The Turnbo Manuscripts
by Silas Claiborne Turnbo
1844-1925
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SAVING HER HOUSE THROUGH TEARS AND PRAYER
By S. C. Turnbo
A man of the name of Joe Allin lived on Shoal Creek in Taney County, Missouri.
His cabin stood on the east bank of the creek near ¼ mile below Protem.
When the war broke out Allin claimed to be a southern man but refused to
enlist in the confederate army. As the war progressed Joe proved to be a
bad man and kept the worst of company. Peter Keesee who lived on Big Creek
on what is now the Sam Holett place was a union man and when the war warmed
up to red heat Keesee taken his family and sought safety among his friends
who lived on Little North Fork. "A few hours after I was compelled
to desert my home on Big Creek, it said Mr. Keesee, "Joe Allin and
his clan come along and finding that we were gone set fire to my dwelling
and reduced it to ashes. I went on and as soon as I had got my family in
safe quarters I lost no time in making preparations to retaliate on the
destroyer of my residence. Joe Allin had burned my home and I was determined
to burn his hut. I ask a few of my intimate friends to assist me at the
burning and they promised to aid me. It was war times and who cared for
burning a house when the enemy burns yours. My heart was hardened and with
those that had promised to help me we mounted our horses and rode off toward
Shoal Creek. We went at a rapid gait and It did not take us many hours to
reach Joe’s cabin. Of course Joe was not there but his wife, whose
name was Alwilda, and two or three little children were in the house. The
wife and children were destitute. Their clothes were in tatters and they
were nearly without food. It was shameful for a man to turn a mother and
her little ragged children out of doors. But I cared nothing for that. I
was wanting revenge for the lose of my house. I informed Mrs. Allin at once
what we had come for and as I did not desire to deprive her of what few
house-hold property she had in the house I ordered her in a peremptory way
that she must carry her household effects out of doors. She protested in
piteous words not to destroy their only place of shelter. It seemed that
I possessed the heart of a savage and refused to listen to her tearful entreaties.
In reply I told her to hurry or I would set the house on fire before she
carried her things out. With loud sobs and her eyes bathed in tears she
began to move out the few bed clothes and scant furniture. She saw that
it was useless to plead with a barbarian and went on with the work. We waited
in silence until the despairing woman had carried all her effects to a safe
distance so that they would escape the flying sparks from the burning hut.
We now began to make preparations to set the building on fire for I was
anxious to see it go up in flames. At this moment the now nearly crazed
woman renewed her pleading to me not to wipe out their only shelter. She
prayed that I might repent Of my wicked design of burning their cabin and
that she could not help what Joe had done and begged me and my friends to
return back home and leave her house to shelter herself and helpless children.
She looked up toward heaven and I saw her tear stained cheeks, and as the
tears were streaming down her face she implored the good Ruler of heaven
and earth to soften our hearts that we might abandon our heartless work
and go away without destroying her only place of abode. She stood and pleaded
and prayed as if her heart was broken. Her little children were standing
there with her holding to her dress and crying. It was a heart rending scene.
A few minutes before this Satan had control of my heart. But as I listened
at the poor helpless woman’s piteous sobs of grief and heard her devoted
prayers and saw her children huddled about her my wicked thoughts of burning
the house began to soften. The spirit of revenge was leaving me and an impression
of pity was taking the place of my stony heart. Her prayers were too much
for me and I yielded to the influence of her supplications. Turning to my
companions I said, "Men, we cannot afford to burn this house and I
told the weeping woman that she was at liberty to carry her stuff back into
the hut for it was safe as far as we were concerned for we had got out of
the notion of putting fire to the building. The nearly distracted woman
could hardly believe it until I assured her that it was true. Then she gladly
put away her tears and sorrows and rejoiced that I had changed my mind.
Though Joe Allin had wronged me and it was my desire and intention to treat
him likewise but the tearful prayers of his helpless wife had turned my
reckless heart into one of mercy and I thank God to this day that I did
not burn that cabin."
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