The Jasper news., 1921-09-08
CHAPTER VI.

CtAF En- Nts
Which Describes the Lonely Life In
Prairie Cabin and a Stirring Ad.
venture on the Underground Rail.
road About the Time II Began op.
eratlons.
When Samson paid Mr.. Gollaher, a
"detector" came with the latter to look
at the money before 1t was accepted.
There were many counterfelts and bills
good only at a certain discount Of
face value going about those days and
the detector was In great request. d.
rectly after moving In, Samson dug
well and lined 1t with hollow log.
He bought tools and another team and
then he and Harry began their fall
plowing. Day after day for weeks
they paced with their turning burrows
until hundred acres, stretching half
mile to the west and well to the
north of the house, were black with
them. Fever and ague descended up
on the little home in the early winter.
In letter to her brother, dated
January 4th, 1882, Sarah writes:
1--WE have been longing for news
from home, but not a word has come
from you. 1t don't seem as IL we could
stand 1t unless we hear from you or
some of the folks once in q while.
We are not dead just because we are
thousand miles away. We want to
hear from you. Please write and let
us know how father and mother are
and oil the news. We have all been
sick with the fever and ague. 1t is a
beautiful country and the soil is very
rich, but there Is some sickness. Sam
son and were both sick at the same
time. 1 never knew Samson to give
up before. He couldn't go on, his head
ached so. Little Joe helped me get
the fro started and brought some wa
ter and waited on us. Harry Needles
had gone away TO Springfield for Mr..
Offut with q drove Of hogs. Two 9TH
er boys are with him. He is going to
buy q new suit He is a very proud
boy. Joe and Betsey got back with
the doctor at nine. That night Abe
Lincoln came and sat up with us and
gave us our medicine and kept the
fire going. 1t was comlcal to see hin
| lying beside Joe In his trundle bed
with his long legs sticking over the
end Of 1t and his feet standing on the
floor about a yard from the bed. HI
was spread all over the place. HI
talked about religion and his view
would shock most of our friends in til,
East. He doesn't believe in the kinC
of Heaven that the ministers tall
about or any eternal hell. He say
that nobody knows anything about tn,
hereafter, except that God is q kin,
and forgiving father and that all mel
are His children. He says that W,
can only serve God by serving eacl
other. He seems to think that ever,
man, good or bad, black. or white, ricl
or poor, is his brother. He think
that Henry Clay, next to Daniel Web
ster. is the greatest man in the coun
try. He is studying hard. Expects /
60 out and make speeches for Cla
next summer. He is quite severe 4
, his talk against General Jackson. Il
and Samson agree In politics and n
J ligiOn. They are a good deal allk,
} He is very fond of Samson and Hal
: ry-calls them his partners. We loy
! this big awkward giant. His feet ar
/. set in the straight way and we thin
that he is going to make his mark /
J the world.
"You said you would come out nes
! spring to look about. Please don
y disappoint us. think 1t would almoi
break my heart. | am counting Ii
3 days. Don't be afraid Of fever an
. ague. Saplngton's pills cure 1t In thrt
y or four days. l would take the stean
D boat at Pittsburg. the roads in OH
and Indiana are so bad You can e,
!, a steamer up the Illinois river at A
( ton and get on at Beardstown an
8 drive across country. If we kne
( when you were coming Samson or AL
y would meet you. Give our love to q
5 the folks and friends.
+ "Yours affeetionately,
SARAH and Samson"
4 Il had been q cold winter and q