The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1921-08-04
CHAPTER I.
=15pTRI1W NVZNE N1HEZZER,

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CHAPTER 1.
Describes the Journey Of Sam
son Hsnry TrayIor and His Wife and
Their TWO Children and Their Dog
eamho Through the Adirondack VIII
dsrnsss In 1881 on Their Way to the
Land a. Plsnty-Furthsrrnors Il De-
soribss the soapins Of the erim-
stoada. #l a.E
In the early summer Of 1881 sam
non Traylor and his wife, Sarah, and
two children left their old home near
u village Of vergeppes, Vermont
and bsgah their travels toward the
sun with four chairs, q bread
hoard and rolling-pin, 4 feather bed
md blankets, q small looking-glass, a
an AZ, Z pack basket with a
pad Of sole leather on the same, a
watsr pail. . boz Of dishes, q tub Of
salt pork, q rife, q teapot, q sack Of
meal, sundry small provisions and q
violin, In q double wagon drawn by
oxen. It IL . pleasure to note that
they had q violin and were not dis
posed to part with 1t. The reader must
not overlook its full historic signif-
canoe. The stern, uncompromising
spirit Of the Puritan had left the
house Of the Yankee before q violin
could enter 1t. Humor and the love
of play had preceded and cleared a
way for it. Where there was a fiddle
there were cheerful hearts. A young
black shepherd dog with tawny points
and the name Of Sambo followed the
wagon.
II we had been at the Congrega-
tional church on Sunday we might
have heard the minister saying to
Samson, after the service, that it was
hard to understand why the happiest
family In the parish and the most be-
loved should be leaving its ancestral
home to 90 to a far, new country Of
which little was known. We might also
have heard Samson answer:
Its awful easy to be happy here.
We slide along in the same old groove.
that fathers Travelled, from Yer
gennes to Paradise. We work and
play and 60 to meetin' and put a shin
plaster In the box and grow old and
narrow and stingy and mean and go
up - glory and are turned into saints
and angels. Maybe that's the best
thing that could happen to ~, but
Sarah and I kind O thought we'd try
Q new starting place and another route
10 heaven"
Sarah and Sampson had been raised
on adjoining farms Just out Of the
village. He had had little schooling,
but his mind was active and well In
clined. Sarah had prosperous rela-
lives in Boston and had had the ad-
vantage Of a years schooling in that
city. She was a comedy girl of a
taste and refinement unusual in the
place and time of hel birth. Many
w~elkfavored youths had sought her
hand, but, better than others, she
liked the big, masterful, good-natured,
humorous Samson, crude as he was.
Naturally In her hands his timber had
undergone some planning and smooth
ing and his thoughts had been gently
led into new and pleasant ways.
Let us take a look at them as they
slowly leave the village of their birth.
The wagon Is covered with tent cloth
drawn over hickory arches. They are
sitting on a seat overlooking the oxen
In the wagon front. Tears are stream
ing down the face of the woman. The
mans head Is bent. His elbows are
resting on his knees; the hickory
handle Of his OK whip lies across his
lap, the lash at his feet. He seems to
be looking down at his boots, into the
tops OF which his trousers have been
folded. He 10 a rugged, blond, bearded
nan with kindly blue eyes and a
rather prominent nose. There is a
striking expression Of power in the
head and shoulders of Samson Traylor
The breadth Of his back, the size of
his wrists and hands, the color of
his face betoken a man Of great
strength. This thoughtful, sorrowful,
attitude ID the only evidence Of emo
don which he betraya In a few
minutes he begins to whistle a lively
tune. s.
The boy Josiah-familiarly called
Jee--sits beside his mother. He is
4 slender, gweet-faced lad. He r.
looking up wistfully at his mother,
he little girl Betsey sits between him
ana her father.
That evening they stopped at the
Asase Of m old friend some miles
- the rusty road to the north.
#lassHere We ~are-goin' west" Sam
- shouted 10 the man at the door.
-.
\ aIlghtsd and helped his family
80 ~ the wagon.
sE1a : rieht in-m take care q
I'D The man.
1staS4sd for the house with
6ihln1er one arm and the how
IN other. A pleasant-faced
1ksetsd them with d hearty
Nuyeome 1t the door.
poor mani Come, rieht m
Alk
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