The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1921-08-25

Up the Road to the North il the Night.
As Samson drew near the house he
observed q man working on the roof
Of q woodshed. Something familiar in
his look held the eye Of the New Salem
man. In half a moment he recognized
the face of Henry Brimstead. It was
now q cheerful face. Brimstead came
down from the ladder and they shook
hands.
"Good land o Goshenl How did yen
get heref Samson asked. Brimstead
answered:
Through the help Of q Teller that
looks like you an the grit Of q pair O.
horses. Come down this read early in
September on my way to the land O.
plenty. Found. Peasley here. Couldn't
help it. Saw his name on the barn.
Used to 60 to school with him in Or
well. He offered to sell me some land
with q house on 1t an trust me for his
pay. I liked the looks o. the country
and SO l didn't 60 no. further. l was
goin' to write you a letter, but I hain't
got around to it yet. Amt forgot what
you done for us, I can tell ye that"
"Well, this looks better than the
sand plains-a lot better-and you
look better than the flea farmer back
in York state. How are the chill
dren?" ".
Fat an happy an well dressed.
Mrs. Peasley has been q mother to
'em an her sister is goin' to be a wife
to me-" He came close to Samson and
added in a confidential tone: "Say, II
I was any happier I'd be scairt. I'm
like I was when I got over the tooth
ache-so scairt for fear it would come
back I was kind O. miserable"
MI. Peasley came out of the door.
he was a big, ~full-bearded, jovial man.
i've got a small load o. hay for
you," said Samson.
II was expecting 1t, though I sup
posed 'twould be walkin'-in the dark
o night" Peasley answered. "Drive in
on the barn foor." !,
When Samson had driven into the
barn it's doors were closed and the ne
groes were called. from their place OF
hiding. : Samson writes:
II never realized what a blessing it
is to be free until / saw that scared
man. and woman crawling out from n
der the dusty hay and shaking them
selves like a pair of dogs. The wealth
err was not cold or / guess they would
have been frozen. They knelt togeth-
er on the barn floor, and the woman
prayed fer Gods protection through
the day. Peasley. brought food for
them and slowed them away on the
top Of his haymow with a pair Of buf-
falo skins. I suppose they got some
sleep there. l went into the house to
breakfast and while / ate Brimstead
told me about his trip. His children
were there. They looked clean and
decent. He lived in a log cabin d little
further up the road. Mrs. Peasley's
sister waited on me-, She is a fat and
cheerful looking lady, very light com-
plected. Her hair is red-like tomato
ketchup. Looks to ms a likely, stout
armed, good-hearted woman who can
do q lot Of hard work. She can see q
Joke and has an answer handy every
time"
For details Of the remainder OF the
historic visit of Samson Traylor to the
home Of Jshn Peasley we are indebted
to 4 letter from John to his brother
Charles, dated February, q. 1882. In
this he says: e4
I'VE had gone out to the barn and
Brimstead and I were helping Nj.
Traylor hitch up his horses. All Of z
sudden two men came riding up the
road at 4 fast trot and turned in and
come straight toward us and pulled mp
BY the wagon. One Of them was =
slim. red-cheeked young Teller about
twenty-three years old. he wore top
boots and spurs and I br0ad-brimmed
black hat and gloves and q fur waist
coat and purity linen. He loked at the
tires Of the wagon and said: That's
the one we've followed
which o you is samson Traylorf
he asked.
- am said Traylor. 1
The young Teller jumped OF his
horse and tied him to the fence. Then
he went up to Traylor and said:
What did you do with my niggers,
you dirty suckerY "A 81
Men from Missouri hated the MI
nsis folks them Days and called = =
Suckers.
sHain't you ! little reckless. young
teller Traylor said, % cool q I O.
sumber. He stood up nigh the barn
ioof, which Brimstead had closed,
after We backed the wagon ont
..The young teller stepped close 70.
the New Salem man and rafsed his
whip for j blow. Quick o 1ightnin'
Traylor grabbed him ma threw hin
aS,in the barn door, keewhacki He
hit 10 hard The boards bent and thss
whole barn rcared and trenbled. The
other fellerstrfed to set M pistol ont
~ III holster; but Brtmstead, Who
atocd nestde htmerabbed IN M Is
Al!s1lgs bikllg