Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1826-01-14
EDWARD COLES.
Frecutipc Department Z
January 2, 1926. q )
INTERESTING ANECDOTE.

~ AAN II A4NlN|1(N1
From the Refort Of The Directors of
the Dorehester { us hemaA Tract
Society, hu6hsbed IN the Boston Re
corQer amd Telegrahh, Dec. 2.
We could place before you, ladies', did
our time permit, many anecdotes con-
nected with the history oil lracis, which
were furnished by the IL en- bers OF the
London Tract Society. al their late An
nusl meeting but lest we should con-
fine ycpr at,eniion too long to this SUBJ
lect, We will menison only one. was
brought forward by mInIstcr from tx-
eter, who stated, that not lar from the
place --.here he jued, and 9DIie N the
country, there were two young ladies re-
siding, and both of them pions. Ii SO
happened that poor American sailor,
having taken up the employment OF a
pedler, passed that way, called at the
house OF these young ladies', and taking
his box of small wares from his shout
ders, requested one of them 10 purchase
some Tracts. She replied that there
was certain Tract which she was anx-
ious to find, and that she would look over
his parcel, and If it contained the one
referred to, she would take il. She did
so, and finding the paper she wanted,
paid the man, and ordering the servants
To provide him with some refreshments,
went in haste TO the door, 10 receive
friend who bad come from distance 10
visit her. The peer man in The mean
time gathering up his scattered wares,
proceeded considerable distance on his
way, and having reached very reprcd
spot, sat down by the SIDE OF the road,
and taking his Jaok-knile from his poe
ket, began 10 appease his hunger with
the food SO kindly provided tor him. 1t
so happened, that in the course OF the
same day, a most horrid robbery and
murder had been committed near this
spot, and officers had been despatched
TO seek out The criminal, and bring hlm
to justice. A party OF them approached
This poor sailor, and finding him employ
ed with jack-knile, (the very instru-
ment with which the murder was sup
posed to have been perpe,rated,) they
seized him at once and put him IN prl-
son, where he remained three months,
awaiting his trial. During the whole
per iod Of his coufncn ent, he was en-
ployed in reading the Bible and pious
books to his fellow prisoners, and was
so exemplary in his whole conduct as 10
attract the attention of the laier, who
kindly Interested himself for him, listen
ed TO his tale Of woe and believed him
innocent. When the trial came on, the
case was OF such an interesting nature
that it drew together vast concourse OF
people; and after the examination had
passed, ana the Judge was calling for
The verdict of guilty or not gully,
voice was heard 10 issue from the crowd
NOT gniity! Every eye was directed
to the spol from whence the sound pro-
ceeded; and Immediately young lady
advanced, with paper in her hand and
appeared before the Judge. Fer feel
ines at first overcsme Der, and she faint
cd; but recovering herself, and being
encouraged to proceed it she had any
thing to say in defence of the prisoner at
the bar, she stated to the Judge the Cir
cumstance of buying The tract OF the
poor man-presen,ing it at the same
time, bearing the date OF the day and The
bour when j, was purchased She stat
cd further, that josta the man was about