Volcano weekly ledger., 1856-01-12

this picture A young man entering into
lie, welded to an angel beautiful in person,
possessing every virtue, every gentle and
noble attribute. Temptation was before and
all aronnd him lie kept a tavern. Guests
there were many---it was not for him to
inquire into their business-They were well
dressed, made large bills, and paid promptly.
At an unguarded hour, when he was insane
with the liquor which they had urged upon
him, he had deviated from the path of recti-
tude. He was not himself at the tine
The demon of alcohol reigned in his braia.-
And it was his first offence. Mercy pied for
another chance to save him from ruin. JUS
tice did not require his sacrifice. Nor did it
require that his sweet wife should go down
sorrowing to the grave, and that the shadow
of disgrace, or the taunt Of felon father,
| shonld fall across the sunny pathway of that
sweet child Oh, how earnestly did | plead
for them-the woman Eept, her husband did
the same--the judge fdgetted and rubbed his
G ey'es-the jury loo ked melting. If could have
closed, he wonld have been cleared but the
prosecution had the close, and threw ice on
the fire had kindled. But they did not
put it quite out
The judge charged according TO law and
evidence, but evidently leaned upon the side
Of mercy. The jury found verdict Of
guilty, but unanimously commended the pris-
oner TO the clemency of the court. Ny
client was sentenced to the shortest imprson
ment the court was empowered to give and
both jury and court signed petition to the
governor for an unconditional pardon, which
has since been granted, but not before the
following incident occurred
Some three months after this, received an
account for collection from a wholesale house
in New York The parties to collect from
were "hard ones" but they had property, and
before they had an idea of the trap lasd | had
the property, which they were about to as
sign before they broke under attachment
Finding that | was neck ahead and bound
to win, they cayed and paid over three thou
sand seven hundred and ninoty-four dollars
eighteen cents (per my memorandum book },
in current money. They lived in Shawnee
town about twenty-five or thirty miles south
east of Moore's Prairie l received the
funds, just after bank opening, but other
business detained me till after dinner /
then started for G., intending to go
as far as the village of Mount Vernon that
night.
| got along at fair pace about ten or
twelve miles, when / noticed a double
team Of splendid horses coming up behind me,
attached to light wagon, in which were
seated four evidently of the high strung
order. They swept past me as if to show
how easy they could do it, then shortened in,
and allowed me to come up. They hailed me
and asked me 10 wet" or in other words, to
diminish the contents of jug Of old rye they
had aboard but excused myself on the plea
that had plenty aboard. They asked how
far was going | told them as faras Mount
Vernon, if my horse did not tire They men
toned pleasant tavern ten or twelve miles
ahead, as nice stopping place, and then
drove on.
/ did not like the looks of those fellows,
nor their actions, but was bound to go ahead
| had brace of reyolYers, had nice knife,
and my money was not in the yaliSe in my
sulky, but in belt around my body. Idroye
on slow in hopes that they would go on, and
| should see them no more. 1t was nearly
dark when saw tavern sign ahead. AT
the same time | saw that their wagon stood
before the door. would have passed on, but
my horse needed rest / hauled up, and
woman came to the door. She turned pale
as a clean sheet when she saw me--she did
not speak, but with a meaning look she put a
finger on her lip and beckoned me in. The
woman was the wife Of my late client.
When | entered the party recognized me,
hailed me as if had been an old travelling
friend, and asked inc to drink. l respect
fully, but firmly declined to do SO.
"By Cd you shall drink or fight y said
the noisiest of the party.
just as please drink will not Y said
l. purposely showing the butt of "Colt,"
which kicks six times in rapid succession.
The Others interfered, aud very easily quell-
ed my opponent. One offered Inc a cigar,
which ! would have refused, but glance of
entreaty from the woman induced me to ac-
cept it. She advanced to proller me light, |
and in dong so, slipped line into my hand,
which she must have written in pencil but the
moment before. Never shall | forget the
words-they we're" beware! they are mem
bers of the gang. They mean to rob and
murder you Leave soon, | will try to dc
tain them y
didn't feel comfortable just then, but |
tried to look so.
Have you room to put up my horse y
asked of the woman.
What, are you not going on tonight p
asked one of the mon. We are
"No,p said |, shall stay here"
oven all stay, reckon, and make night |
of it, said another.
You'll have to put up your own horse
here is lantern, said the woman,