Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1856-04-04
A REMARKABLE STORY.

The following singular story is taken
from illustrations Of Human Life" BY
Mr.. Ward, author Of Tremaine -
The story to which we shall now ad-
vert has the double value OF Icing told,
we presume. on Mr.. Wards personal
knowledge. and Of ,llustr a,ing :he extra
ordinary chances on which human lie is
sometimes suffered TO depend. Tne CIT.
cumstances occurred 10 the well known
Sir Evan NePean. in the Home depart
mem. The popular version Of The story
had been, tina, he was warned by vision
70 save the lives of three or four men CON-
demned 10 die, but reprieyed and who
bu, for the vision, would have perished,
through the under Secretary's neg lect in
forwarding the reprieye. On Sir Evans
being subsequently asked how far this
story Was true his answer was The
narrative ronances lutte but what il d.
ludes 10 was the most extraordinary thing
that ever happened to me-" The simple
facts. as told by himself are these; Que
night. during his office as under secre,a.
ry, he felt the most unaccoumtable wake
fuIness that conld be imagined he was i"
perfect health, had dlned early, and had
nothing whatever on his mind to keep him
awake. Still, he found al. his attempts
10 sleep impossible, aud, from eleven TIL
two III the morning. he never closed an
eye. AT length weary Of this struggle.
aud as The twilight was breaking Ut was
in sulnmer.) he determined to Try what
would be the effect Of walk i'll the park.
There he saw nothing but the SLEEPY ssn-
tnels. But, iu his walk, happening to
pass ,he Home Office several times, lie
thought Of letting himself in with his Key.
though w..h"u. any particular Object
The book Of entries of the day before s,Ill
lay on the tAbe, and through sheer list
lessless he opened II. The frs, thing he
saw appalled, him-"A repr,eve to be sent
to York for the coin,rs ordered for exc
cu;,on.' The execution had been ape
pointed for the mex, day. II struck him
that he had received no return TO his or
der to send the reprieye. lie searched
the .minu,es )" he could not find it there.
In alarm, he went to the house Of the
chef clerk. who lived in Downing street,
knocked him up. (it was then past three, J
snd asked him il he knew anything Of the
reprieve being sent. In great alarm, the
chef clerk could not remember. "You
are scarcely awake" said Sir Evan. rec
oliecl yourelf; i. INNS, have been sent
The clerk SAID hs now recollecied he
had sent it 10 the clerk Of the Crown,
hose business it was TO forward il to
York.
Good" said Sir Evan. "Bu, have
you his receipt aud certificate that II is
gone ?"
"No'
Then come with me. we must find him
although it is so early" 1t was now tour.
and the clerk of the Crown lived in Chan
cery lane. There was no hackney-coach
In be seen and they almost ran. Inc,
were JUS, in time. The clerk ct the
crown had il country h"use, and, meaning
I" have long holiday, he was at tina, mo-
men, stepping into his gig to 6" TO his vii
la. Aslonished at this visit Of the under.
Secretary Of State at such an hour. he
was still more so dt his business.
Heavens" cried he, Tho reprieve is
locked up in my desk ~ it was brought.
Sir Evan sent 10 the post office for the
,rues, and flee.es, express. The reprieve
reached York next morning just at the
moment the unhappy men we'e ascend
ing the cart
With SIR Evan Nepcan we fully agree
in regarding this little narrative as one
Of the most extraordinary that we have
ever heafd. We shall 60 further even
than he acknowledged. and say that. to
US it appears striking evidence Of wha, we
should conceive a superior interposir'on.
Ii is true that no ghost appears, nor is any
prompting voice audible yet the resul,
depended upon SO long a succession OF
seeming chances, and each Of these chan
ces was a, once SO improbable and 50 nee
essary. ,ha, we are almost compelled to
regard the whole as matter OF AN inhu.
ence no, to be attributed TO man. II the
first link Of the chain nigh, pass for com.
mon occurrencs-as, undoubtedly, fits Of
wakefulness will happen without any dis
coverable ground IN the state Of either DO.
dy or mind still what couli be less in