Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1856-05-14

lVOh vi SOlC CilOdl doSnlSAls
"You must demand the author, and
provoke him to an interview" suggested
Wharton.
"And suppose they should give up
the name of Fent Noland, as they did on
the last similar occasion? You know it
would be suicide to fight the author OF
Pete Whetstone!" answered Woods with
shudder.
AT that moment William, the eldest
brother of Elias Wharton, entered The
sanctum, exclaiming, 81 have discover
ed the writer of the article signed Vim
dexp"
"Who is he? who is he?' asked the
political comrades, in the same eagerly
impetuous breath.
"You would never conjecture in a
thousand guesses, replied the other.
"Let us know at once; do not keep us
in suspense
"Levi Coleman, the young Methodist
preacher"
1.-The devil!' shouted the astonished
editor.
"The devil!' echoed his sympathizing
friend. ''How did you learn so strange
fact?
"From the foreman in the Wig of.
flee, in the strictest confidence, however,
so that you must not hint at the source
of the information"
"And what is TO be done?' they all
inquired together.
"The case is complicated with serious
difficulties" observed Elias Wharton;
for if we lei the matter pass in silence,
the rascally hypocrite will become bold.
er in his attack; and if we punish his in
science, as he deserves, every Methodist
vote in the state will probably be cast
against u.s."
After rehecting few minutes, the
journalist sprung to his feet, crying out
furiously-"I will fix the base wretch,
so that the members of his own sect will
disown him!" And he hastily buckled
on his belt, and filing it with pistols,
rushed forth into the street.
As chance would have it; the youthful
minister was at that instant, walking by
the door. He was slender, pale faced
man, with fair complexion, bright blue
eyes and countenance of profound, and
even poetic thought, apparently incapa-
BILE of resisting shadow of aggre ssion,
or so much as alarming a fly.
care you the author of 'Vindex;' in
the recent number of the Arkansas
Whig?" demanded Woods, advancing so
near to his intended victim that their
heads almost touched.
"I am" answered Coleman, in his
clear silvery voice, without betraying
the faintest alarm.
"Then thus l chastise your impudence
and falsehoodl" shouted the enraged ed
itor, seizing the clergyman's nose with
grasp of iron, and splitting scornfally in
his mouth.
eff l did not fear to have the foul
stains of your polluting blood on the now
pure record of my concience, would
teach you lesson never to be forgot
ten until your dying day!' remarked
Coleman, as calmly as if in a prayer
meeting.
"Away with you, paltroon and liar!"
ordered Woods, administering several
kicks, as the other retreat
ed slowly from the inglorious field.
The rumor of the affair circulated with
inconceiVable rabidity, and Immediately
became the subject of general conversa-
ton; but singular as it may seem, every
body denounced the juvenile preacher
so that he sunk down at once from The
pinnacle ofpopularity to the lowest abyss
of shame and degradation; and on the
subsequent Sunday, when he assembled
the pulpit, not half a dozen hearers
the service. His chosen church
deserted him as coward-for that was
the real cause of offence, although many
the fact under the fimsy pre-
text that they disapproved of his con-
duct in meddling with questions of poll
tics.
1t is impossible TO paint the emotions of
Of the young minister when he witnessed
the result, and saw himself entirely
abandoned by his spiritual flock. Even
the negroes and boys taunted him as
coward whenever he appeared in the
streets. and his affianced bride, lady of
great beauty and intelligence gave him
a cold and cruel dismissal. Had he been
proved guilty of burglary or theft, his
disgrace might not have been so COM
plete.
No one, therefore, wondered when he
withdrew from the fellowship of the
Methodist denomination, and shut him.
self up in the solitude of his private
apartment, as many supposed, in con-
dition bordering on mental arrangement.
The following week, however, revealed
The fruits of his mcditations in an unex-
pected manner that startled the whole
,ity. Another article came out in the
Arkansas Whig, and this time over Levi