Show A Story of the Builders Builder A Man for cor i L t P cf of l Democracy J Jm It t the lie Ages 1 m r IRVING BACHELLER CHELLER By y Co Copyright D bener CHAPTER XII 13 Which Continue Continues the tho Romance of Abe Abc and Ann Until the Former Leaves New Salem to Begin His Work In Inthe inthe the tho Legislature Also It Describes the of Peter Lukins Lukin The next day ay after his return Abe Abc Deceived a B letter from Ann She hart had tome come over to the store on the arrival If f f the stage since and taken her letter and run home with It That Saturdays Saturday's stage brought the new suit of clothes from Springfield It was an Indian summer day of the first week In November That afternoon afternoon after otter noon Doon Abe went to the tavern and asked Ann to walk out to the with him She seemed to be glad to go She was not the time cheerful quick footed rosy cheeked Ann of old Her face ac was pale her eyes dull and listless her step step slow Neither spoke until they Ulcy had passed the Waddell cabin and were come to the open fields I hope lope your our letter brought good OIl S said Abe Abc It was very short Ann answered I H Ile hi took a fever In Ohio and was tick lick there four weeks and ond then he went home In two months he never wrote a word to me And this tone one was only a bit of ot a letter with no love In It It I dont don't believe he cares for me now or perhaps he Is mar mar- fled ried I 1 dont don't know Im I'm not going to cry about It any more I cant can't Ive I've Iveno Iveno Iveno no more tears to shed Ive I've given him up Then 1 I reckon the time has come for me to tell teU you OU what Is on my ray heart said laid Abe I 1 love lore you Ann I t have loved lo you for tor years I 1 would have o told you ou long ago ngo but I I. I could not make myself believe that I 1 was rood lood enough for you ou I 1 love lo you so much that If It you can only be happy with John I will pray to God Cod that he lie may turn out to be a Q good and faithful man and com come back and keep his promise She looked up at him with a kind of ot awe nwe in her face uee Oh Abc Abel I she whispered I had made up my mind that men were all bad bod but my father I was wrong I did not oot think of ot you glen lI Men a av arr mostly good said Abe But Dut Its It's very Tery easy to misunderstand them In my view Its It's quite likely that John Is better than you think think him I 1 want you to be fair all to John If It you conclude that you can cannot cannot not Dot be happy with him give gl me a Q chance I would do my best to bring back th the Joy of ot the old days Sometimes Sometimes Sometimes Some Some- times I think that I am going to do something worth north while Sometimes I 1 think that I can see my way far ar ahead and ODd It looks very pleasant and you Ann are alwa always walking beside me IDe meIn In in 10 It t Before Detore we take another step stepI I 1 wish you rou could give gl me mc some hope to live on Just on-Just Just a little straw strow of ot hope You a are a t wonderful man A Abe he said uld Ann touched by his Iy father says that you ou are going to be bea a great man I 1 can not hold bold out any such hope to you OU Abe answer answered d. d Im rather h ignorant P and ond badly In debt but hut I 1 reckon that I 1 can n make a good living and ghe give you a comfortable home Dont Don't you think taking me Just as ns I 1 Iam Iem am em you could care for tor me a little littler Yes sometimes I 1 think that I could love lo you A Abe she answered o I 1 do not love e you yet but I mn inny Inny- Inny ome time J I Te really ll want to love loe you That Is all I can mn ask now said saki Abe be as ns they went ent on Do you hear IHor tom rom Dim Bun Kelso Kelsor 1 have not heard from rom her since June I 1 wish you rou would write to her and T tell ell her that I Am JIm thinking of go going nJ r down to St. St Louis Louts and that I would tJ e to jo go and see fee her Ill write to her tomorrow said an anThey They had had a pleasant visit and ond while inn nn was playing with the baby she teemed seemed med to haTe hale forgotten her troubles They stayed to supper lupper after which the whole family walked to the tavern with them When hen Ann AnD began to show weariness Abe gently lifted her ber In his arms anns and curried cabled her That evening Mrs Peter Lukins called upon Abe at Sam hills HUl's store here litre he sat alone before the tire Ore rending reading with two candles burning on he the heend end of a dry goods box at his elbow I 1 wanted to see you private ate bout boul Lukins SIC she began Theres them I i that call him nOn Bony Lukins but I 1 Ir r ckon he al aint t no bonier than th the cridge everidge run o 0 men not men not a bit bit on on if It he lie was I dont don't reckon his bones bonesI I orto onto he hc throw d at him every time he hes he's x sp spoke ke to that away What can on I 1 do about It ItT r Abe Abc AbeTe aske J la 1 T e tired been an some Kome ome kind of at n a decent handle could be put on to his name flame said AIrs Lukins wi wits wits' her eye lye upon a 8 knot hole hoIe In the count count- 0 un- un Something with a n good t und I t to It You said that lint anU anything you ou could d do de for tor the New Salem folks talks you ou was pom to do nn un I thought mayl may mn- l be e JOU ou liz It It Abe