Show tr i A Man for the Ages I IA A Story o of f the Builders o of f Democracy By IRVING BACHE BACHELLER LER J t C Copyright it tn B 13 ft eh Her CHAPTER Continued 19 19 i c They had hod a happy hour half at th the Mrs nd being In better spirits since her husband had got back tf to his farming Annabel her form I and charm of filling with the grace I womanhood was there and more comely than ever er Th They v had been speaking of ot Jaci helms Kelso's death I heard hard him say once that when bE tie saw a n beautiful young o face It R remInded reminded reminded re re- re- re minded him him of or noble singing and the dor of growing ro corn corn said MId Samson Id rather see the face Joe remarked re- re I marked rl ed whereupon they all laughed and nd the tile boy hoy blushed to the roots of his blond hair Hes become a man of good Judg judg- I ment mento said Annabel's sister Jane who had clung mg to the wagon In No r Santa Claus Glaus Land was n a e eyed bright ed merry merry- girl of or twelve The boy Robem Hob Hob- em rrt It t was ns a n sh shy lad Ind a little older alder than Josiah Samson Well Veil what's the news asked fl ked has hns happened since we aw uw you but the fall faU of El EI Dorado tead answered There was the robbery of the mall stage singe summer a few miles north of r here Fal said l Mrs Every of the mall was stolen I Igue Iguess Iguess gue guess s that's the reason we e haven't had no lette from Vermont Yermont In a year Maybe that's why we haven't heard from home Samson echoed Why dont don't you leave lea Joe here while youre you're gone to Chicago Annabel Anna bel a. a n asked ked f I It Jt would help his education to to around with Robert an the girls said Would you ou like to stay Samson asked I wouldn't mind said JosIah who on the lonely prairie had had few companions of his own age So It happened that Samson went wenton on alone Near the sycamore woods he came upon a haired gray man haired man I lying hu by b- the road roadside with a horse tethered 11 near near ar him The stranger was sick with witha a n fever Samson got down from his horse What can I do for you he asked The will of God the stranger feebly answered I pra prayed ed for help and you have come I am sin Peter Cartwright Cartwright Cart Cart- wright the preacher I was so sick and weak I h hd hid d to get off oft my horse and lie He down If It you ou had not comel think that I should have died here Samson gave e him some of or the medi cane cne for chills and fever which he always al always al- al ways nys carried In his pocket and water from his canteen Is there any house where I could find help and shelter for you ou he lie hea a i kp presently lq A but but butI I feel better glory better glory to God Godl I the preacher If U you ou can 1 help Jp me to the back of my horse I will try to r e on with you There Is to tobe tobe tobe be a n meeting ten miles up the road tonight Nothing shall keep me from ray n duty I may save safe sa e a n dozen touts from who tell who knows Samson ws wa astonished at nt the Iron will v and hol hold real of ot this hearted iron armed trong-armed med fighting preacher of the prairies bi o of he had heard much lie lifted him lad id set him on the back backof backof of ot his horse God Cyd bless bless' you with great strength said tF tl-e tl e latter Are you rou a Christian V oT am am rode on fr silence presently observed observe that the preacher was as actually as as p and nd snoring In int r t r. r i 1 At Ae a s Counter Demonstration Paddle raddle The They proceeded for tor an nn hour or more In this manner When th thi h borscs horses were wallowing through a hie the preacher awoke GIol Glory be tie to God I he shouted I INn run rsm wHere i 1 shall be bo able to prez preach h hf ht t f A little farther on Is th the nth He lie hll has hus been terribly pecked up b by a stilT stilT- n necked rebellious wife Well We'll stop there for a cup of tea ta and It If she raises a rumpus you'll see me take her by bythe bythe bythe the horns Mrs was ns a n lean lenn sallow stern faced woman of ot some sonic forty years with a face like bitter herbs her husband a u shiftless man who encouraged d by Mr Cartwright Cart Cart- wright had taken to 10 riding through the upper counties as ns a n preacher preacher-n n course of conduct of which his wife heartily disapproved ed Solicited by hy her Ivor husband she sullenly made tea for the travelers When It had been drunk the two preachers knelt In a corner I of the room and Mr Cartwright be began an anto to pray In a loud voice Mrs Caw Caw- shoved sho the table ruble about and tipped over o the chairs and dropped the roll- roll pin lag as a counter demonstration The famous circuit rider being In him no nu noway noway way put out b by this she dashed a dipper dip dip- dipper per of or cold water vater on the head of her husband The praying stopped Mr Cartwright rose from his knees and commanded her to desist On her declaration that she fhe would not he laid laidhold laIdhold laidhold hold of the woman and forced her r out of the door Bonn Iun and closed ed and und bolted It und and resumed his praying lu Having recorded this remarkable In Incident Incident incident In- In In his diary Samson writes s Many of these lese Ignorant people In Inthe Inthe inthe the lonel lonely prairie cabins are