Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1850-04-15

siuply answered tnal ne was total straD-
ger in the place, and if he was rogue he
might assume ,ny name or place OF les :
dence, he could, perhaps, produce more sat.
siacsory proof Than his own declaration
who and what he was--and taking ont his
pockel-book, gave it unopened 10 the jus
lice. Iivingham was Oh the sharp look
out, but how he was thunderstruck on dis
covering the name of FRANCIS s. JAcKsos
as the proprie or! and not only that out n
bundan' evidences and vouchers. showing
that he was the only son, and only SUI viy-
ing heir at law, o. William J1ckson, OF
I New York, lately deceased.
llylngton beggedlo speak with him aside.
But no@hs hndf bsshs6raggs1 thers ns !
prisoner and felon, and he should now
see who the ielons were. He had been as
saulted in the night on the highway and
demanded that those who had done it NIGH,
be Immediately secured. All was conf.
sion. He was willing, nay, demanded tha.
his examination should 60 on-if not that
he might be heard on his oath.
The men who brought him there began
to think Of making of, but the court or.
dered the constables to take them oil into
safe keeping until further orders: They
then plead for mercy-sla,ed they were
gnorantly brought into the nff',ir, and &C.
iuully believed at the time, that the stran-
ger was highwayman, and that it was
their absolute duty to aid in his npprehen.
sion, gnd thht they should have though.
they were doing ''God's service" in POI.
ling an end to his career, if in no other
way by taking his life.
At This moment Judge NJ, owner
of the red mills the frs! judicial officer IN
the county, very wealthy and highly re.
spectacle gentleman, who hati until n few
years past resided in the city Of Now. York.
rode up to the door, and inquired if a gen.
tleman was there by the name of JacksenJ
Being answered in the affirmative, he dis.
mounted and walked in.
On learning what had becn transacted
he was greatly aslonished, and stated 10
The bystanders, that he had known Col.
Jackson from child-That his father
was one of1he most respectable merchants
in New York, immensely rich and that hs
only son whom they had lreltei as rob.
ber, was one of the best men he ever knew;
and his father being dead, and mother nlsn.
he was now sole heir Of all his property,
which amounted 10 not less than half Il
million Of dollarsr and that he had the day
before paid him two thousand dollars on a
debt due his fathers estate for the property
which he possessed, being purchased of him
while living. He wnnted TO know what
Col. Jackson had done, and what reason
they had for suspecling him as a villain.
Mr. jackson related the whole rise and
progress Of the affair, with every particu-
lar, not forgetting to give Tivingham he
true character, and the unspeakable dis
tresses which his avaree and his hopes OF
obtaining Sophia, had brought upon 'Mr.
Thompson and his family. At the same
junctu. e, in came the wife and dang hter,-
leading betweeen them the smanciated hus-
band and father.
Mr.. Jackson flew to his embrace, and
the unfortunate man was quite overcome
with Joy. Tears and the faItering accents
OF gratitude, attested his feelings. He had
set down for he could not stand and the
wife, the daughter aud the son, were over
powered by the gush of sympathy, as they
heard Mr.. Jackson tell Mr.. Thompson that
he was free from all bis embarrassments,
and that provisions would be Immediately
made to restore them 10 their former stand
ing handing Mr.. I. at the same time
handful of bank notes for his present ne
cessities.
MIR. Jackson had seen the sheriff and or.
dered him discharged and his feelings were
more intense than ever, when he found out
that the little hut in the pine woods had
been consumed the night before, and what
keen distress had followed in consequence.
If there is any heaven on earth it is that
which benevolent man enjoys, when in
the godIiks act Of elieving the distresses Of
his fellow beings, and when surrounded by
the objects of his relief. A tranquil joy,
holy rapture, comes over the soul, and the
sstiIl small voice OF peace" whispers to his
conscience "well done good and faithful
servant"
This serene paradise Mr.. jackson was
now enjoying, heightened by the additional
anticipation of seeing them all more happy
yet Sophia appeared more interesting
than ever.
"For beauty's tears are lovelier than her
smilesu-
and hers were the effusions of gratitude
and Joy. He sat-not staring but now
md then casting mild look Of contemplate
i've regard on the object of their soliciiude.
Sophia was not one Of those ideal beau
ties that could break all hearts at glance
but she was one of natures finest models
in female form. She had,
"An eye as when the blue sky trembles tbro!
ga cloud of purest white"
and certain expression of countenance that
bespoke the tenderness, the delIcacy and ths
purity Of the soul within.
-"Her shape was harmony-
"But eloquance beneath her beauty fails"
All was silent. Mrs. Thompson bowev-
er arose, and ventured to take MIR. jackson
by the hand. She recognized the boy that
had been frequently at her house in New
York, but she had not seen him since q
man, until she saw him at the cottage in
the Pine Woods. She knew his father
and his mother, both now in better world.
They had kneeled together round the altar
in the holy communion
The scene was pathetic. and drew forth
the tears of all present, except Ilvingham,
who attempted to excuse his villainy, but
was cut short by Mr.. Jackson, who bade
him instantly to begone, disgrace to the
honorable profession OF the lawi and let his