Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1921-12-30
Watched Every Move In This Remark
able Performance.


remarkable performance The ease
with which the big Vermonter had so
defied the law of grayitation with that
unwieldy stick amazed him.
THAT thingll weigh from seven to
eight hundred pounds" said he. II
reckon you're the stoutest man in this
part o. the state an I'm quite a man
myself. I've lifted barrel o whisky
and put my mouth to the bung hole.
| never drink it.
"Say," be added as he sat down and
began eating a doughnut. IF you
ever hit anybody take sledge ham,
mer or a crowbar. 1t wouldn't be de-
cent to use your fist
They hewed fiat surface on oppo-
site sides Of the log which Samson
had carried and peeled 1t and raised
It's lower end on cross timber. Then
they marked 1t with chalk line and
sliced it into inch boards with whip
saw, Abe standing on top of the log
and Samson beneath it. Suddenly the
saw stopped. A clear, beautiful voice
flung the music of Sweet Nightin-
gale" into the timbered hollow. 1t
land ringing. The men stood silent
like those hearing benediction. The
singing ceased. Still they listened for
half a moment. 1t was as il spirit
had passed and touched them.
Its Bin--the little viXen!" said
Abe tenderly. "She's an odd child
and as pretty as a spotted fawn, and
about as wild. She's kind Of first
cousin TO the bobolink."
When they were getting ready TO go
home that afternoon Joe got into q
great hurry to see his mother. 1t
seemed to him that ages had elapsed
since he had seen her--a conviction
which led to noisy tears.
Abe knelt before him and comforted
the boy. Then he wrapped him In his
jacket and swung him In the air and
started for home with Joe astride his
neck.
Samson says in his diary: ''I1is ten
der play with the little lad gave me
another look at the man Lincoln"
Some one proposed once that we
should call that stream the Mime
haha," said Abe as he walked along.
after this Joe and are going to call
1t the Minneboohoo."
The women of the little village had
met at quilting party at ten o'clock
with Mrs. Martin Waddell. There
Sarah had had seat at the frame
and heard all the gossip of the coun-
tryside The nimble-fingered Ann Rut-
ledge-a daughter of the tavern folk
had sat beside her. Ann was a
slender, good-looking girl of seventeen
with blue eyes and a rich crown OF
auburn hair and fair skin well
Drowned by the sunlight. She was
the most dexterous needle worker in
New Salem
John Mcneil, whom the Traylors
had met on the road near Niagara
Falls and who had shared their camp
with them, arrived on the stage that
evening. He was dressed in a new
butternut suit and clean linen and
looked very handsome. Samson writes
that he resembled the pictures Of Rob-
ert sEmmet. With fine, dark eyes, a
smooth skin. well-moulded features
and black hair neatly brushed on
shapely head he was not at all like
the rugged Abe. In a low tone and
very modestly, with slight brogue
on his tongue he told of his adventures
on the long shore road to Michigan.
Ann sat listening and looking into his
face as he talked. Abe came in, soon
after eight o'clock, and was introduced
to the stranger. All noted the con-
trast between the two young men as
they greeted each other. Abe sat |
down for a few minutes and looked
sadly into the fire but said nothing. |
He rose presently, excused himself |
and went away.