The Rutland County herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1852-1855, 1854-09-08

Lord help ns. said the good old
d~ac0u. 10 think q the clangcs -
" Well" be added. rcsigncdiy. IL.
what We must all come to- II was
PLAN that the deacon was fairly pun
zls.d.
IL never thonghi tn lately. pursued
the cripple, "ths, ! should be- obliged
10 tell my name to my old companions
aud friends Look nj me again"
No, no." muiirred the man in the
red shirt audibly one look day nj
that fellow is Ms much as can comfort.
ably siagger under"
But the siore-kceper. taking step
or two forward. gazed into the ugly
mans face tof n,olnent with an eager
mir, and sad:
Neighbors, its Ben Larkins y
Ben Larkins ?" said the deacon,
why, We heard you were dead."
You will hear that again soon,'
said the new conner, aud il will be a
true story then"
There was an awkward pause for
the old friends Of the poor man, with all
their curiosity, had native drlicacy
which restrained their questions. Bat
the western man, who now saw him for
the first lime, was wholly free from any
such embarrassment.
Stranger" said he, " aint much
given 10 pumping man against his
will, but | shomd like to know how you
came SO, just TO keep out of such
scrape myself"
IL came in here this evening" said
the ugly man, "on purpose TO meet as
many Of my old aequainlances as | pos.
sibly could, and tell my story. ] knew
| should have TO tell il some time or
other, and l want to have il over, TO
feel that my misfortune is known, and
that am free from questions.
He shifted his seat, as IL TO obtain an
easier position, and continued
Those Of you who saw me n couple
Of years since will rccollect that was
then, as | had been for several years
previously. warm an active politi-
cinn. Now that have come home TO
die among you, it seems Of little mo-
ment who comes out the winner in these
doubtful races but then il was differ
ent thing to me, and believe was
never wanting in any service which
my party asked of me, from the time of
the election of the good old General
Harrison, who is, ! trust, in better
place than The White House now"
"Amen ~ said the red-shirted man,
very solemnly.
"When emigrated TO Ohio, two
years Since" continued Larkins.
carried my enthusiasm with me, and be-
came pretty well known in the section
of the county about the village of w,
where settled. You must remember,
at least all Of you who read the news
papers, that our last gubernaiorial cleo
tion was an unusually exciting one. i
belonged TO one Of the state general
committees, and, as the returns on cleo
ton day came in by express, we began
TO grow fairly wild. We had before
hand made all the necessary arrange
ments 10 have the earliest authentic
news Of the result posted of TO the New
York papers, and had agreed 10 see
that certain budget Of returns which
We expected to receive during the eve
ming. should be sent on TO the town Of
B, some thirty miles distant, by
the railway, as soon as it arrived, and
had chartered an engine, which was 10
be in readiness at eleven O'Clock that
night.
well, the budget came promptly at
the time, and the news was quite as Ia
yorable ms we desired, and much more
so than we expected suppose it was
this fact that so suddenly determined
me to carry the intelligence on myself.
At any rate, hastily resolved to 20 on
The locomotive, and, seizing the returns,
ran down 10 the depot. where the en-
CINE was fred up and whistling its read
mess for start. II was but the work
Of moment TO persuade the engineer
10 take me with him, for the fireman
who was 10 accompany him was no.
..i--o To loo foanj. and the engineer had
resolved TO run over the track alone.--
| volunteered to ass,si him ~ well NJ !
could, and Immediately mounted ihe en'
gine.
at was dark aud Wild, though q
warm night, and everything gave indi
cation Of an approaching storm. Fear
fully black clouds we're rolling up in
the sky. and, " bat was a rather singular
/ phenomenon ai that season Of The year,
the lightning was flashing vividly, and
the thunder was muitering NJ grandly
ne ~ a summer shower. Bot ihe eS'
element Of success banished esery sen
saiion OF fear from my mind 4; We both
knew that we had the right Of way. And
20 Ear a. human ingenuity anl foresight
could protect NJ. there was no dAngel
In running a, sny rate Of speed Of ~bicl
steam could drive o.. Carcinl men lia'
during the day bsen sens ior"ard t
see that each switch Was ia is place
The night train from B. was TO ~Hi
for our arrival 'he road vas rcasona
bly straight aol, except ihe ordinarl
dangers from defective raids or ahie
t..... So tal uofliuy 20 anufrhrnl.