The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1858-12-22
by two or three gentlemen


cutting attorney upon my trial the
other did not know srg 3 gu4a5s
4 This is the man, Mr.. Champion, said
the turnkey. I rose, and bowed stify
] MY dear Elmore, said the attorney
frankly extending his hand, Iet me con-
gratulate you upon your restoration to
life, liberty, and the pursuit of harpi
ness, as the ancients have it. You are
from this momentfree to wander whittier.
isoeser you choose. Come, let as get
out into the air; it makes me feel an
guish in here 7f'e' @l- 5
4 T was completely bewildered, and
suffering ,nyseli7 to be led, without a
4 word, before I coul1 collect myself to
ask tha cause of this unexpected pro-
ceeding, I found myself once mere under
Gods blessed stars, accompanied by, or
rather being dragged BY, the good ma
turea old lawyer, And what wap the
reason you ask ? Simply this. The
note, for the uttering of which 1 bad
been Imprisoned, was the issue of a
country bank, and since my trial had
remained in the hands of Mr.. Champion,
tthe attorney. A short time previous to
my release, Mr. Wills n, not the geutle.
man who accompanied Mr.. Crumpton to
the prison, and president of the bank
| wherce the note was issued, being in
| Boston, was sitting in Crampton's Office,
when some casual. remark called to the
tmemory of the latter the circumstances
ta'tending my conviction. From mere
curiosity he showed the noteto Wilson,
and he, to Champions. establishment,
pronounced it genuine .5-a -
And so had been guilty of no
c. ime, either in thought or deed. Brit
where was the redress? What redress
could there be for mother murdered
and name dishonored? -sas--s
You need not be told my reasons Co.
quitting Boston forever. I came here
otter many wandcrings; aud. to this day,
no soul there knows but that I am
dead ..,s--. .y-f. -
Once more the old man paused, re-.
lighted his pipe, and in more cheerful
tone continued his story:
i had lived here With an old negro
woman fol housekeeper for nearly four
years, when an unaccountable impulse
prompted me to visit New Orleans =
There was no reason why should Ell
ther 60 on, or stay, except my own
inclination; and so ran down to the
bank there, hailed the first boat bound
downward, and took passage for the city.
1T was no. but beautiful day in
May when the White Cloud swurg out
into the current, and steamed gallantly
down the river. The heat was temper
ed by strong breeze from the south,
before which small fleecy clouds, that
seemed almost melting into the distant
blue, like little fairy barges, scudded
swiftly to the northward. Always 81
lent and sbstracted, I was that day
unusually thoughtful. 1 remem Der I sat
all day on the guards, to all appearance
looking at the banks Of the river, really
looking dreamily int, my owl heair
history, with that sort of pleasant sad
ness which every meditative man SO
often feels; that partially losing of one's
present conciousness in the cloudy living
over again the pleasantness of years
agone.'
Late in the afternoon the sun disap
peared behind mass of leaden blue
clouds gliding its volumed verge with a
line of dazzling light. The wind ceased
entirely, sitting closeness crept through
the atmosphere; and to an eye at all
weatherwise, it was evident that the ar.
mics of the air were mastering for a
confics By and by. the thunder, which,
like the artillery on distant battle
field, had all the afternoon trembled
along the horizon, swelled nearer and
and more near, the lightning, fierce
spirit of the storm, leaped from the
bosom of the cloud, and waved his fla
ming banner in advance; a few large
drops, which, in the oppressive stiffness,
sounded like shower of shot, clattered
upon the deck; and then, with all the
din of the summer tempest, the element
al battle whirled around us. sr-
'For more than three hours the storm
ragged with unabated fury, Hsd even
when its fiercest rush had swept away to
the east, the rain poured down in steady
torrents. and, except for an occasional
pale fash of lightning, the night was
Intensely dark. During thewhole of the
first half of the night I felt no inclina-
tion to sleep, should I try ever SO earn
estly, and at nearly two o'clock in the
morning was standing at one of the
glass doors of the social hall. ] do not
know how long had stood there; ]
only know that alone Of all the pass.
engers was waking, and, except for the
escaping steam, there was no, sound on
board Suddenly was aroused by
4 loud shouting without, followed in quick
succession by the hurried tramping Of
fleet, and crashing shook, that made
I the vessel tremble to her keel. As
gained the deck. the air was filled Will