Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1850-04-22

he 81 am not the man once was, and
Will 60 This moment from your presence
f you desire it; but | first wish TO atone
for my former abuses in some measure,
bv rendering you all the service can.-
Fell me what is the matter ard how you
came here and why these men pursued
you?"
The man who cnme with lin in pUr-
suit wos well acquainted with the landlord,
who was very respectable man, and was
soon convinced thatsophhia was the injaIcd
person. 4 8 =,
The landlord had two or three stout sons, >
aud they oil told Van Dorman 10 begcne.
orthey would basic him foundya. He
finally gays.op.the-ehase and Vent 10 gpil.-
tefing the scattered remains Of his gig
Sophia s;aid through the day, and Tiv-
ingham would not leave her, Ie s1id, nil
she was fairly lodged with her parents -
She found, by conversing with him in the
course Of the day, that he had really re-
pented Of his crimes. with sincere contrI.
ton, and that he had become new man
He proposed to alter The course of his
journey TO Bridgeport, and 10 toke her into
bis chaise and convey her 10 New-Yurk
The next day y--dslant about thirty miles, -
She accepted his offer, and found herself
the next evening landed safely at her faith.
er's door.
Her father and mother had been almost .
distracted at her long stay, and several per-
sons we're out in pursuit of Van Dorman...
But how were they rejoiced and confound.s
ed, both in an instant, TO see ber return
with Tivingham in apparent good spirils
But their surprise soon ceased. living.
ham had no sooner entered the room here
the family were all together, than he fell
on his knees before them, burst into tears,
and sobbed for some time before he could
speak!
F.Forgive." said he. ia miserable man
who has jared you without cause
'Rise," said Mr. Thompson, sit is enough.
'There is joy in Heaven over one sinner
that repenteth." said Mrs. Thompson 'and
why not on earth" sSay no more" said
Mr.. Thompson "you are welcome TO our
house." g.:
Tivingham now offered to pay Mr.,
Thompson whatever sum of money he
should mention, or do anything else in his
power, that he should ask to atone for bis
former abuses; bu. MIR. Thompson was t.
bove laying any penalties on "a man al
read suffering the keenest.l lsmorse for his
crimes. lie offered TO 60 TO the village
where Mr.. Thompson Lad been living, and
ge, the report cleared up about Sophia.
He would go in pursuit OF Jackson, or do
any thing to serve the family; but Mr.
Thompson would not put him 10 any such
trouble at present.
He reques e1 him, however, 10 stay of
his house or in the city, until they couid
hear from the village. lie consented of
course; and after waiting about three weeks,
MIR. Thompson had the pleasure of receis
ing letter from the same persons ho had
signed The certificate, STATING that they had
thoroughly traced and investigated The re-
port concerning the character Of Sophia
Thompson, and had found that all the evil
rumors were utterly false, and had origina-
led from one or two young ladies' whom
they named, out Of 'envy, hatred and
malice"-revenge for supposed insult, and
jealousy Of her future good prospects-that
respectable.
This letter also, enclosed a certificate
from the clergyman ofthe village, e,streng,h-
ened by the signature of The first Judge of
the county, and all the most Respectable
men in the village, or near ii; and lastly
paper which the young ladies', (if ladies'
they might be called) had signed, confess
ing and ucknowed ging that they had prop
ngated the infamous reports against Sophia
Thompson, without cause or foundation,
knowingly and wilfully intending 10 ruin
her.
These papers Mr.. Thompson showed
TO the young gentleman whose sister had
sent him the libel, us before mentioned,
who appeared to be very much mortified
at the disclosure, and begged thousand pat
dons Of Mr. Thompson, for the part which
he had ignoranlly acted n The affair which
was likely to ruin his sister, the assailant
OF, instead of Sophia the assaied. So it
often happens; so the vicious minded pull
down mischief on their heads.
The next point to Le ascertained wa,
how should Col. Jackson be Informed oil
the result. Mr.. Thompson felt deli cacy
too tender TO admit Of his personal inter-
ference; and we'll he might, as the affair
was in a measure the ufflr Of love between
Col. Jackson and his daughter.
Tivingham was anxious 10 start forth
with after him, for it had been lately u.s.
celtoined that Jackson was in Augusls, ,Geo,-
gia; but the family thought it best 10 let the
Col. take his own time to return, and things
their natural course. Tivingham therefore
went to Connecticut.
Matters remained in this situation about
six months, in which time Sophia made sew
eral conquesls, although she kept as retired
as possible.
AS for poor Van Dormun, he never
troubled her afterwards, having enough TO
do with pucifyihg his friends, and Mr..
Thompson through them, for the ridiculous
part he had acted. His passon, too, was
somewhat cooled by his plunge into the
quagmire the swamp.
l. is through tribulation that the saints
enter into the kingdom of heaven-and it
is also through much tribulation that the
lover, very frequently, is brought TO The
consumaton Of his or her wishes in the mar.
ried state that earthly ''paradise losi,"
The next shock, which Sophia received,
was from notice in The papers, that Col.
jackson had accepted a challenge 10 duel
from an officer in the navy. ard that q
meeting would soon take place.