Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1921-09-02

venture on the Underground HAIL
road About the Time u Began op.
eratlone.
When Samson paid MFR. Gollaher, a
"detector" came with the latter to look
at the money before 1t was accepted.
There were many counterfelts and bills
good only at a certain discount of
face value going about those days and
the detectOr was In great request Di-
rectly after moving In, Samson dug a
well and lined II with q hollow log.
He bought tools and another team and
then he and Harry began their fall
blowing. Day after day for weeks
they paced with their turning burrows
until a hundred acres, stretching half
mile to the west and well to the
north OF the house, were black with
them. Fever and ague descended up.
ON the little home In the early winter
In letter to her brother, dated
January 4th. 1882. Sarah writes:
"We have been longing for news
from home. but not a word has come
from you. II don't seem as II we could
stand 1t unless we hear from you or
some Of the folks once in a while
We are not dead just because we are
q thousand miles away. We want to
hear from you. Please write and lei
us know how father and mother arc
and all the news. We have all been
sick with the fever and ague. 1t is n
beautiful country and the soil is very
rich. but there is some sickness. Sam
son and were both sick at the same
time. never knew Samson to give
up before. He couldn't 60 on, his head
ached So Little Joe helped me gel
the IRE started and brought some wa
ter and waited on us. Harry Needles
had gone away to Springfield for Mr.
Offut with q drove OF hogs. Two 9th.
er boys are with him. He is going to
buy new suit. He is q very proud
boy. Joe and Betsey got back with
the doctor at nine. That night Abe
Lincoln came and sat up with us and
gave us our medicine and kept the
fire going. II was comical to see him
lying beside Joe In his trundle bed,
with his long legs sticking over the
end OF 1t and his feet standing on the
floor about yard from the bed. He
was spread all over the place. He
talked about religion and his views
would shock most Of our friends in the
East. He doesn't believe In the kind
Of Heaven that the ministers talk
about or any eternal hell. He says
that nobody knows anything about the
hereafter, except that God Is a kind
and fOrglving father and that all men
are His children. He says that we
can only serve God by serving each
other. He seems TO think that every
man, good or bad, black or white, rich
or poor, is his brother. He thinks
that Henry Clay, next 20 Daniel Web
steF, 10 the greatest man In the coun-
try. He IL studying hard. Expects to
go out and make speeches for Clay
next summer He Is quite severe I'm
his talk against General jackson. He
and Samson agree In politics and re-
liglon. They are a good deal alike.
He is very fond OF Samson and Har-
ry-calls them his partners. We love
this big awkward giant. His feet are
set In the straight way and we think
that he Is going TO make his mark in
the world.
''You said you would come out next
spring to look about. Please don't
disappoint u.s. think 1t would almost
break my heart. / am counting the
days. Don't be afraid Of fever and
ague. sapington's pills cure It In three
or four days. / would take the steam
boat at Plttsburg, the roads In Ohio
and Indiana are so bad. You can get
steamer up the Illinois river at AL
ton and get OF at Beardstown and
drive across country. II we knew
when you were coming Samson or Abe
would meet you. Give our love to all
the folks and friends.
yours affectlonateIy
"Sarah and Samson"
It had been 9 cold winter and not
easy to keep comfortable in the little
house. In the worst weather Sam
son had used to get up at night to
keep the Are going. Late Ia January
a wind from the southeast melted the
snow and warmed the air Of the mid
lands so that, for a week or so, 1t
seemed as II spring were come. One
night OF this week Sambo awoke the.
family with his barking. A strong
wind was rushing across the plains
and roaring over the cabin and wall
Ing in its chimney. Suddenly there
was a rap on It's door. When Samson
opened 1t he saw In the moonlight a
young colored man and woman stand.
ing near the doorstep.
"Is dis Mistah TraylorT' the young
man asked.
1T iS." said Samson. @What can
do for yeuT"
''Masr, de good Lord done fetched
us here to ask you 10 help" said the
negro. 1--WE be nigh WOne out with cold