he sm II and asked Uc Le you au I truer r t i At 1 he could be made a n colonel Ill Til see what can be done but If It Ithe he gets that title hell he'll have hl to live up to It It t. t Ill make him walk a chalk line line line- you see the good woman promised as she left lett the stor store That evening e Abe wrote a 1 playful commission as colonel for Peter Lu Lu- Lukins kips kins which was signed In due time by all his friends and neighbors and presented to Lukins by a committee e of ot which Abe was chairman e C Coleman Smoot a Smoot-a a man of at some means who had a farm on the lie road to Springfield was Springfield was In the village that evening e Abe showed him the commission commission com com- mission and asked him to sign It it Ill sign on one condition said Smoot What Is that than Abe asked That you'll give me a commission I want to be your our friend You are that now arent aren't you Abe asked Yes but I haven't earned my ray com com- mission You haven't given ghen me n ft chance yet et What can I do to help you along Abe was much Impressed b by these kindly words My friends do not often otten ask what they can do for tor me he said I 1 suppo suppo sup sup- po pose e the they haven't ha thought of ot It Ill I'll think It over o and let you ou know Three days das Inter later he walked out to Coleman Smoots Smoot's after supper As they sat together by the fireside Abe said Ive been thinking of your friendly question Its It's dangerous to tall talk that wa way to a man like me The fact tact is Is I need two hundred dollars to pa pay pressing debts and give Ye me something In my pocket when I 1 go to Vandalla Vandalia If you OU can not lend It t to me I 1 shall think none the less Jess of you I can and ond will said Smoot Ive been heen watching you for a long time A Aman Aman Aman man who tries as hard as you do to get et along deserves to be helped I belee be be- e le In you ou Ill Til go up to Springfield and get the mone money and bring It t to you OU within n a week or so Abe Ahe Lincoln lad many friends who would have ha done the like for him tm If It they could and he knew ItI It I Every Iery ery one has faith In you ou said Smoot We Ve ex expect ct much of you 1 0 and we ought to be willing to do what we ive can enn to help Your faith will be my strength I If I 1 have an any said Abe On his way home that night bethought he be thought of what Jack Kelso had said of ot democracy and friendship On the twenty second of November a letter Jetter came mme to Ann from Elm Bim Kelso which v announced announce l that she was going to New Orleans for the w winter with her hu husband band Six days ays later Ab Abe took the stage stahl for tor the capital at Rutledge's door where all the Inhabitants of the village had hind assembled to bid him good good- I ll t I Io 11 I m I o 1 i iThe I f I IThe I. I The H Had d. d Assembled to Bid Him Goodby I b by Ann n Rutledge with a flash of o her herold herold I old playfulness kissed him when be begot begot he got cot Into the stage Abes Abe's long arm was waving in the air as os he looked back bock at nt his cheering friends while the stage rumbled down the road rand toward time tile great task of ot life lite upon which hE be was was' presently to begin beJin In the little village of ot Vandalla Vandalia CHAPTER XIII Wherein the Route of the Under I ground Railroad Is Surveyed SurveY d and I S Samson and Harry Spend a Night In the Home of Henry I and Hear Surprising Revelations Confidentially Disclosed Early In the autumn of that year ear earthe the Reverend ne Elijah LoveJoy of Alton Alton Al Al- ton had spent a B night with the Tray Tray- lors tors on his way to the North Sitting ty by the fireside he be had bad told many a n vivid tale le of ot the cruelties of ot slavery cr I would not have you think tint that Wen pert rs ai u. u wicked and heart heart- less he said Tb They y are like other men the world Oy over Some ome are kind and Indulgent If ah alt men saen en were like them slavery could be tt tolerated But the they are re not Some knee mer ire re brutal In the Ule North as well as ns lt In i U the e South If It not made fo so o by nature they ller are made so b by drink To give mem em the potter r of ot life mind death cath over T human be bengs which they teem seem to have In parts of at the South Is a crime against God Cod and civilization I agree with you OU said Samson I knew that you would the minIster minister min min- ister went on We iVe have ha already hall hail some help from you but we need more I take It as a duty which God has hns laid upon me to help every cry fugitive that reaches my door You can help the good work of ot mercy and grace If you U hear three taps upon your our window window win win- dow after da k dak k cr ir 1 the time hoot I of nu an owl In your you rou will know what It means Fix Iob some place on of your farm where these poor people who are seeking the freedom which God wills for all Ills children may find rest and refreshment and security until they have lm strength to go 0 on Within a week after aeter the visit of Mr Ir Lovejoy Lo Samson and Harry built builta a hollow haystack about way half-way from the house to the barn The stack had hada a comfortable room Inside of it about el eight ht feet 1 by seven an and some six feet reet in Its