Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1845-09-10
he differed SO bitterly on political sub

suddenly starting nearly out of thei,
sockets, and his hands convulsively
lgrasping the crumpled sheet whilst be
lgazed at certain paragraph. Never
mind he continued, rushing past the
little imp, who was chuckIing at the
effect, and directing his steps towards
the printing Office. M
The paragraph ran thus; @ ~
"A young men named Brown, stuy=
dent Of the -U University, and sup
posed to be a native Of the north, Wa
are ipierneds sllas basely slan5efed s8e
erai confding young ladies' al the dif-
ferent boarding houses, whilst attend-
ing the lectures in this city. Our breth-
ren of The press will please blazon his
villainous name throughout the Union
Phil. Tablet.
The paper to whichit was credited
had escaped James notice, until he
found himself at the door of the editors
office, with a cudgel grasped 10 his
hand, intent on giving vent to bis in-
dignation in the summary crashing OF
bis tradncer's bones. But when he per-
ceiyed his error, he turned, without e.
ven accosting that functionary, and
hastened to the presence of his mother
|and Jane, whom he found in tears, the
same imp having kindly furnished them
likewise with copy of the paper. ~.
1T cannot be me. mother. who is
meant in that article; it must be some
one else ofthe same name,' said James.
y will not believe that you have done
this, my son. replied his mother. But
do you remember if any of your class
bore the same names? .-. p.
James gasped as he replied-'l do
remember distinctly that there were
none!" IL " .ta e... DE-.
But you are not guilty, James}' ex-
claimed Jane.
'As heaven IS above, and as hope
10 20 thither, | am nolr replied the
youth.
But livid paleness now oversprsad
his face, and he sat down on the sofa
beside his mother, his hand clasping his
forehead, and the-most intenseemoiions
agonizing his breast. He recollected
an occurrence which convinced him it
was truly himself alluded TO by the
writer. A portion of his fellow stu
dents, himself included, once incurred
the displeasure of the reporter Of the
Tablet and shortly after that person.
age CHANGING to accost our hero in an
insulting manner, had met with mer.
tied chastisement. 1t now flashed upon
the mind of James that this was but a
contrivance of the penny-a.liner to en-
joy his revenge. ..- 4
'Mother-Jane, believe no this cal.
umny; it is the mere invention Of an
enemy. shall return free from the sus.
piclon of guilt, or never will | return!'
Saying this, James abruptly departed
and hastened towards the city.
Our hero's modification was over
wheImipg, on finding the odious para
graph copied into every paper he chanc-
ed to see at the stopping places on the
road. When he arrived in the city, he
procured certificate Of his innocence
from bis landlady and waited on the
editor Of the Tablet That gentleman
merely surmised that a mistake had
been made in the institution to which
the guilty one belonged, but he was un-
willing to make any correction until
his reporter, who was then in New Or
leans, should return to the city. Poor
James hurried back to his lodgings dis
pirited, and throwing himself on bis
couch, endeavored ito reflect on the
course it would be proper to pursue.
But his rage and disgust set reason al
most at de efiance. One moment he
concluded to suffer the affair to pass
into oblivion unnoticed and entertain
NO feelings for the author but silent
scorn, the next he meditated an action
at law, and then, as he anticipated the
laws delay the newspaper squibs,
and his inevitable noteriety, he cleneh-
ed dagger with the resolution Of TAX
ing vengeance into his own hands the
moment he should encounter The SIAN
derer. ~.
Haggard and pale he strolled to the
Exchange the next morning, and glanc-
ing over the papers, discovered no less
than fifty different browns in various
articles and reports, and all guilty OF
some base act. or connected with some
degrading transaction. He groaned
aloud as he thought Of his ill-fated
name. and departed through the most
unfrequented streets towards his lodg-
iags. Still familiar faces were met on
the way, which seemed to be averted,
and he imagined he detected a saorp-
|ful or gibing expression in the glances
Of others. Exquisitely sensitive in his
feelings, the unfortunate youth could
think of no means TO remove The stig.