The Jasper news. [volume] (Jasper, Missouri) 1898-1924, 1921-07-28

this morninsr whereupon Joe would
say, parrot like:
God help US ali and make His
face 70 shine upon u.s."
-WeIl sdidi" his father would an
swer and so the days Journey began.
Often, near It's end, they came to
some lonely farmhouse. Always Kam-
son would stop and go TO the door
10 ask about the roads. followed by
little Joe and Betsey with secret hopes.
One OF these hopes was related to
cookies and maple sugar and buttered
bread and had been cherished since
an hour OF good fortune early In the
trip and encouraged BY sundry good
hearted women along the road. An
other was the hope Of seeing a baby
mainly. II should be said, the hope
CT Betsey. Joe's interest was merely
an echo Of hers. He regarded babies
with an open mind, as It we're. for
the opinions of his sister still had
some weight with him. she being a
year and half older than he, hut
babies invariably disappointed him.
their capabilities being SO restricted.
Still. not knowing what might happen,
he always took look at every baby.
The children were lifted out Of the
wagon to stretch their legs Mt sloughs
and houses. They were sure to be
close behind the legs OF their father
when he stood Mt a strangers door.
Then. the night being near. they were
always invited to put their horses in
the barn and tarry until next morn
Ing This was due in part to the visit
ful faces Of the little children--a fact
unsupported by their parents. What
motherly heart could resist the silent
appeal Of children's faces or fafl to
nights for Sarah and Joe and Betsey. In
letter TO her brother the woman said:
"You don't know how good II seems
TO see q woman and talk to her. and
we talked and talked until midnight.
after all the rest were asleep. She
let me hold the baby in my lap until
II was put to bed. How good II felt
TO have little warm body In my
arms again and feel 1t breathingl In
all my life never saw prettier
baby. 1t felt good to be in a real
house and sleep In a soft, warm bed
and to eat jelly and cookies and fresh
meat and potatoes and bread and but
ter. Samson played for them and
kept them laughing with his stories
until bedtime. They wouldn't take
cent and gave us n dozen eggs In
basket and piece OF venison when
we went away"
On a warm, bright day in the sand
| country they came to a crcde. half
finished. frame house at the edge OF
wide clearing. The sand lay In
i drifts on one. side of the road. II
had evidently moved in the last wind.
A sickly vegetation covered the field.
A ragged, barefooted man and three
screwny. ill-clad children stood In the
dooryard. II was noontime. A mon
grel dog, with bit Of the hound in
him. came bounding and barking to-
ward the wagon and pitched upon
Sambo and quickly got the worst Of
1t. Sambo. after much experience
In self-defense, had learned that the
best way out Of such trouble was to
seize leg and hang on. This he
did. The mongrel began to yelp. Sam.
son lifted both dogs by the backs Of
their necks. broke the hold Of Sambo
and tossed aside the mongrel. who
ran away whining.
"That reminded me Of a bull that
tackled a man over In Vermont" he
said. 'T'le man had a club In bis
hand. He lodged and grabbed the
bulls tail and beat him all over the
lot. AS the bull roared. the man hol-
Tered: I'D like to know who began
this fuss anyway"
The stranger laughed.
SIS that your houseT' Samson said.
The man stepped nearer and an.
swered In a low. confidential tone
"Say. mister. this is combination
poorhouse and idiot asylum. am
the idiot. These are the poor"
He pointed to the children.
tVou dnn'f falk lIka an idiot aaIh