entrance was an openIng opening open open- Ing rear near ar the bottom of the stack well screened b by the pendant hay But no fugitive e came carne to occupy It that winter Soon after aeter the new year of 1835 Samson and Harry moved mo the to Tazewell county Mr Kelso had received an appointment as land agent and was to be stationed at the little settlement of Hopi Ule near the home of John Peasley Late in the afternoon Harry and ond Samson left the and md their effects effects ef ef- ef at a small frame house In th the little village of ot Hopedale The men had no no sooner begun to unload than Its Inhabitants came to welcome elcome the newcomers and help them in the work of getting settled When the goods were deposited In n the dooryard Samson Samson Samson Sam Sam- son and Harry drove e to John Peasley's Peas- Peas ley's leys farm furm Mr Peasley recognized the big shouldered broad Vermonter the first th look rook at It Do I remember you he said Well Veil I guess I do So does m my barn door L Let t me take hold bold of or that right hand of yours ours again Yes sir Its It's the same old Iron hand band Marry Ann I 1 he hI called as ns his wife came out of the door Heres the lie big man from Vergennes Vergennes Ver- Ver gennes Jennes who tossed the sla slaver oer I Isee see It Is she answered Aint ye e comin in 1 If It you ou ou try to pass puss this place ploce Ill I'll have hae ye took up said said Peasley Theres plenty of food In the house hous e ean an an stable Look here here that's that s downright selfish self self- ish said his wife If It Ife we e tried to keep kEip you here Henry would ne er forgive us He lIe talks about you jou ou morning noon and night Any Anyone Anyone- one would think that you jou was th the Samson amson that slew the Philistines How flow Is Henry Samson asked lie Ile married my 01 sister and they're about as ns happy us as they can cnn be this side the river Jordan she site went on The Thee e got one o 0 the best hest farms In ell Tazewell count county and they're goin to be rich Ye Yes sir dr I 1 didn't think o 0 that said P Peasley Henry and his wf wife would holler holier If we didn't take ye e OX O lr T there Its It's only a quarter IU rte oa of a mile Ill I'll show ye je t time the way way nail and well we'll Jill all ll come over oer this evening e and e have a n bee Samson was as pleased and astonished ed edby by the look of ot and his home hom and his hla f nn and the nc account of ot Ills Ms w success cess The rhe man from th Ih the sand flats fiats was cleanly shaved save e for tor a block black mustache and neatly dr dressed ed and his face tace glowed 11 with health and high spirits A A. handsome eyed brown miss of or sei fe se n came raim galloping up the thern road on her pony and stopped near them Annabel n f you remember this man asked 1 The rhe girl looked at nt Samson lie IR is the man mun who helped us out nut of ot Flea valley said the time girl 1111 Would you OU mind If I kissed you ou I would be sorry torry if It you OU didn't sold said Samson Heres my bo boy Harry Needles You wouldn't dare kiss him 1 I guess I w would be tie sorry too If you didn't Harry Barry laughed as he took her hand Im afraid you'll have to stay tny sorry sor gor ry said Annabel turning red with embarrassment I 1 never Ilc saw you be hl fore netter Better late than never never neer Samson on assured her You dont don't often see ste n a bU better er fellow The girl laughed with n a subtle look of or n agreement In her eyes s Th Then n came up up from the time barn time the ragged little lad of No Santa Claus l Land now Land now n a sturdy eyed bright handsome boy of twelve I The he horses hors's were put out and nil all went In to supper After supper showed I models of at a mowing machine with a acut arut I rut cut bar Lar six sir feet long and a plow which would turn two furrows I Flints what we need on these e prairies m all noll Samson Something I that'll turn em over oer and cut the crop quicker Say Ill I'll tell ye said as If about to disclose a n secret The Thesa great gren t stretches s of ot smooth rich land lani Just everlastingly e rum mm the spurs Inti Int you OU and antl keep your our t. t brain galloping Mine lIne Is gain goin night and day The prairies are a n new thing timing and youve you've got to tackle em cm In a B new way 1 t tell you the seeding and ond planting and mowing and reaping and threshing if is nil going to be done by machinery and The Tile wheel will be the four foun foundation dation of the new era y Youre oure right said Samson How are arc you ou along llong J JUn Un Rather ther slow Samson answered Its hard to get our stuff to market down In the time Sangamon country Out or river Isn't navigable yet W We hope that Ahe Abe Lincoln h las has Just been elected to the legislature will be able abl to get It widened and straightened tun and cleaned up so It will be of some soma u use e to us down there Ive I heard o of him him They call him Honest Abe dont don't they Yes and Ie he Is h honest nest If It a 0 man ever er was Is he lie gong to marry the Rutledge girl was the thc query of Mrs Brim Brim- stead I dont don't think so 50 Samson answerl answer answer an an- sl l a little surprised at her knowledge knowle knowledge knowl knowl- e edge ge of ot the time attachment Hes as ns hum |