The Jasper news. [volume] (Jasper, Missouri) 1898-1924, 1921-08-11
CHAPTER II.-contlnued.


s.
Il shall never forget that day spent
In q lonely part of the woods" the
good woman wrote to her brother. ut
endeared the children to me more than
any day can remember. They
brought water from the creek, a great
quantity, and told me stories and
cheered me IN every way they could.
My faith In Gods protection was per-
feet and in spite of my misery the
children were great comfort. In
the middle of the afternoon Samson
returned with a doctor and some tools
and stick Of seasoned timber. How
good he looked when he came and
knelt by my bed and kissed me This
Is hard Journey, but a woman can
bear anything with such man. The
doctor said would be all right in
three days, and was.
Late that afternoon 1t began to
rain. Samson was singing as he
worked on his wheel. A traveller
came along OH horseback and saw
our plight. He was a young mission
Rry going west. Samson began to
Joke with him.
you're a happy man for one In
30 much trouble said the stranger.
"Then l heard Samson say: We'll,
Hir, I'm in a tx where happiness Is
absolutely necessary. It's like grease
on the wagon wheels-we couldn't
20 on without 1t. When we need any
thing we make II If we can. My wife
Is sick and the wagon is broke and It's
raining and night is near IN a lone
some country, and 1t amt real good
time for me to be down in the mouth
lis 1t, now? We haven't broke any
bones or had an earthquake or been
scalped by Indians, so there's some
room for happiness
Look here, stranger-I like YOU
said the man. If there's anything /
can do to help ye, I'll stop a while.'"
He spent the night with them and
helped mend the feIIy and set the
tire.
The fever and ague passed from
one to another and all were sick
before the journey ended, although
Samson kept the reins in hand
through his misery. There were many
breaks to mend, but Samson's inge-
nulty was always equal to the task.
One day, near nightfall, they were
0vertaken by a tall, handsome Yankee
lad riding pony. His pony stopped
beside the wagon and looked toward
the travellers as II appealing for help.
The boy was pointing toward the horl-
Zon and muttering Sarah saw at
once that his mind was wandering In
the delirium Of fever, She got out
of the wagon and took his hand. The
moment she did so he began crying
like a child.
"This boy is SICK" she said to Sam
son, who came and helped him off
his horse. They camped for the night
and put the boy to bed and gave him
medicine and tender care. He was
too sick to travel next day. The Tray
lOrs stayed with him and nursed the
lad until he wns able to go on. He
was from Niagara county, New York.
and his name was Harry Needles.
His mother had died when he was
ten and his father had married again.
He had not been happy In his home
Hfter that and his father had given
him pony and hundred dollars
and sent him away to seek his own
fortune. Homesick and lonely and III.
and just going west with a sublime
Faith that the West would somehow
provide for him, he might even have
perished on the way II he mad not fall
en- In with friendly people. His story
had touched the heart of Sarah and
HarasOn. He was big, green, gentle
hearted country boy who had set out
filled with hope and the love Of ad-
venture. Sarah found pleasure IN
nOthering the poor lad. and so II
happened that he became one Of their
Little party. He was helpful and good
LAtured and had sundry arts that
pleased the children. The man and
the woman liked the big, honest lad.