Summaries

Synopsis

Because Sam Houston had been raised in the mountains he had little or no education. When his father died Sam felt as if he had lost the last friend he had in the world. He still had the Indians, among whom he lived since the earliest dawn of consciousness. The city was not far from where Sam lived. He made frequent trips to it, and that was how he came to meet Eliza Allen. When she discovered that he was so ignorant that he could neither read nor write it meant for her the end of their acquaintanceship. Sam thereupon began his education. One day soon after Eliza had learned this awful truth Sam went to see her. She could not bear the thought of receiving such a person, so she told her mammy to tell Sam that she could not see him because she was "constrainedly unable." The mammy did not tell Sam this. She told him that her mistress had said she could not see him until he "strained to be constable." Sam decided to become constable. He asked a friend how to attain this valued position, and the friend replied, "Drinks and votes." Whiskey was dear in the Tennessee of 1825. When Sam bagged a silver fox and sold its skin for a handful of silver he found that he had money enough for only a few votes. But his despair was short-lived. Teddy, his dog, seemed to sense that his master needed money, so he quietly slipped the fox skin from the shop of the dealer who had bought it, and brought it back to Sam. Sam sold it again. He bought more whiskey and more votes. When the skin was returned once more in the faithful teeth of Teddy, Sam bought more whiskey and more votes. So he kept it up until finally he had sold that one fox skin often enough to elect him constable. Then he went to see Eliza. The mammy answered the door again. "Tell your mistress I am a constable now," said Sam, "and I am ready to wait upon her." But Eliza only laughed at mammy, sent down a message that she would not receive Mr. Houston until he was sheriff, and returned to her knitting. When Sam became sheriff he finally gained admittance into the sacred quarters. When he asked Eliza to marry him, she replied, "I will when you become governor. " Sam became governor. Then Eliza married him. But he had become incensed by her repeated refusals, and when she finally became his wife he threw her aside and joined the settlers in Texas. Eliza followed him and took refuge in a convent. Sidney Stokes had for many years been an aspirant to the hand of Eliza. There was something about his eyes which the girl did not like, and though she had been kind to him she had steadily refused him. When his insistence became nothing short of insulting and he was forced to defend himself with a pistol, Sidney fled into the night, outlawed. He took with him an undying hatred against Sam Houston, his successful rival. When Houston was elected governor Sidney was busy inciting the Mexicans against Texas. Soon after Sam came to Texas the invaders crossed the boundary. Houston led the Americans in their resistance to the Mexicans. A great battle took place. Sam found the Indians to be his allies once more. Stokes and his men were repulsed. The crisis of the border warfare was reached when the Mexicans, incited by Stokes, attacked the Cnvent in which a helpless handful of nuns was living. Sam Houston rushed to the rescue. The Mexicans and Indians battled hand to hand. In Eliza's room Sam met Stokes. The fight that ensued was terrific. It was not a battle of soldier against soldier, but of man against man for the possession of a girl. Sam won, and took Eliza back to his home.