Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1853-12-30

on the prisoner. lie was sullen.
hardened man, whom the alternate
want and riot Of an evil life had made
premalurely old. There was no trace
OF better days about him; but as he
many aliases were read over with the
indictment. the last OF them was VIII
liam Walerton. The evidence was
clear. the facts were proved. The
prisoner had been companion OF rob-
bcrs. and active In breaking the laws
Of both God and man; bat Francis
Fairhold remembered the boy who had
sat in his church pew. and worked In
his warehouse. end though conscience
obliged him 70 concur In the unani-
nous verdict Of guilty" his reason
ing brought the whole jury box 70 re-
commend him 10 mercy, In considera-
lion ofesrly seduction and misguided
youth.
The law had little mercy In those
days; but the Judge. being humane
man, as judges ought to be. supported
the petition which Mr.. Fairhold by
great excrtion got up, and the capital
sentence was commuted 70 transporta-
ton. His good work was scarcely fin-
ished, when our merchant received a
message one morning from the COVER
nor Of Newgate, saying that the priso-
ner waterton begged hard TO see him.
Hoping an impulse Of repentance
might have caused this, Mr.. Fairhold
fastened TO see his lost apprentice in
the prison cell. The unhappy man
was more moved than could have been
expected at his coming, and when they
were alono, said:-
"Sir, you have done a great deal for
me, and i'll | deserve il; but couldn't
cross the sea without speaking 10 you
Of one thing. You remember. almost
a year ago, when you stopped at the
Golden Lion on your way back 10 Lon
don. You had collected deal of
money, and | knew it. though you
didn't know me, for was one of the
three men who sat drinking in Hobbes's
kitchen. We were all Of the same
gang. and hearing that you were TO go
at seven next morning, we laid plan
10 rob you at a lonely part Of the road,
and l meant TO take your life. sir, be-
cause you had been my master, and
tried TO keep me in order. have liv-
ed to be thankful that we were disap-
pointed; but. to this hour, cannot un-
derstand why you should have set out
three hours before the time"
Readers, the chasm was wide be-
tween the pious upright merchant and
the convicted felon; but both learned
wi thin the walls of Newgate what won
drous work an oyerruling Providence
had wrought by puny Instrument
The mouse which disturbed Mr.. Fair
holds sleep. and ruffied his temper.
had been the means of saving his life.
and through him that Of his intended
murderer. Even on the hardened
mind of the latter the event explained
by his old master made an impression
which proved lasting, for hopeful ac-
counts of him were heard from the PEN
al colony. Francis Fairhold carried
on business formany year in Cheap
side, and made many journey among
his country customers, always calling
at the Golden Lion. In memory Of
his marvellous escape, he had broad
seal engraved with the figure Of a
mouse. and this motto: "By it God
preserved me. The modest, upright
young man, whom he met on that
eventful day. became to him a son
through the special favor of his daugh-
ter Sophy. Kate welded neighbour
son. and lived close by her parents;
but never did his increasing family
gather round the good merchants
board, at Easter or Christmas time,
that he didn't recall the event of the
wayside inn with fervent thankfulness.
Sometimes, too, he related it to impa-
tient spirits, with this exhortation:-
"Never get out of sorts at small an
noyances; they may be Gods messen-
gers"