Year: 1859

Inc changes winch the last thirty years nave
wrought in Illinois would be incredible to any
one who had not witnessed them. At that time
the settlements were few, and the spirit Of enter
State had not awakened. The bluffs Of the beau
tifu Illinois river had never sent back the echo Of
the steam engine. Without market for their
produce, the farmers confined their labors to the
wants Of their own families. Corn was nearly
the only crop raised, and from the time It was
laid by" near the end Of June, till pulling
time, in November, was holiday, and the inter.
vening period was passed in idleness, except Sat.
urdays. On that day, duly as it arrived, the set.
tiers, at the distillery, amused themselves with
shooting at mark, trading nags and too often,
when the tin cup passed freely around, in
fighting.


This Is by No means q picture Of all the settle.
ments Of that early period but that it Is graphi-
cally true Of many, none Of the Oldest settlers


One Saturday afternoon, in the year 1919, a
young man was seen approaching, with slow and
weary steps, the house, or rather distillery, Of
Squire Crosby, Of Brents Prairie, an obscure
settlement on the Military Tract As usual on
that day, o large collection Of people were anus.
ing themselves at Crosbys, who owned the distil-
lery in that region, was magistrate, and regard
Cd by the settlers as rich, and consequently q
great man.


The youth who now came up to the group
was apparently about twenty-one years Of age,
and Of slender form, fair and delicate complexion,
with the air Of one accustomed to good society,
and II was evident at .. glance that he was not
Injured to the hardships Of frontier life, or labor
of any kind. But his dress bore strange con.
trast with his appearance and manners. He wore
hunting coat Of the coarsest linsey wOolsey, .
common straw hat, and pair Of doeskin m0cca-
sins. A large pack completed his equipment


Every one gazed with curiosity upon the new
conner. In their eagerness to learn who he was,
whence he came, and what was his business, the
horse swap was left unfinished the rifle laid aside,
and even the busy tin cup had a temporary
respite.


The young man approached Squire Crosby,
whom even stranger could distinguish as the
principal person among them, and anxiously in
quired for house where he could be accommo-
dated, saying that he was extremely III, and felt
all the symtOms Of an approaching fever.


Crosby eyed him closely and suspiciously for
q moment without utteriug word. knayes and
swindlers had been recently abroad, and the lam
guage Of the youth betrayed that he was q
" Yankee" name at that time associated in the
minds Of the ignorant with everything that is
base. So taking the silence Of Crosby for fear
Of his inability to pay, the stranger smiled and
said, al am not without money" and putting his
hand into his pocket to give ocular proof Of his
assertion, he was horror stuck to find that his
pOcket-book was gone. II contained every cent
Of his money, besides papers Of great value to
him.


Without farthing, without even paper or
letter to attest that bis character was honorable
in strange land, and sickness rapidly coming
upon him, these feelings nearly drove him to des-
,,as. Tha aa,,i,a x.,ho nridad himself On his
sagacity In detecting villains now found the use
Of his tongue. With loud and sneering voice
he said:


"Stranger, you are barking up the wrong tree
if you think to catch me with that ar Yankee
trick o yourn."


He proceeded in that inhuman strain, second
ed by nearly every one present for the esquire
was powerful, and few dared to displease him.
The youth felt keenly his desolate situation, and
casting his eye around the group, in a tone Of
deep anxiety, inquired:


"Is there none here who will receive mer


eyes, will" cried a man among the crowd /;
"yes, poor, sick stranger, will shelter you"
Then in a lower tone be added: 81 know not
whether you are deserving, but do know that
you are fellow being, and in sickness and in
want; and for him who died for the guilty, il
not for your own sake, will | be kind to you,
poor young stranger"


The man who stepped forth and prOffered a
home to the youth in the hsur Of suffering was
Simon Davis, an elderly man who resided near
Crosby, and the latter was bis deadly enemy.
Uncle Simon, as he was called, never retaliated,
and bore many prosecutions Of his Vindictve
neighbor without complaint His family consisted
Of himself and daughter, his only child an attec-
tionate girl Of seventeen. 81.


The youth heard the offer Of Mr.. Davis, and
heard no more, for overcome by his feelings and
extreme illness, he sank insensible. He was con-
veyed to the house Of his benehctor, and ply
sician called. Long was the struggle between
life and death. Though unconscious, he called
upon his mother and sister, almost constantly, TO
aid him.


When the youth was laid upon his bed, and
she heard him calling for his sister, Lucy Davis
wept and said TO him, I" Poor young man, your
sister is far distant, but will be your sister,"


Well did this dark-eyed maiden keep her prom.
ise. Day and night did she watch over him, ex.
cept during the short intervals when she yielded
hcr post at his side to her father.


At length the crisis Of the disorder arrived
the day that was TO decide the question Of lie OF
death. Lucy bent over him with intense anz ETY.,
watching every expression Of his features, hardly
daring to breathe, so fearful was she Of awaking
him from the only sound sleep he had enjoyed for
long days and nights. At length he awoke and
gazed up into the face Of Lucy Davis, and family
inquired, "Where am II" There was intelli-
gence in that look Youth and good constitution
had obtained the mastery. Lucy felt that he was
spared, and bursting into q food Of tears, rushed
out Of the room.


It was two weeks more before he could sit up
even for short time. He had already acquainted
them with his name and residence, but they had
no curiosity To learn anything further, and for
bade him giving his story until he became strong
er. His name was Charles Wilson, and his pa
rental home Boston.


A few days aiterward, when Mr.. Davis was
absent from home, and Lucy engaged about her