the man at the door
step.
He aiighted and helped his family
out Of the wagon.
"You go right in-T'll take care O.
the oxen" said the man.
Samson started for the house with
the girl under one arm and the boy
under the Uther. A pleasant-faced
woman greeted them with hearty
welcome at the door.
"You poor man! Come right In"
she said.
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