Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1921-09-01

venture. Sarah found pleasure In
mothering the poor lad, and so IL
happened that he became one Of their
little party. He 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: 81
hope you won't mind If l go along
with you, sir"
"Glad to have you with u.s." said
Samson, "We've talked it over. If
you want to, you can come along
with us and our home shall be yours
and I'll do what's right by you"
They Jared along through Indiana
and over the wide savannas of Hi:
nois, and on the ninety-seventh day
of their journey they drove through
rolling, grassy. Towering prairies and
up long, hard hill to the small log
cabin settlement of New Salem, ILL
nois, on the shore of the Sangamon.
They halted about noon in the middle
Of this little prairie village, opposite
small clapbOard house. A sign hung
over its door which bore the rudely
lettered words: "Rutledge's Tavern"
A long. SLIM stoop-shouldered young
man sat in the, shade of an oak tree
that stood near corner of the tavern,
with number of children playing
around him. He sat leaning against
the tree trunk reading a book He
had risen as they came near and stood
looking at them, with the book under
his arm. Samson says in his diary
that he looked like ian untrimmed
yearling colt about sixteen hands
high. He got up slow and kept rising
till his bush Of black tOusled hair was
six feet four above the ground. Then
he put on an old straw hat without
any band on it. He reminded me of
Philemon Bakers fish rod, he was
that narrer. For humliness I'd match
him against the world. His hide was
kind o. yaller and leathery. could
see he was still In the gristle-a little
over twenty-but his face was marked
up by worry and weather like mans.
I never saw anybody SO long between
Joints. Don't hardly see how he
could tell when his feet got cold"
He wore hickory shirt without
collar or cont or jacket. One suspen-
/ der held up his coarse, linsey trousers,
the legs Of which fitted closely and
came only to blue yarn zone above
! hfs heavy cowhfde shoes. Samson
writes that he fetched a sneeze and
wiped his big nose with red hand
| hi1Ep hn ,~ko
in silence. while DR.. John Allen, who
had sat on the doorstep reading
paper-a kindly faced man of middle
age with short white beard under
his chfn-greeted them cheerfully.
"Where do you hail from?" the
| Doctor asked.
"Vermont," said Samson.
"All the way in that wagon?'
Eyes, sir"
| II guess you're made O. the right
stuff" said the Doctor. "Where We
| bound p
Don't know exactly. Going to take
claim somewhere"
! There's no better country than
right here This is the Canaan of
America. We need people like you
Unhitch your team and have some
dinner and we'll talk things over after
you're rested. I'm the doctor here and
l ride all over this part o. the country.
reckon I know It pretty wel1.'
A woman in neat calico dress
came ont Of the door-a strong-built
and rather well-favored woman with
l nj
"Mrs. Rutledge, these are travellers
from the East" said the Doctor.
"Give 'em some dinner, and If they
can't pay for It. can. They've came
all the way from Vermont"
"Gooa land! Come right in an rest
yerselves. Abe, you show the gentle
man where to put his horses an lend
him hand"
i Abe extended his long arm toward
Samson and said "Howdy' as they
shook hands.
when his big hand got hold Of
mine, kind Of felt his timber" Sam.
! son writes. II says to myself, There's
man it would be hard to tip over in
a rassle'"
'What's yer name? How long ye
been travelin'? My conscience! Amt
ye wore out?" the hospitable Mrs.
Rutledge was asking as she went into
the house with Sarah and the chill
dren. you go and mix up with the
little ones and let yer mother rest
while l git dinner" she said to Joe
and Betsey, and added as she took
Sarah's shawl and bonnet: "You lop
down an rest yerself while I'm flynn
around the fire."
"Come all the way from vermont?'
Abe asked as he and Samson were
unhitching.
Eyes, sir"
by jing!" the slim giant exclaimed.
Il reckon you feel like THROWN off
yer harness an takin' a roll in the
grass"
CHAPTER III.