corn to the mill.  The horses, burdened with the load of the wagon -- corn, boy, and man -- came

to a halt be the jerk of the reins.  Sam's father called to the black walking alongside the team;

"You want a ride?"  The black man gingerly jumped on the back of the wagon.

The wagon rolled past fields with brown cornstalks left from the harvest.  There were cotton

patches with half-opened cotton boles.  The travelers talk moved from the fine weather to politics.

Sam knew how his father felt and what his politicals views were.  He had heard his father read

the newspaper outloud.  He had leard him talk about the boys in blue and the campaign for Hays,

the Republican candidate.  Sam would listen when the local farmers talked about reform in

Congress.  This year the Republican candidate was General James A. Garfield.  The next

question was, "How are you voting?"  The black man, trying not to show his ignorance of his new

found world, replied, "I vote for Democrat."

At the sound his words, Sam's heart gave a jump.  The wagon came to a complete stop.  The old

soldier's face grew dark with rage as his hand reached for the gun by his side.  He looked at his

son, then the passenger.  With deep controlled anger he said," I fought to free you and now you

would vote Democrat ticket."  He uttered in a low voice, "Get out."  The wagon left behind a dazed

and stunned man.

Sam learned to quickly size up a situation and take the advantage of life's turns in order to even

out his chances for survival.  His blue eyes demanded attention as he spoke to men so that his

size was of little importance.

Sam was a small framed man, five feet two inches with dark brown hair.  His complexion was

dark was a blue cast known as the Black Dutch.  His ancestors working in the coalmines acquired

this complexion. 

Sam was of an adventurous nature.  He had educated himself at the local saloon while his father

was tending to family affairs at the bank or general store.

The easy way to obtain needed cash was to play a game called "poker."  A person's size would

not hinder his performance of the game.  Sam soon found he had the skills need for this game. 

He was a friendly person who expected everyone to speak to him.