like chil chil- dren Cartwright leads them on like a father and sometimes with the strong hand If It any of them deserve a n spanking they the get It He lIe and others like him have helped to keep the cabin catlIn people clean dean and going up hill Instead of or down They The have established schools and missions and scattered good books and comforted sorrows and kindled good desire In the hearts of or the humble As they were leaving lea Mr Caw Cawkins kins told them that the plague had broken out In the settlement on Hone Honey creek where the quarterly meeting was to tobe tobe tobe be held and that the people had hind been Samson knew rapidly off from this that the smallpox smallpox-a a dreaded and terrible scourge of pioneer pioneer pio plo neer days had days had come conic again said Its dangerous to go there Cawkins Where Is sorrow there Is my proper place CartwrIght answered Those people need comfort and the help of God I got a letter from a lady there went on on As nigh as I can make out th they need a minister I can read print handy but bothers me You read rend It brother Mr Cartwright took the time letter and read as follows Dear Sir Mr Barman gave a ve me mt your name We need a minister to comfort the sick and help bury time tho th dead It Is a n good de deal I to ask of you ou but but if If you ou feel like taking the chance of coming here I am nm sure you ou could do doa a lot of good We have e doctors enough h hand and It seems a pity that the church should fall these people when they need It most If you ou have ha the courage to come you would win the gratitude of ot man many people For a n month I 1 have Iu been taking care of the sick and up to now no harm has come to me Yours respectfully BIM RIM KELSO A mans man's heart henrt dc his way but the Lord his steps said said suld Cartwright For three days das I have hae felt feJt that He was leading me I 1 begin to think that He has teen leading me Samson declared Elmo DIm Kelso Is the person I seek I would have ha gone but my wife took on so I couldn't get away ay said Cn Ill rn come back some day soon coon and you ou and I will pry the time devil out of or her with the crowbar of ot Gods God's truth and mercy CartwrIght assured him as he and Samson took the road to the north On their way way- to the Honey creek settlement the tIle lion hearted minister told of swimming through flooded rivers getting lost on the plains and suffering for food and water of lying down n to rest at night In wet clothes with no shelter but the woods of or hand bawl to-hand to fights with rowdies who endeavored endeavored en en- ored dea to sell drink or create a disturbance disturbance dis dis- dis at his meetings Such was the zeal for tor righteousness woven by many hands Into the fabric of or the West A little before sundown they reached the settlement Samson asked a u man In the road rond If he knew where they could find the nurse Him Kel Kelso oDo o. o Do ye mean that angel o God In Ina ina a white dress that takes keer o o 0 the sick the man asked I guess that would be Dim said Samson over In 10 yon yon house tile the other other other oth oth- er answered pointing with his pipe to toa a 11 cabin cabin some twenty rods beyond them ThIns two children sick tharan tharan tharan an the mammy dead an ao bUll burled d In hi the ground Is the plague getting worse Cartwright asked naked No I reckon Its It's better Nobody has come down since the day before I the doctor com comin In He lIe kin tell ye A bearded man o of middle age was I them In the saddle I 1 am Peter CartwrIght tilt tin tin- I preacher sent of God to comfort the sick and bury the dead said Komson's Kom- Kom sons son's companion We welcome you rou but I If you yon aop p here you ou will have ve to stay until t tIt epidemic is over o That I am prepared to do Then n I shall shun take you where you youcan youcan youcan can find entertainment such as It Is First this man wishes to speak to Miss Kelso the nurse said Cart Curt wright ht He lIe Is a friend of hers You can see Fee her but only onh at a n distance distance dis dis- dis tance the doctor answered I must keep you ou at least twenty feet away from her ber Come with me me They proceeded to the stricken house hoase e. e The doctor entered and anel presently presently pres pres- Bin Bim came out Her lIer eyes filled fined w with tears and for a n moment she ghe could not speak Wh Why didn't you ou let me know of or your our troubles Samson asked ed Earl Early last summer I wrote a Ion long letter to you ou she answered It didn't rl reach ach me One day In InJune InJune June the stage was robbed of or Its Us man mall down In Tazewell county Your letter was probably on that stage Harrys Barrys s death was ns the last blow 1 I came out here to get away from m my troubles troubles perhaps perhaps to die I 1 didn't cure Harry Is not dead said Samson Her Iier right hand touched her forehead forehead fore fore- head her lips hips fell apart her eyes took on a look of tragic earnestness Not dead I 1 she whispered He lie Is alive all and well Him DIm staggered toward him and fell teU to her knees and lay Iny crouched upon the ground In the dusky twilight shaking and choked with sobs and andI I I i 4 1 I I Ic c 1 c 4 Shaking and Choked With Sobs with tears streaming from her eyes but hut