The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1839-01-15

OO'.'
merca Advertiser, will be read with interest
by those who have watched the career and fall
of Benjamn Rathbun of Buffalo:
A PRISON SCENE.
AS one Of Our citizens recently journey
ing homeward from the commercial metropolis,
he stopped, for an hour of two, at Auburn. Inn
PEELED by motives of curiosity he repaired to the
State Prison, and went the usual rounds, with
the view of con templatng, in his Glow estate,
one whom he had known and moved with in
palfny days of proud and golden prosperity, but
who was now within those gloomy walls, a
CONVICT FELoN, condemned to years Of silent
toll, side by side with villains of every hue of
crime. In a secluded part of the building he
found the object of his search attired in the
coarse parlicolored convicts dress, soiled and
dirty, his hair cropped closely 10 his head, and
his small, yet dignifed form, bent painfully over
his task. His countenance deadly pale,
save where npon each cheek, small deep helic
spot told the troubled workings of his unquiet
mind, while his unshayen chin, with beard OF
a weeks growth, contrasted strangely with his
high marble-like forehead, and altered features,
imparting wiltlness to his appearance, which
befitted the gloomy scene around. Ii BEN
JAMIN RATHBUN, the Forger He was occupied
in shaping the heechen blocks of which joiners
planes made and steadily wrought at his
employment, his delicate hands, unused to
manual labor, plying busiIy and dexterously
the tools Of his work bench. As the visitor gaZ-
ed upon the sad spectacle, through the mar
row openings of the dark passage from which
the convcts are watched by the guards of the
prison, unseen by the prisoners, another visitor
stood 10y similarly occupied who had been en-
ployed by the man they were contemplating, as
one of the superintendants of his Two THOU
SAND laborers, when engaged in carrying OH mis-
gigantic operations. The latter stood silently
intent on the scene, until he burst into tears, and
turned away The irrepressabe sympathies
which mise in the human bosom. often def
nncc ot the stern decision of justice, and often
lavished upon unworthy objects, whom some,
redeemiug traits have erdeared to us overpower-
ed his feelings, and he left the prisoner TO the
"peopIed solitude" of that Pop"loGs dungeon.
ton OF inns soWettHo t."'7'-
should produce in the public mind,a teeilhS OF
regret, lniagled with the conviction that The
wholesome though harsh correcliveS OF Jus'lce'
must he visited; rs well upon the iotliest asupon
the low liest heads that are alike sheltered under
the o'ercanopying ;egs of our laws. The con-
y vici0n which had settled upon almost every
mind. shat through the influence nf friends, the
ingenunX of able counsel, and the qnihhllns
tecll,iiralfffes Of law, he would at the close OF
his prolracI&A trials, ultimately escape conVic-
ton, had PRED Ned the community 10 expect such
Il result; and when the verdict which has linked
his name with iFfany was finally recorded, the
public, us well as prisoner and friends, were Ia
ken by surprise, and scarcely believed II rea''
II was a staggering blow ut the high hopes he
had cherished from the close of the former trial,
in this city which had resulted IN his acquittn'
upon the indictment which it was founded.
Placed again at liberty, after his long Incarcer"-
ton for want of bail, he was once more active
" ranging the scenes of his former enterprises,
and planning busy for the future. The arnb''
tious schemes which once more swelled his rest
less bosom, and gilded the hitherto dnrkened
urospect of existence-none but himself and con
fidentia friends can show. But these budded
hopes and bright anticipaons were suddenly
blasted, and sterner visions thronged conflisedly
before him. His gnominous doom, with its
abiect toll, it's lonely hours of pain and onelier
of remorsetul thought, its careless, scathing
shame-lay with sickening, deadly weight up
on his heart
Next came the prison scene, where, amid the
canks of letters, and the rattle of chains and the
harsh grating of dungeon doors, he commenced
the routine of his monentous task. And what
naddening reflections have been HIS in the lew
weeks which have since succeeded! What bit
ter unavailing regrets have dwelt, with con
slant and mournful presence, in his agltate'
breast! What lonely yearnings Tor the forfeited
delights of social life once more, the forfeited
esteem and confidence Of the wronged comnu
nifty in which he had striven to build up ms
farne A nd Conscience, like reproving anger
pointing with her moveless finger to the past
has through his waking hours, been silent we
haunting monitor, whose mental scouTgng
have been more terrible than he physical il'
which have borne upon his frame.
1t is sad esson-the fate of BENJAMIr
RATHBUN!
WATERING CATTLE IN WINrER.-Perhapsi
would excite the surprise of many of our read
erS, should we assert that cattle generally suffe