The Snowflake herald., 1921-09-30
CHAPTER II.-continued.


II shall never forget that day spent
In a lonely part of the woods" the
good woman wrote to her brother. 1T
endeared the children to me more than
any day / can remember. They
brought water from the creek, great
cheered me in every way they could.
My faith in Gods protection was per-
feet and in spite of my misery the
children were a great comfort. In
the middle of the afternoon Samson
returned with doctor and some tools
and stick of seasoned timber. How
good he looked when he came and
knelt by my bed and kissed mel This
Is a hard journey, but woman can
bear anything with such man. The
doctor said l would be all right in
three days, and was,
Late that afternoon it began to
rain Samson was singing as he
worked on his wheel. A traveller
came along on horseback and saw
our plight. He was young mission
ary going west. Samson began to
joke with him.
You're a happy man for one in
so much trouble, said the stranger.
'Then l heard Samson say: We'll,
sir, I'm in a fix where happiness is
absolutely necessary. It's like grease
on the wagon wheels-we couldn't
60 on without it. When we need any
thing we make it il we can. My wife
is sick and the wagon is broke and it's
raining and night is near in lone
some country, and it amt a real good
time for me to be down in the mouth
lis it, 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 We, I'll stop a while"
He spent the night with them and
helped mend the felly 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-
nuity was always equal to the task.
One day, near nightfall, they were
overtaken by a tall, handsome Yankee
lad riding a pony. His pony stopped
beside the wagon and looked toward
the travellers as if appealing for help.
The boy was pointing toward the hori-
zon and muttering. Sarah saw al
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 was able to go on. He
was from Niagara county, New York,
His mother had died when he was
ten and his father had married again
He had not been happy in his home
after that and his father had given
him pony and hundred dollars
and sent him away to seek his own
fortune Homesick and lonely and ILL.,
and just going west with sublime
faith that the West would somehow
provide for him, he might even have
perished on the way If he had not fall
en- in with friendly people, His story
had touched the heart of Sarah and
Samson. He was big, green. gentle
hearted country boy who had set out
filled with hope and the love of ad-
venture. Sarah found pleasure I'm
mothering the poor lad, and so it
happened that he became one of their
little party. He was helpful and good
natured and had sundry arts that
pleased the children. The man and
the woman liked the big, honest lad.
One day he said to Samson 81
hope you won't mind if l go along
with you, sir"
Glad to have you with u.s." said
Samson, We've talked it over. If
you want to, you can come along
with us and our home shall be yours
and I'll do what's right by you"
They Jared along through Indiana
and over the wide savannas of Illi-
7oiS. and on the ninety-seventh day