The Medina sentinel. [volume] (Medina, Ohio) 1888-1961, 1921-07-14
CHAPTER VI.

which Describes the Lonely Life In
4 Prairie Cabin and stirring Ad-
u venture on the Underground Rail. /
road About the TIme Il Began op.
srations.
When Samson paid Mr.. Gollaher, 4
"detector" came with the latter to look
1t the money before 1t was accepted.
There were many counterfeits and bills
good only at certain discount OF
face value going about those days and
the detector was in great request. Di-
rectly after moving in, Samson dug
well and lined it with 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 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 word has come
from you. 1t don't seem as If we could
stand it unless we hear from you or
some Of the folks once In while.
We are not dead just because we are
q thousand miles away. We want to
hear from you. Please write and let
us know how father and mother are
and all the news. We have all been
sick with the fever and ague. It Is q
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 go on, his head
Iached SO. Little Joe helped me get
the fire started and brought some wa
tier and waited on us. Harry Needles
had gone away to Springfield for Mr..
Offut with drove Of hegs. Two 9TH
er boys are with him. He is going to
buy a new suit. He is 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. 1t was comical to see him
lying beside Joe in his trundle bed,
with his long legs sticking over the
end Of it and his feet standing on the
floor about a 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 forgiving 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
\ lor poor, is his brother. He thinks
that Henry Clay, next to Daniel Web
\ ster, is the greatest man in the coun
try. He Is studying hard. Expects tt
y lgo out and make speeches for Clay
next summer. He is quite severe II
his talk against General Jackson. Ht
\ and Samson agree In politics and re
ligion. They are good deal alike
He is very fond Of Samson and Har
ry--calls them his partners We love
this big awkward giant. His feet arr
set In the straight way and we thinl
that be is going to make his mark y
the world
* on said you would come out mex
spring to look about. Please don
disappoint us. think It would almos
break my heart. I am counting tn
days. Don't be afraid Of fever ant
Iague. Sapington's pills curesit In thre'
81 four days. ! would take the steam
boat at Pittsburg. the roads In Obi
and Indiana are 30 bad. You can Sc
q, steamer up the Illinois river at al
ton and get Of at Beardstown am
drive across country, II we mey
when you were coming Samson Or Ab
would meet you. Give our love to a
~ folks and friends.
Yours affectienately,
ssear6h ana NomaQn. ~