The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1921-06-23

fnttTtu INV lu tNfAy way thty tSuiu
Ny faith In Gods protection was per.
feet and In spite Of my misery the
children were a great comfort In
the middle OF the afternoon Samson
returned with q doctor and some tools
and q stick OF seasoned timber. How
good he looked when he came and
kneit by my bed and kissed me This
Is q hard journey, but . woman can
bear anything with such = man. The
doctor said I would be all right In
rNree days. and ! was.
Late that afternoon II began to
rain. Samson was singing as he
worked on his wheel. A traveller
came along on horseback and saw
our plight. He was a young mission.
arr going west. Samson began to
Joke with him
you're a hsppy man for enc IN
30 much trouble said the stranger
Then heard Samson say: Well
sir. I'm In a III where happiness II
absolutely necessary. It's like grease
On the wagon wheels-we couldYt
70 on without H. When we need any
thing we make II n we can. Ny wife
IL sick and the wagon Is broke and It's
raining and night Is near in . lone
some country. and IL amt q real good
time for me 10 be down In the mouth
is II. now1 We haven't broke any
bones or had an earthquake or been
scaped by Indiana 80 there's some
room for happiness
Look here, stranger like you
said the man. II there's anything l
can do TO help ye. III stop q while"
lie spent the night with them and
helped mend the felly and set the
tire.
The fever and ague passed from
one to another and all were sick
before the journey ended. although
Samson kept the reins In hand
through his misery. There were many
breaks to mend. but Samsen's inge-
nuity was always equal to the task.
One day. near nightfall. they were
oyertaken by n tall. Handsome Yankee
lad riding a pony. His pony stopped
beside the wagon and looked toward
the travellers as II appealing for help.
The boy was pointing toward the hsri-
zon and muttering. Sarah saw at
once that his mind was wandering In
the delirium OF fever. She got out
Of the wagon and took his hand. The
moment she did 80 he began crying
like child.
This boy Is sick" she said TO Sam
son. who came and helped him off
his horse. They camped for the night
and put the hoy to he'd and gave him
medicine and tender care. He was
too sick TO travel next day. The Tray
Tors stayed with him and nur>ed the
lad until he was able to 20 on. He
was from Niagara county. New York.
and his name was Harry Needles.
His mother had died when he was
ten and his father had married again
lie had not been happy in his home
after that and his father had given
him q pony and hundred dollars
and sent him away 10 seek his own
fortune. Homesick and lonely and IN,
and Just going west with q sublime
faith that the West would somehow
provide for him. he might even have
persisted on the way II he had not fall
en- In with friendly people. His story
had touched the heart OF Sarah and
Samson. lie was big, green, gentle
hearted country hoy who had set out
filled with hope and the love Of sd-
venture. Sarah found pleasure In
mothering this poor lad. and 80 IL
happened that he became one OF their
little party. lie was helpful and good
natured and had sundry arts that
pleased the children. The man and
the woman liked the big. honest lad.
One day he said to Samson: II
hope you won't mind II go along
with you. sir"
'T;lad TO have you with u.s." said
samson. "We'ye talked II over. II
you want TO, you can come along
with us and our home shall be yours
and I'll do what's right by you"
AH0y islth hloik hiiouBh ihuioho
and over the wide sayannas Of Hi
nsis. aud on the nlnety-seventh day
OF their journey they drove through
rolling, grassy, Towering prairies and
up Q long. hard hill to the small log
cabin settlement Of New Salem, I'LL
nOis, on the shore Of the Ssngamsn.
They halted about noon In the middle
Of this little prairie village. opposite
q small clapboard house. A sign hung
over its door which bore the rudely
lettered words: -Rutledse's Tavern"
A long. slim. eop-shouldered young
man sat In the shade sf an sak tree
that stood near a corner Of the tavern.
with q number OF childrsA playing
around him. He sat leaning against
the tree trunk reading . book. He
had risen as they came scar and stost
locking at them. with the book under