Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1921-09-29

goin' to rassIe with Satan for the soul
O. that ar man, an IL you keep watch
reckon you'll see at the grOund'H be
scratched up some fore git through
'He loosened his collar an knelt on
his coat and began to pray that the
mans soul would see sits wickedness
and repent. You could have heard him
half a mile away.
"Mr. Traylor drove of with the
damaged SLAYER settin' beside him and
the saddle boss hitched to the rear
axle. l see my chance an before that
prayer ended had got the fugitives
| under some hay in my wagon and start
/ ed of with them on my way to Liv-
ingston county. l could hear the pray
in until got over the hill into Canaan
! barrens. At shutdown l left them in
good hands thirty miles up the road"
In a frontier newspaper of that
time it is recorded that the minister
and his dog kept the SLAYER on the roof
all day, vainly trying with prayer and
exhortation to convert his soul. The
man stopped swearing before dinner
and on his promise not again to violate
the commandment good meal was
handed up to him. He was liberated
at shutdown and spent the night with
Brimstead.
"Who is that big sucker who grabbed
my friend?" the stranger asked Brim-
stead.
His name is Samson Traylor.
Comes from Vermont" was the an
swer.
IF he don't look out 'Liph Biggsll
kill him-certain."
Samson spoke not more than a dozen
words on his way back to New Salem.
Amazed and little shocked by his
own conduct, he sat thinking. After
all he had heard and seen, the threat
Of the young upstart had provoked
him beyond his power of endurance.
The sensitive mind of the New Eng,
lander had been hurt by the story of
the fugitives. Upon this hurt the
young man had poured the turpentine
Of naughty, imperial manners. The
more he thought Of 1t the less inclined
he was to reproach himself for his
violence. Slavery was relic Of an
cient Imperialism. 1t had no right in
free America. There could be no
peace with it save for little time.
The Missour;ans would tell their
friends of the lawless and violent men
OF the North, who cared not q fig for
the property rights of Southerner.
The stories would travel like fire in
dry grass.
So, swiftly, the thoughts of men
were being prepared for the great bat
tie lines Of the future. Samson saw
the peril Of it.
AS they rode along young Mr.. Biggs
complained of pain and Samson made
sling of his muftler and put it over
the neck. and arm of the injured Biggs
and drove with care to avoid jolting.
For the first time Samson took care
full and sympathetic look at him. He
was handsome youth, about six feet
tall, with dark eyes and hair and q
small black mustache and teeth very
white and even. Ill
In New Salem Samson took him to
Doctor Aliens office and helped the
doctor in setting the broken bone.
Then he went to Offut's store and
found Abe reading his law book and
gave him an account of his adventure
I'm both glad and sorry" said Abe.
I'm glad that you licked the SLAYER
and got the negroes out of his reach.
reckon I'd have done the same If 1
could. I'm sorry because it looks to
me like. the beginning Of many trou-
bles. The whole subject Of slavery is
full of danger. Naturally Southern
men will fight for their property, and
there is growing number in the
North who will fight for their prin-
ciples. If we all get to fighting, l
wonder what will become of the coun-
try. 1t reminds me of the man who
found a skunk in his house. His boy
was going after the critter with
club.
"Look here, boy he said, when
you've got skunk in the house, it's a
good time to be careful. You might
spyle the skunk with that club. but
the skunk would be right certain to
spyle the house. While he's our guest,
I reckon wen have to be polite,
whether we want to or not"
That evening Samson set down the
events of the day in his book and
quoted the dialogue in Offut's store in
which he had had part. On the first
Of February, 1910, he put these words
under the entry:
II wouldn't wonder If this was the
first trip on the Underground rail-
road"
CHAPTER VII.
In Which Mr.. El,ph.,et slas. Get.