St. Clair County
Remnants Of The Past

Osceola Sun
10 June 1880

After dinner last Thursday Mr. Isaac Shaffner, residing in the northern part of Chalk Level township, went to the timber after wood, leaving his wife, and elderly lady, alone at the house. Soon after his departure a tramp stopped and asked for something to eat. With characteristic liberality Mrs. Shaffner gave the man a bountiful dinner. The tramp noticed that she was alone, and when he had finished the meal he asked whether there was any money in the house. Mrs. Shaffner replied that there was not, when he insolently remarked that he would see for himself. The lady of the house, however, had her own ideas about the matter, and put a quietus on the tramp’s impudent maneuvers by seizing a shot gun which stood behind the kitchen door, and told him to make himself scarce, an injunction he lost no time in obeying. Every effort was made to capture the scoundrel, but without avail.