State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1831-1836, 1836-01-19

LEWIS TAPPTN,
THEODORE S. WRIGHT,
SAMUEL f.. CORNISH,
ELlZUR WRIGHT, Jr,
Executive Committee.
New York, Dec 90, 1885.
Az Incident. In an obscure village in
the State of Vermont, there lived all aged
man, friendesS and without connections,
for he was one of the early settlers and
came here alone. During the revolution
he took arms with the rebels and gave his
property for the benefit of the revoutiona-
ry army. He endured all the privations
which characterized that struggle for liber-
ty, he signalized himself i'll several battles,
and after the efforts of the friends of free
! dom were crowned with success, he return
cd to private life. lie became very poor,
and was compelled to earn his daily bread
! by working one day here and one day
and the next there. Ills wife died; cnii.
dren lie had none. In this state, alone in
the world, Invested of property, aged and
| infrm, a creditor seized the few little eff
fects he had, aud committed his body to
| prison. Some OF his acquaintance bailed
him 'out the liberty of the yard He re-
manned within the limits's27 years, some-
times working for one person. aud some
times for another, at such work as he could
perform. Gardening in the summer, and
doing chores in the winter, were his usual
occupations. Finally he made a bargain
with the village tavern-keeper; and bound
himself out during life, for his board and
clothes. lie used to take care Of horses,
make fires, sc. At this period OF his life
there was conspicuous character travel
ling through the country, receiving the
congratulations aud attention Of all classes
of our citizens. AS he fastened through
, our villages, his fame went before him, and
, the people turned out en- mdSSe to bid him
u hearty welcome. lie arrived at the vii
lage where the 'old soldier lived and stop
{ ped over night in the same house.
, The old man knew him, and ollen tried
, to get access TO his apartments, but without
success. The aristocracy of the place, the
, ruflicd shirts, the silk gowns, the little mas
| ter and pretty misses must first greet the
, stranger However the old man made III
terest with one of his village acquaintance:
: to request an interview with the strangeo
Tell hinl,' said he, that Capt. i. OF III,
) -Rcgiment Of Infantry, wishes to SCI
J him at bis leasure.' The stranger wa
r electrified. What said lie, is he alive
= Where is he? at the same time leaving LII
- rutlle-shirt company, he went into tie bar
Y room in search of the 'old soldier IL
: found hi IL. is it possible said the stran
: ger, that you are alive" They embraced
= each other and were SO affected that nci
c ther could give utterance 10 one syllable
: The spectators wondered, gaZed, and wer
il conlounded. The best feelings of human
e nature gained the mastery OF the Who'll
r assembly. At last said the stranger 10 til
d 'old soldier come with me. They retire
/, to IA room alone, and converscd about by
r gone times; about the battles they ha
V fought together, and the hardships the
II had encountered. Each gave II purtlcuo
narration of his life since their separation
d and that OF the old soldier was hcart-rend
& ing 10 the illustrious stranger.
o lie told him his poverty, his troubles an
1t his incarceration i'll prison, his preset
C means of subsistence, &c. CHOW muc
d do you owe" said the stranger. 81 hay
Ne been on the limits ttoenty Seren gears f
ut nineteen dollars. The cost and interest ma
n now amount to one hundred dollars."-
in "There are two hundred dollar bills" sal
T. the stranger, "pay what thou owest.
It. shall leave a dcposite in the - bank, whel
re YOU can draw for two hundred dollars
I'd year as long as you live" BY this time Il
he people without were impatient and coul
not divine the cause ofthe privacy bctwee
f. our two heroes. They went out, took son
rcfreshment, the stranger returned TO il
company, and the old soldier went to Il
lr lawyers Office and paid his debt. lie tho
~ went into the tailor's and procured 81
er Of clothes. The next day the old soldi
rs, and the stranger departed together, leavil
We the people to conjecture the cause Of Il
IS metamorphosis of the one and the stranI
IN conduct of the other, The old soldi
C. however returned to his native village in
or few weeks, and the people who beio
'd' would scarcely speak 10 him unless it W
u for the purpose Of telling him to get out
~ the way, were glad 10 see him. lie ne
es:, ortheless, pursued the even tenor Of |
an way. That stranger was General i'gfa
IN ,Je ReGpclJr