she was almost as silent as ns the shadow of or the coming cornIng night She looked like one searching In the dust for something very precious The strong heart of Samson was WM touched by br the sorrowful sorro look of or her so 50 that hat he could not speak Soon he was able to soy r iy In a low trembling voice oIce In every ery letter he tells teUs of ot his love for you ou That article In the paper was a cruel mistake After Atter a little silence Blin Bim rose from the ground She stood for a moment wiping her e eyes es Her form straightened straightened straight straight- ent ened d and was presently erect Her lIer soul resented the Injustice she had suffered There was a wonderful won and touching dignity In her voice and manner when she she- asked Why didn't h he write to me lie must have written written to you Sadly calmly thou thoughtfully she spoke as she stood looking off at nt the fading glow In the time west It Is terrible how things can work to together ether to break the heart and willor will of or a woman Write Write-to Write to Harry Barry and tell him that he must not come to see me again I have promised to marry un tin other man mun I hope It Isn't Davis ls said Samson It Is hi Davis I dont don't like him I dont don't think hes he's honest But nut he lie has been wonderfully kind to us Without his help we couldn't have lived JIved We couldn't even have given m ray my father a decent burial Has lIas he been out h here re to see you ou No r And he wont won't come That man knows how to keep kerp out of danger I dont don't believe you'll youJI marry marr- him Why Because I 1 Intend to be a father tather to you ou and pay all aU your debts said Samson The doctor called from the door of the cabin Bim said God bless you and Harry I as she turned away to take up her task again That night both boat of ot them began as they say to put two and two together While he rode on In the growing dusk dusl time the keen intellect of ot Samson saw aw a 01 ec urO c stance the the theft of the mill JACi the false falsI account of Harrys Harry's h. the failure of his Utters litters to reach their destination destination destina destina- tion don anc and the fact that mm bad had accepted ac as money from Davis In time of need A strong suspicion of ot foul toul play grew upon him and he be began to consider con coo sider alder what he could do In hi the matter Having forded a creek he caught the glow glo of a light In 10 the darkness a HUe way up the road rondo It was the lighted window of at a cabin before betor- whose door he be stopped his hIs hIs' horse and hallooed I am a belated and nd hungry tr traveler veler on my way oy to he said to the man who presently greeted him from the open doorway Have Hn you ou come through Honey Honer Creek settlement the latter hatter asked there about hour Left an ago Sorry mister but I cant can't let you yon I come ome Into the house I If you'll move ocra ofT off a few feet Ill I'll lay some grub on the block an up the road about a lu mlle mile you'll II find rid a barn bam with some Ly Ley l y 11 In It It where you and your horse en spend pend the night under I CY-I j away and MO soon the theman theman theman man brou brought ht a P cf A of food and laid It on the block Mock and ran back Lack to the door Ill rn lay Iny a n piece of or silver on ou the block Samson called caned Not ot a n darned cent the th man answered an an- en 5 d. d I hate like pIson to tuna tun a feller away awny In the night but were we're re awful sheered here with children dren In Inthe Inthe inthe the house Good Good Goodby by You cant can't miss the barn bunt Its It's close agIn the th roan Samson ate ale his luncheon In tn to r t darkness dark ness as he rode and presently cam upon the barn and nd unsaddle un ane hitched and fed his horse In one on of It the It-the the beast having drunk his fit 61 at the creek they had lately forded forded- and lay Jay down to rest for tor the night with the saddle blanket beneath him and his coat for a n cover A wind from the time north began to wall and whistle through the cracks In the barn and over Its roof bringing cold er Samson's feet and legs had been wet In the crossing so that he found It difficult cult to keep warm wann He crept to the side of or his horse which had laid down and found a degree of comfort comfort com com- fort In 10 the heat of the animal But It was a n bad night at best Ive had man many a long hard night but this Is the worst of them Samson Samson Samson Sam Sam- son thought Theres There's many a n bad night In the history of the pioneers its shadows shado falling on lonely Jonely marked ill roads roada cut by rivers creeks and marshes and strung through unnumbered miles mUes of wild country Samson was up and andoff andoff off at daylight in a n bitter wind and sIx sir Inches of snow It was a kind ot of work he would not have un undertaken upon any call caU less commanding than thaI that of friendship He reached Chicago at noon noon having had nothing to eat elt that da day There heri was no such eager noisy crowd In Ia the streets as ns he had hind seen before The fever of speculation had passed But there were many people on the main thorough thoroughfares Cares among whom were Europeans who had arrived the autumn before They were cha but the marks of the yoke oke |