Ypsilanti sentinel. [volume] (Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co., Mich.) 1843-1900, 1847-02-03

"A parish preutlce Is q D east OF Durtnen, tor
whom, like the donkey, no weight or work is
considered too much; and in their anxiety to
keep me employed, they nearly killed me with
fatigue. This made me relax little in my
endeayours to please; Igrew sullen; and pres
ent discomfort obscured in great measure ny
visions of future happiness. For = month or
two all went pretty smoothly, except my poor
feet; and my master began to think either |
was better lad than he had been led to sup
pose, or that he had cured me of my bad hab-
its; until one evening, having been sent on a
distant errand, and being unused to the nav
ntricacies of large manufacturing town, /
lost my way in endeayouring to return, and
wandered about for the greater part of the night
until, attracted by house with brilliant light
before it, stopped: the open door had such
good-natured air of invitation, that I resolved
to enter and inquire my way, which according
ly did. Whilst was speaking, an old woman,
in still older red cloak, entered, and asked for
glass OF gin. AS soon as she perceived me,
she called out, "Ah Birch, that's YOU: lust
where you'd be sure to be found; going on, |
see Lord, lad, it's your fate; it's no use stri-
wing against fate p Recognised my evil gen.
JUS, Grun, long before she had finished recoun-
ting to the bystanders her prophecies, and nv
former deinquencies; among which I heard
her, (tomv horror,) simply, and without expla-
nation, reckon in the deaths of both nv real
and adopted parent. / also perceived that this
was not the first house at which she had made
the modest request with which she entered. |
was too much bewildered to make any reply
to her monstrous accusations for had hardly
learned In answerto my queries, that had ac-
cidentally wandered close to home, before | be-
held the heavy brows and indignant red nose of
my master, gazing at me from beneath the lamp
in mute horror and fury.
$50, sir in gin-shop at two in the morn
ing; you want little more employment, |
See.
| More employment we gods, when my daily
| labours already enrcached TAI on my nights -
And with the echoes of the animadyersions of
the company still ringing In my ears, was
dragged home at the rate of four miles an hour
in the grasp of a hand that would have done
credit to a blacksmith. After this adventure,
my master S distrust returned, land my weary life
grew yet more insupportable.
Among my many weakness of character, was
not wanting boundess belief and dread of
ghosts and goblins. Many were the wonderful
and unaccountabie noises that had assailed my
startled ears in the course of my life,but as vet
had never seen or felt anything that could at
| all belong to any other world out this-(not
that this fact rendered darkness whit less dis
agreeable to me.) On the 18th of January,
10, on night whose freezing GOODNESS pre-
vented NE from sleeping; became aware that
there was another being of some kind in the
room-two, indeed for l heard low whispers.
Miserable as had been during the latter part
of my lie, never did | suffer such agony a.
when, in my fear, that night slid half fainting
from my bed, and crept under it. In Il min
, ute or two | again heard whispers, and al last
nay name distinctly mentioned. l listened in
GREATNESS attention, with the perspiration pour
ing FROM my forehead. Another voice answer
ed softly, ''Not for worlds he is such cow
f urd, he'd blab directly;" and though at these
words was suddenly treasured as to my un
welcome guests being disembodied spirits, yet
my alarm was not the least decreased; and creep
ing from under the bed, slipped softly through
the door (Which 1 felt was open by the addi-
! tional cold air that entered from the shop adj
: lOlniDg,) and took refuge, more dead than a.
live, beneath the counter. The extreme agony
of mind | endured, prevents me from exactly
, remembering what took place. For conside
n rable time all was perfectly still, and l began
to think had only dreamed, when an abrup
: noise of many angry voices, cries for consta
, BILE, and the sudden entrance of number O
persons-some dark, some White-threw me a.
> gain into stupor of terror, which the giganti
+ form of my master, arrayedin a white shee
o tend to alleviate. HIS blackbeetle brows an
|. angry face,made him look like some demon fror
Il the neither world as he stopped to drag me fror
r. my asylum. | all but tainted; and when | re
\ covered my sufficiently to listen, foun,
/. | was accused of attempting to rob my mas
ters house, together with WaIterAtwell, for
n mer journeymaD in his service; who had bee
discharged tor drunkenness, and who was nov
/ standing near NE, pale and livd between tw
" constabes.
= Nv master had been awakened bv noise O
something falling: and on hearing footsteps i
Il the little study where he kept his money, ha
got up; called his foreman, and sent for a con
# stable; searched the. house; Seized man VIII
ID proved to be Walter Atwell, just as he was en-
\ deavouring to follow his companion, who ha
at escaped through the garnet window. The ii
is was found to have been broken open, but as m
d master never kept his money there at night,
re was supposed the disappointed thieves had the
Fl &. leafrSe1pe to watch 6w. My being di
y COVERED secreted IN the shop ready dressed, e,
N cept my shoes: IA circumstance easily accoul
,o ted for by the scanty covering my bed afforde
q me in the depth of a severe winter,) speech
10 less from fright at being detected; unable
sh give any satisfactory reason for my being U
or at ALL left not doubt in the minds of tho:
nd present, as to my guilt. We were sent to pri
he on, where Walter Atwell put an end to his Ii
At my trial my story was totally disbelieve
to but as there was only circumstancial evidenc
s. against me, was allowed to bring witness.
r. to my character. My character! The IN
of ment heard those words, gave myself up Il
of lost: and my unwilingness to name or ask f
n any one was Immediately perverted to my di
a advantage. But many oficious neighbours DR.
y, septed themselves: the first called was Mr.
ON Grum, her countenance beaming with inwaJ
satisfaction; afterwards the master of the wor
| house, and others. My supposed evening
nd the gin-shop was not forgotten. The resi-
ed may be easily foreseen, and the CONSEQUENCE
bs of the verdict are, that | am here in Newga,
lfe sentenced to transportation for life | am
IL. sail in three daYs Whether in another elm