Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1858-09-17
MIS- CELLAN Y.
THE FORGED PATENT.


few. and the spirit Of enterprise which now
pcrmd,s every corner of the STATE, had no,
awakened. Tho hluiTs of the beautiful II.
linoi. river had never sent back the echo OF
the s,clm.cnginc. Without market for
their produce, the farmers confined their
labors TO tho wants OF their own hailics.
Corn was nearly the only crop raised. and
from the time it was "laid by" near the
end u Junc, till "pulling time" in No
yemhsr. was holiday. and tho intervening
period was passed IN idlenos', except Saiur.
days. Tn that day, duly a. it arrived, tho
settler. at the di'tilery, amused themselves
with shooting at mark, trading nags, and
too often, when the tin cup passed freely
round, in Fighting.
This il by no means picture Of all tho
settlements Of that early period, but that
i, is graphically true Of many, none Of the
oldest settlers will deny.
one Saturday afternoon, in the year ~.
10, young man was seen approaching,
with slow and weary steps, the house, or
rather dis,ilery, Of Squire Crosby, Of lIrcn,''
Prairie, an obscure settlement on the militia.
~ Tract. Is usual on that day. large
collection Of people were amusing at Cros-
by. who owned the di'iillery in that region
anil being a magistrate, was regarded by the
settlers as rich and consequently great
man.
The youth who now cam, up to the
group, was apparently about tweniy.one
year. Of az, ond Of sleuicr form, fair and
delicate complexion, with tie air Of one ac-
cu.iomcl to good -oriciy, and It was c,i.
dent At a glanc, that he was not lnurci 10
the harl,hir- of frontier lie. nor labor Of
any kind Bnt hi.lr,., bore a strange con-
trast with hi- appearance and manners.
H. wore. hunting coat ofthc coar-c't lin.
.ey wopl.cy. common straw hat, and a
pair of doeskin mocca.iu,. \ large pack
completed III. equipment.
Every one ear'i with curiosity upon the
new conner. In their casrrncss 10 learn
who he vos, whence he came, and what hi.
business was, tho hor,cswap was lrlt uniin.
ishcI, tho ril' laid aside, and the busy
tin cup had temporary respite.
The youue man approached Squire Cro'-
by whom even a stranger could distinguish
a. the principal person among them, aud
anliously inquired fora house where l.,
could bo acccmolited, saying that he WIS
extremely IN, and f,lt all the symptoms ol
an appoichtus fever.
Crosby eyed hun closely and su'riciously
cor momcat without uttcrinc word
Knaycs and .windler. bad recently been
abroad, aud the languag, of the youth be-
lrAycl that h, was " Yankee" nam,
at that tim, associated in the minds Of th,
.nortut with everything that Is base.
Mi.,akiuc the silence OF Crosby for a fear OF
hi, inability 20 pay, the strins SMILED and
aIl. II am not without money" and put
ting hl. hand To hi, pocket to give occulI
prot of hi. assertion hc was horror siruci
to inl that his rygkot.book was gone. Il
contained every cent of hi. money besides
papers of great value to him.
Without Ar,hing, without even pa
per Or letter TO attest that his character
was honorable, ia q strange land and sick
p, fst comm. upon him, these ,holsh,t
nearly drove him t. dcrair. The SPUR.
who lril.I himself on hi, sagacity in dctec'
ting williams, now found the use of his ton
que. With loud and snecriue voice h,
said;
"Siranser, YOU are barking up the wrong
trccif YOU think to catch me with tina, are
Yankee trick o'yourn."
lie proceeded in this inhuman strain, sec
onded by nearly every one present., for III,
Z" Squire was powerful, and few dared tc
displcase him. The youth felt keenly biz
dcsolatc condition, and casting his cye'
around the group, aud in a tone Of dceI
anxiety, inquired:
lis there none here who will receive
mc?"
Yes. WILL" cried man among III,
crowd eyes. poor, sick stranger, | vii
shelter you" Then ina lower tone no adj
ded 81 know not whether YOU are dcser'
wing, but do know that you are fellow
being, and in sickness and in want; AM
cor the sake Of Him who died for the gull
ty, ifno, for your own sake, will l be kinc
to you, poor young stranger.
The man who stepped forth andproaercd
home to the youth in the hour Of suffer
Ing was Simon Davis, an elderly man whC
resided near Crosby, and the latter was BIZ
deadly enemy. Uncle Simon as he wa'
called, never re,alia,ed, and bore many per
socutions Of hi. yindietiyc neishbor without
complaint. His family consisted Of himself
and daughter, his only child, an affection
ate girl OF seventeen.
The youth heard the offer Of Mr.. Davis
and heard no more, for overcome by hi
feelings and extreme illness. hc sank inssn
siblo. lie was conveyed to the house Of BIZ
beueiaclor and phy.icnn called. Ions
was the struggle between life and death
Though unconscious lac called upon hr
mother aud sister, almost constantly, Il
ail him. When the youth was laid upor
her bed, and she heard him calling for hi
sister, Lucy DAVIS wcpt, and said to him
+" Poor young man, your sister is far dis
tant, but will be to you sister" Wei
did this dark-eyel maiden keep her prom