The Glenwood post., 1922-03-16

Kelso. He had once said. In the pres
ence Of Samson, that 1t is well to
remember, always, that things can not
90 on with US US they are. Changes
come-slowly and quite according to
our calculations, or 30 swiftly and
Unexpectedly that they fiil No win
confusion. Learned and wise In tine
weighty problems of humanity he mad
little prudence in regulating the AZ
fairs of his own family.
Kelso had put every dollar he had
and some that he hoped to have into
land. BIN, who had been teeching In
one of the schools, had invested all
her savings in dream city on the
shore of an unconstructed canal.
Like many who had no experience
with such phenomena they underesti-
mated the seriousness Of the panic.
They thought that, in a week or so'
its effect would pass and that Illinois
would then resume Its triumphal
march toward its high destiny. Not
even Samson Traylor had a correct
notion Of the slowness Of Time.
The effect of the panic paralyzed
the city. Men whose "red-dog money"
was in every ones pocket closed their
shops and ran away. The Wild adven-
turers cleared out. Their character
may be judged by the words Of one
of them reported by the editor OF the
Democrat:
I failed for a hundred thousand
dollars and could have failed for
million. II Jackson had kept his hands
off,"
Hard times hung like cloud over
the city. Its population suffered some
diminishment In the next two years, In
spite of its position on the main high
way of trade. Dream cities, canals
and railroads built without hands be-
came part Of the poetry Of American
commerce.
That autumn, men and women who
had come to Mrs. Kinzie's party in
Jewels and in purple and fine linen
had left or turned their hands to hard
labor. The Kelsos suffered real dis
tress, the schools being closed and the
head of the house having taken to his
bed with illness. BIN went to work
| as a seamstress, and with the help Of
Mrs. Kinzie and Mrs. Hubbard was
able to keep the family from want.
The nursing and the care Of the baby
zoon broke the health of Mrs. Kelso,
never a strong woman. BIN came
home from her work one evening and
found her mother Ill.
"Cheer up, my daughter" said Jack
IAN old friend of ours has returned
to the city. He is rich man-an
| oasis in the desert Of poverty. He
has loaned me a hundred dollars in
good COIN"
"who has done this?" BIN asked.
"Mr. Lionel Davis"
1--WE must not take his money" said
BIN.
II had a long talk with him." Kels6
went on. "He has explained that un-
fortunate Incident Of the horse. 1t
was bit of offhand folly born. of an
anxious moment"
| But the man wants to marry me-"
He said nothing Of such a pur-
pose."
"He will be in no hurry about that"
| said BIN. "He is n shrewd operator.
Every one hates him. They say that
he knew what was coming when he
sold out"
That evening BIN wrote a long let
of the evil days which had come to
them. This letter, now in possession
| Of q great grandson of Samson and
Sarah Traylor, had a singular history.
1t reached the man to whom 1t was
addressed in the summer of 1874. 1t
was found with many others that sum-
mer In Tazewell county under a barn
which Its owner was removing It
brought to mind the robbery Of the
stage from Chicago, south Of the syca-
more woods, In the autumn of 'S7, by
a man who had ridden with the driver
from Chicago and who, 1t was thought,
had been In collusion with him. A
curious feature of the robbery had
been revealed by the discovery Of the
mail sack. 1t was unopened, its con-
tents undisturbed. Its rusty paddock
still In place. The perpetrator Of the
crime had not soiled his person with
any visible evidence Of guilt and 10
was never apprehended.
| Then for a time BIN entered upon
great trials. Jack Kelso weakened.
Burning with fever, his mind wan
dered in the pleasant paths he loved
and saw In its fancy the deeds of
Ajax and Achilles and the topless tow
ers OF Illium and came not back again
to the vulgar and prosaic details Of
life. The girl knew not what to do.
A funeral was a costly thing She
had no money. The Kinzies had gone
on hunting trip in Wisconsin. Mrs.
Hubbard was Ill and the Kelsos al
ready much in her debt. Mr.. Lionel
Davis came.
He was good-looking young man
OF twenty-nine, those days, rather
stout and Of middle stature, with dark
hair and eyes. He was dressed In the