He was always talking about going to Lexington, but never went.
"'You'll never get thar without startin',' said his neighbor.
"'But I'm powerful skeered fer fear I'd never git back,' said Samuel.
'There's a big passel o' folks that gits killed in the city.' "'You always was a selfish cuss.

You ought to think o' yer neighbors,' said the other man.
"So I've concluded that if I don't start I'll never get there, and if I die on the way it will be a good thing for my neighbors," Abe added.
The toast was drunk, and by some in water, after which Abe said: "If you have the patience to listen to it, I'd like to read my declaration to the voters of Sangamon County." Samson's diary briefly describes this appeal as follows: * * * * * "He said that he wanted to win the confidence and esteem of his fellow citizens.

This he hoped to accomplish by doing something which would make him worthy of it.

He had been thinking of the county.

A railroad would do more for it than anything else, but a railroad would be too costly.