The Snowflake herald., 1921-09-30

They had dinner of prairie chick
wild grape jelly and creamed potatoes
and cookies and doughnuts and raisin
ple 1t was well-cooked dinner,
served on white linen, in clean room,
and while they were eating, the SYM
pathetic landlady stood by the table.
eager to learn of their travels and to
make them feel at home The good
food and their kindly welcome and
the beauty of the rolling wooded
prairies softened the regret which had
been growing in their hearts, and
which only the children had dared
to express.
Perhaps we haven't made mis-
take, after ALL" Sarah whispered when
the dinner was over II like these
people and the prairies are beautiful y
ut is the land of plenty at last"
said Samson, as they came out of
doors. 'It is even better than l
thought"
"As Douglas Jerrold said Of Austria
liza: Tickle it with hoe and it
laughs with a harvest" said Dr.
Allen, who still sat in the shaded
dooryard, smoking his pipe Il have
an extra horse and saddle. Suppose
you leave the family with Mrs. Rut-
ledge and ride around with me little
this afternoon l can show you how
the land lies off TO the west of u.s.
and tomorrow we'll look at the other
side"
'"rhank you-I want to look around
here little" said Samson. whats
the name of this places"
''New Salem. We call it a village.
1t has mill, a carding machine, a
tavern, schoolhouse, five stores
fourteen houses, two or three men Of
genius, and a noisy dam. It's a crude
but growing place and soon it will
have all the embellishments of civil
liZed life"
That evening many of the inhabit-
ants of the little village came to the
tavern to see the travellers and were
introduced by Dr. Allen. Most of
them had come from Kentucky, al
though there were two Yankee fam
lilies who had moved on from Ohio.
"These are good folks" said the
Doctor There are others who are
not so good. could show you some
pretty rough customers at Clarys
Grove, not far from here We have
to take things as they are and do
our best to make 'em better
"Any Indians?" Sarah asked.
You see one now and then, but
they're peaceable. Most of 'em have
gone with the buffaloes-farther west.
Now and then a circuit rider gets
here and breaches to us. You'll hear
the Reverend Stephen Nuckles if you
settle In these parts. He can holler
louder than any man in the state"
The tavern was the only house in
New Salem with stairs in it-stairs
so steep, as Samson writes, that "they
were first cousins to the ladder"
There were four small rooms above
them. Two of these were separated
by partition of cloth hanging from
the rafters. In each was a bed and
floor. In case there were number
of adult guests the bedstead was
screened with sheets hung upon
strings. In one of these rooms the
travellers had night of refreshing
sleep.
After riding two days with the
Doctor, Samson bought the claim of
one Isaac Gollaher to a half section
of land little more than a mile from
the western end of the village He
chose a site for his house on the
edge of an open prairie.
Now We'll go over and see Abe"
said Dr. Allen, after the deal was
made. ~.He's the best man with an
ak and saw in this part of the
country. He clerks for Mr.. Offut.
Abe Lincoln is one of the best fellows
that ever lived--a rough diamond Just
out of the great mine of the West, that
only needs to be cut and polished"
Denton Offut's store was a small
log structure about twenty by twenty
which stood near the brow of the
hill east of Rutledge's tavern. When
they entered it Abe lay at full length
on the counter, his head resting on a
bolt of blue denim as he studied
book in his hand. He wore the same
shirt and one suspender and linsey
trousers which he had worn i'm the
dooryard of the tavern, but his feet
were covered only by his blue yarn
socks.
1t was general store full of exotic
flavors, chiefly those of tea, coffee.
tobacco, muscovado sugar and molas-
ses. There was a counter on each
side. Bolts of cloth, mostly calico.
were piled on the far end of the right
counter as one entered and the near
end held a showcase containing
display of cutlery, pewter spoons.
jewelry and fishing tackle. There
were double windows on either side
of the rough board door with its wood
en- latch. The left counter held
xx,ifE Il