Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1839-05-11
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[Ffom the Illinois Backwood sman.
THE FORGED PATENT.

our fancy cannot image its
The changes which the last twenty years
have wrought Il Illinois, would be incredible &c
one who has not witnessed them. At that period
our settlements were few. and the spirit Of enter
prise that now pervades every corner of the State
hid not then been awakened The bluff Of our
own beautiful river had never sent back dIe
echo Of the steam cngne.--Wiihnut market for
their produce, the farmers confined their labors
10 the wants Of their families. Corn was nearly
the only crop raised, and from The time II was
siaid By" the cnd Of June M puifi"S tfn1e' IN
November, Il holiday, ana te intervening
pcriod WINS passed in idieness, except on Satur-
days. On that day duly 1t arrived, the set
tiers, far and near, coectedat the distiilery, aud
amused themselves with shooting at mark,
"tradlng nngs," and too often when tho tin cup
had passed freely around, in .fghtiag.
This, sir, is by no means picture OF all the
settlements of that early period, but th1t II is
graphically true of many, none OF orr Oldest set
tiers need deny.-But 10 my narrative.
One Saturday afternoon lii tho year 1879 a
Young was seen approaching with slow and
weary steps, the house, or rather dIs'Iiery, of
squire Crosby, Of Drent's Prairic,an obscure set
element on the Military tract. As usual on that
day, a large collection Of people amusing
themselves at Crosby 5, who owned The only DIS
tillerv IN that regin,-waS ii magistrate. and re-
garded by the settlers rich and great man.
The youth who now came up to the group was
apparently about tweniy-onc wears of age, OF
slender form, fair and delicate cnnpieXinn with
tho air of one accustomed to good society. 1t
was evident at a glance that he was no. Injured
10 the hardships of frontier life, labor Of
any kind. Bat his dress bore a strange contrast
with his appearance and manners. He wore
hunting shirt, OF the coarsest insey woo!sey, a
common straw hat, and pair of deerst ms moe
casns.-A large pack completed his equipment.
Every one ga1ed with curiosity upon tho new
conner La their eagerness TO learn who he was,
whence ho came, and what was his business, the
horse swap left untinish .d,-the rifle was
laid ASIDE and even the busy tin cup had tenn
pornry respite.
The young man approached Squire Crosby
whom stranger could distinguish as the
principal pcrsCnage among them, and anxousy
enquirod for house where ha could be accom-
modated; saying that he extremely I'll and
IeII all tho symptoms of approaching fever
Crosby ed b,rn keenly and suspiciously Tor
n moment without utteflug u word knaves and
,swinders had been recently abroad, and the
language Of the youth BETRAYED that he vas
"Yankee" name at that time associated IN the
minds of the ignorant with every thing that is
base. MISLEADING the silence AMI hesitation o.
Crosby for fear Of his inability 10 pay, the sran-
ger smiled and said, Il not without money!"
and putting his hand 10 his pocket to give occu-
Jar proof OF the assertion, he horror struck io
find that his pocket book was gone. Il contaiaed
every cent Of his monsy, besides papers OF great
value to him.
Without afarthing-without a single let 5
ter paper 10 attest that his character was hon
orablo--in strange land and sickness rapidly
coming upon hnn--thcse feelings nearly drove I
him to despair. The Squire no priles himself |
his sagacity in detecting williams, now found
the usc Of his tongue. :, 18th loud and sneerIng |
laugh no said-"Stanger, your sarc barking up |
the wrong tree If you think TO catch me with {
that Yankee rick of YOURS lie prncc cded 4
IN that inhaman straiH. seconded by nearly every
present, for the -.Squarr' was powerful and j
lew dared TO displcaso him. The youth felt Y
keeniy his dcselate situation, and casting has eye
around the groop. IN a tone OF deep and o
desparing anxiety eHqnired sis there none who z
will receive me?'' Yes, | will" cried man
among the crowd "ycs, poor sick stranger. will Il
shelter You" Then in lower tone he added, d
IL know not whether deserving, but Ii
know You are fellow being, and IN sickness aud lie
want and for the sake OF Him who died for the ht
guilty, n not for vour sake, will | be kind to &C
you, poor young stranger" OF
Tho man who stepped forth aud prollared n P,
nome to tho youth IN tho hour of suffering, was NJ
SIMON Davis, an elderly mao, who resided near IN
crosby, and To whom the latter was deadly tn
Simon, he called, never
and bore the many prosecutions of his "a
indic,ive neighbor, without complaint, His st
amily consisted of himself and daughter. his
MY child an atfectionate girl of seventeen. ct
The youth hear, the offer of Mr.. Davis, but 70
card more, for overcome by hts feelings and SO
xtreme illness, he fell insensible to the earth. ty
nd a physician called. Long the struggle W
stween life and death Though unconscious. tn
called upon his mother and sister TO aid him. pu
hen the youth was laid upon her bed and she We
card him calling for his sister, Lucy Davis wept in
nd said to him,--"poor, sick young man, your ca
far distant and cannot hear you, but viii pa
to YOU a sister. Well did this darkeyed maiden sh
yep her promise. Day and night did she watch Sc
Ter him, except at the short intervals wheu she Wi
ieldod her post at his bedside TO her father. ar
A, length the crisis of tho disorder arrived, the an
ay which decide the question of life
lenth Lucy bent over him with intense anxiety, so
watching every expression of his features, hardly ha
'arng TO BREATHE fearful was she of waking &c
'im from the only sound sleep he had enjoy NJ
ID for nine long days and nights. A, length he tel
woke and gazed up into the face of Lucy Davis, ju,
Ind family enquierd, "where am I,' There no
vas intelligence IN that look. Youth and good ce
institution had obtained the masterv-Lucy thi
ell that he was spared. and bursting into flood in,
d 'rrepresspe, grateful tears rushed out of the VIZ
nom. -
TWAS two weeks more befors he could sit up.
wen tor shert time He had already ACQUAINTED vo