Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1858-03-31
The Man that don't Take q Paper,

/ This cobweb individual was in town
yesterday. He brought his whole fam
I lily In a one horse wagon. He still be-
lieved that Gen. Taylor was President.
and wanted to know if the s'Kamschat-
kid had taken Cuba, and if so, where
had they taken it. He sold his corn
for twenty-five centS-the price being
thIrty-one-but on going to deposit his
money, he was told it was mostly coun-
terfeit. The only hard money he had,
was some cent pieces, and those some
sharper had run on him for half dimes.
His old lady was smoking ''cob pipe, -
and would not believe that any thing
else could be used. One of the bows
went to the blacksmith's shop for pair
Of shoes, and another mistook the mark
et-house for church. After hanging
his hat on meat hook, he piously took
a seat in butchers stall, listening to
an auctiOneer, whom he took to be the
preacher. He left ''before meetin' was
out, " and had no great opinion of the
''sarmint. One of the girls took lot
of ''seed okra'' to the post office TO
trade it off for letter. She had ba-
by which she carried in a sugar trough
stopping at times to rock it on the side
walk. When it cried, she stuffed its
mouth with an old stocking, and sang
'EBarbara Allen"
The oldest boy sold two coon skins,
and was on ''bust." When last seen
he had called for glass of sssoda and
WATER" and stood soaking gingerbread
and making WY faces. The shopkeep-
er, mistaking his meaning, had given
him mixture of sal soda and water,
and be was bound to give it fair trial
Some 'Stown fellow" came in and call
ed for some lemonade with a E'fly in
it." whereupon our ''soaped'' friend
turned his back and wiped several flies
into his drink. We approached the
old gentleman and tried to get him to
"subscribe" He was opposed to Gin
fernal improvements and he thought
''larnin' was wicked invention, and
only vanity and wexation." None Of
his family ever learned to read, but
one boy, and he teached "schoop' for q
while and then went to ''study divini-
ty."-Ecch07age.
A STRANGE HISTORY OF INNOCENCE
FINALLY EsTABLIsHED.-Fict has
her marvellous heroes, but now and
then some plain creature of every day
fact surpasses them in romantic adven-
lures:
! In 1855, a young man was arrested
| at Cleveland, on a charge of passing
counterfeit money, and on evidence
which many thought insufficient, was
convicted and sentenced to the Peni-
| tentiary. He was brought to Colum-
bus and incarcerated but it was not
long before he effected his escape, and
successfully eluded pursuit. He fed
without daring to show himself to any
one, until about thirty miles from the
city, when, spent and famished, he
venttrred to apply to house rather re-
mote from others, for food and shelter
Both were promptly afforded him.
The poor woman who dwelt there
alone with her two children, was true to
the generous instincts Of her nature,
and admitted to hearth and board
not the escaped convict, but-the wea-
~, hungry, hunted fugitive.
He rested and refreshed himself, and
when he again set forth upon his wan
dering, she gave him suit of citizens
clothes. Thus disguised. he travelled
north-ward, until within short distance
Of Cleveland, when be obtained work
and earned $40, which he sent to the
woman who had saved him. lie then
went to New I Iork, engaged in business
and prospered. Still he remembered
his benefactress, and recently she re-
ceived from him $500.
The truth, meanwhile, came to light.
1t became apparent that he was guilt
less OF the crime with which he has
been charged and that he had suffered
for sin he had never committed.
Apetition, signed by the judge who
had passed sentence upon him, the jury
which had found him guilty, and e6
members of the Cuyahoga bar, and au-
thenticated by the members Of the Leg
islature from that county, was sent to
the Governor, praying for the pardon
of the escaped convict,
| Here difficulty arose. He could
not be pardoned as long as he was out
in the custody of the State. He was
communicated VIII; and came to Col
umbus within a few days past, and
gave himself up to the Warden of the
Penitentiary. He was once more
placed in the prison, and the key turn
ed upon him.
There his pardon was handed to him
=, and he came forth-not more guiltless
than before-but certain in his liberty
and the esteem of his fellow-men.
sI@ 4 ludicrous mistake happened
some time ago at a funeral in Marie
bone. The clergyman had gone Oh
II. l, ~ l