The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1921-12-24
CHAPTER !.

CHAPTER !.
Which Describes the Journey Of Sam
ssn Henry Traytec. and HE wife End
Thsir TIVE Children and Their Deg
eambs Through the Adlrondsek VIII
asrnsss In 1881 "a Their Way - ths
Land Of P,snty-Furthsrmoes Il De.
seribss the seapins Of the DriUs-
steads
In the early summer Of 1881 Sam
son Traylor and his wifs. Sarah. and
two children left their old home near
the village Of vergennes. Vermont.
and began their travels toward the
setting sun with four chairs, q bread
board and rolling-pin. 4 feather bed
and blankets. . small looking-glass, q
skillet. an az, 4 pack basket with Q
pad Of sole leather on the same. .
water pail. a box Of dishes. tub Of
salt pork. a rifle. teapot. q sack Of
meal. sundry small provisions and
violin. In double wagon drawn BY
oxen. II is = pleasure to note that
they had violin and were not dis
posed to part with II. The reader must
not overlook its full historic slgnlfi-
canoe. The stern. uncompromising
spirit Of the Puritan had left the
house OF the Yankee before . violin
could enter It. Humor and the love
Of play had preceded and cleared
way for 1t. Where there was 4 fiddle
there were cheerful hearts. A young
black shepherd dog with tawny points
and the name OF Sambo followed the
Wagon.
II We had been at the ConEreSa-
tional church on Sunday We might
have heard DE minister saying to
Samson. after the service. that Il was
hard to understand why the happIest
family In the parish and the most be-
loved should be leaving Its ancestral
home to go to far. new country Of
which little was known. We might also
have heard Samson answer:
'It's awful easy to be happy here.
We slide along In the same old groove.
that our fathers Travelled. from Yer.
gennes to Paradise. We work and
play and 90 to meetin' and put q shin
plaster In the box and grow old and
narrow aud stingy and mean and 20
up to glory and are turned Into saints
and angels. Maybe that's the best
thing that could happen to %. but
Sarah and kind o thought we'd try
Q new starting place and another route
70 heaven
Sarah and Sampson had been raised
on adjoining farms just out Of the
village. He had had little schooling.
but his mind was active and well In
clined. Sarah had prosperous rela-
tives In Boston and had had the ad-
vantage Of q years schooling In that
city. She was q comedy girl Of q
taste and refinement unusual In the
place and time of hei birth. Many
well-favored youths had sought her
hand. but. better than others she
liked the big. mnsterful, good-natured.
humorous Samson. crude a. he was.
Naturally In her hands his timber had
undergone some planning and smooth
ing and his thoughts had been gently
led into new and pleasant ways.
Let us take look at them ~ they
siowly leave the village Of their birth.
The wagon IL covered with tent cloth
drawn over hickory arches They are
sitting on seat overlooking the oxen
In the wagon front. Tears are stream
ing down the face Of the woman. The
mans head Is bent. His elbows are
resting on his knees: the hickory
handle OF his OK whip lies across his
lap. the lash at his feet. He seems to
be looking down at his boots, into the
tops Of which his trousers have been
folded. He 10 rugged. blond, bearded
man with kindly blue eyes and q
rather prominent nose There 10 Q
striking expression Of power In the
head and shoulders Of Samson Traylor.
The breadth Of his back, the size Of
his wrists and hands, the color Of
his face bet0ken q man Of great
strength. This thoughtful, sorrowful,
attitude L. the only evidence of emo.
ton which he betrayA In 1sw
minutes he begins to whistle q fivsly
tune.
Ths boy Joslah-famfliariy called
Jss-sits beside his mother. He d
slender. sweet-faced lad. He 4
looking Up wistfulIy at his mother
r. bftt1s girl Betsey sits bsewssa hln
- ~ father.
Inst sssasas they stopped ct ~
hSQoo e - ed friend some aflsl
- ~ yusH FsaA to the north.
.H3o ~ .aso-goin' wsst." Sam
- aAeo1o1 y ~ nan q he dosr