The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1839-04-24
SELECTED TALES.
From the Backwoodsman.
THE FORGED PATENT.
by A WESTERN REcLUsE.

Remember you no case like this 2 Orif
Your memoy none records in such a one
\, So much at odds with probability
}, Your fancy cannot image i7
b Mr.. RUSSELL The changes which In,
last twenty years have wrought in Illinois
! would be incredible TO any one who had moi
witnessed them.-At that period our settle
ments were few, and the spirit of enterprise
that new pervades every corner of the State
? had not then been awakened. The bluff
: of our own beautiful river had never sen,
bact the echo Of The steam engine. With.
out market for their produce, the farmers
confined their labors To the wants of their
own families. Corn was nearly the only
crop raised, and from the time il was " laid
by near the end of June, iil pulling
time, IN November, was a holiday, and
The intervening period was passed in idle
ness, except the Saturdays. On that day,
duly as 1t arrived, the settlers, far and near,
collected at the dstllery, and amused them
selves with shooting at "a mark. .truding
nags, aud too often when the tin cup had
passed freely around in fighting"
This, sir, is by no means "A picture of all
The settlements Of that early period but that
1t is graphically true of many. none of our
Oldest settlers will deny. But to my nara
tive.
One Saturday afternoon in the year 1919,
ayoung man was seen approaching with
slow and weary steps, the house, or rather
,ne disuIiery OF squire Crosby, of Brenl's
frairie, an obscure settlement on the Mill
'ary tract. As usual on that day, n large
coilection oil people were amusing themselves
at Crasby's who owned the only distillerv
y gaiasd iass 1gseaResataer ne tren,
man.
The youth who now came up to the
group was apparently about twenty one
years of age, of slender form, fair and del
icate complexion, with the air Of Que accus-
toned to good society. 1T was evident at a
glance that he was not Injured to the hard
ships of frontier life, or labor of any kind
But his dress bore n strange contrast with
his appearance and manners. He wore a
hunting shirt Of the coarsest linsey -woolsey,
"A common straw hat, and IA pair of deerskin
mocasIns. A large pack completed his G.
quipnent.
Every one gazed with curiosity upon the
new conner. In their eagerncss to learn
who he was, whence he came, and what
was his business, the horse swap was left
unfinished-ihe rifle was laid aside, and
even the busy tin cup had IA temporary res
pite.
The young man approached Squire
Crosby, whom even stranger could dis
tingnlsh as the principal parsonage among
them, and anxiously inquired for n house
where he could be accommodated saving
that he was extremely i'll and felt all the
symptoms of an approaching fever.
Crosby eyed him keenly and suspiciously
for moment, without uttering word.
knavcs aud swindlers had been recently n
broad, and the language of the youth be-
trayed that he was a " Yankee" a name at
that time associated in the minds Of the
ignorant," with every thing that is base.
| Misiakipg the silence and hesitation OF
Crosby, for fear Of his inability to pay,
the stranger, smiled and said, /" I am not
) without money" and putting his hand
/ in his pocket to give ocular proof of
= the assertion, he was horror struck to find
4 that his pocket book was gone. II con-
tanned every cent Of his money, besides pa
pers Of great value 10 him.
Without farhing-witheut single let.
ter or paper to attest that his character was
3 honorable-in strange land and sickness
r rapidly coming upon hm-ibese feeling.
nearly drove him to despair. The Squire,
who prlded himself on his sagacity in de-
tectlng villains, nov found the use of his
tongue. With n loud and sneering laugh
, he said Stranger, you are barking up
3 the wrong tree If you think for to cOtoh me
{ with that are Yankee trick Of yourn." lie
: proceeded with that inhunan strain, Sc
conded by nearly every one present, for the
esquire" was powerful, aud few dared
, displease him. The youth felt keeny his
desolate situation, and casting hi. eye a.
round over the group, IN n tone of deep and
despairing anxiety, inquired, " is there none
e who will receive me T. "Yes, ! will,
cred man among the crowd; ayes, poof
! SICK stranger, I will shelter you" Then
: in lower tone he added, 81 know not
whether you are deserving, but I know that
d you are fellow being, and in sickness and
d want, and for the sake Of Him who Gied
e for the guilty, II not for your own snke, vii
{ BE- kind to you, poor ysung stranger"
G The man who stepped forth aud proffersc
}, home to the youth in the hour Of suffer.
). ing, was Simon DAVIS, an elderly man who
e resided near Crosby, and to whom tie latte
c was deadly enemy. UUcle Simon, ss h'
e was called, never retalIaIed, aud bore tb'
d many prosecutions of his vindictive neigh
Z Dor, ~nhou, complaint. HI, family con