the East. He's awake and the
others are still dreamin'."

CHAPTER XIX

WHEREIN IS ONE OF THE MANY PRIVATE PANICS WHICH FOLLOWED THE BURSTING OF
THE BUBBLE OF SPECULATION.

Samson and Harry saw the bursting of the great bubble of '37. Late that
night Disaster, loathsome and thousand legged, crept into the little
city. It came on a steamer from the East and hastened from home to home,
from tavern to tavern. It bit as it traveled. Great banks had suspended
payment; New York had suffered a panic; many large business enterprises
in the East had failed; certain agents for the bonds of Illinois had
absconded with the state's money; in the big cities there had been an
ominous closing of doors and turning of locks; a great army of men were
out of employment. Those of sound judgment in Chicago knew that all the
grand schemes of the statesmen and speculators of Illinois were as the
visions of an ended dream. The local banks did not open their doors next
day. The little city was in a frenzy of excitement. The streets were
filled with a shouting, half crazed throng. New fortunes had shrunk to
nothing and less than nothing in a night. Lots in the city were offered
for a tithe of what their market value had been. Davis had known that the
storm would arrive with the first steamer and in the slang of business
had put on a life-preserver. Samson knew that the time to buy was when
every one wanted to sell. He wore a belt with some two thousand dollars
of gold coin tucked away in its pockets. He bought two corner lots for
himself in the city and two acres for Mrs. Lukins on the prairie half a
mile from town. They got their deeds and went to the Kelsos to bid them
good-by.

"Is there anything I can do for you?" Samson asked.

"Just give us a friendly thought now and then," said Kelso.

"You can have my horse or my wallet or the strength of my two hands."

"I have heard you called a damned Yankee but I can think of no greater
blessing than to be damned in a like manner," Kelso answered. "Keep your
largess for those who need it more, good friend."

After these hearty farewells Samson and Harry set out for their home.
They were not again to see the gentle face and hear the pleasant talk of
Jack Kelso. He had once said, in the presence of the writer, that it is
well to remember, always, that things can not go on with us as they are.
Changes come--slowly and quite according to our calculations or so
swiftly and Unexpectedly that