The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1859-04-09
The Forged Patent.

lDle 10 any one who had not witnessed
| them. AT that time the settlements wer,
few, and the spiIit of enterprise which now
pervades every corner OF the State had not
awakened The bluffs of the beautiful IL
linois river had never sent back the echo
of the steam engine Without a market
for their produce, the farmers confined
their labors to the wants OF their own fam
lilies. Corn was nearly the only crop rails
ed, and from the time it was Laid by,
near the end of June, till pulling time,
IN November, was holiday, and the in
tervenlng period was passed in idleness
except Saturdays. On that day, duly as
it arrived, the settlers, at the distillery
amused them with shooting at mark
trading nags, and too often when the tin
cup passed freely round, in fighting
This is by no means picture of all the
settlements of that early period, but that
it is graphically true OF many, none of the
Oldest settlers will deny.
One Saturday afternoon, in the year
1899, a young man was seen approaching
with slow and weary steps. the house, or,
rather distillery, Of Squire Crosby OF Brent 5
Prairie, an obscure settlement on the Mill
tary Tract. As usual on that day, a large
collection of people were amusing them
selves at Crosby who owned the distille-
ry in that region, and being a magistrate
was regarded by the settlers as rich, and
consequently great man.
The youth who now came up to the
group was apparently about twenty-one
years of age, and of slender form. fair and
delicate complexion. with the air Of one
accustomed to good society. and II was cv-
ident at Il glance that he vas not Injured
to the hard-hip- Of frontier life. or labor
OF any kind, but his dress was in strange
contrast with his appearance and manners
lie wore Il hunting coat of the coar>est lin
sey wOuisey. common straw hat, and a
pair OF doc-kin nocasins. \ large pack
completed his equipments.
Every one gazed with curiosity upon the
new conner. Ia their eageIncss to learn
who he.wrs, whence hc came. and what was
his business the horse swap was leit un-
finished, the rifle laid aside and even tie
busy tin cup had Il temporary respite.
The young man approached Squire
Crosby, whom even q stranger soon dI-t.n-
euished Is the principa! person among
them. and anNiou>lv inquired for hou>"
where hc could be accommodated, saying
that he was extremely i'll. and felt all the
symptoms of an appr"aCh;n" fever
frosty eyed him closely and suspicious
knavcs and swindler7 had recently been
Uhroad. and til" language OF the youth be
trayed that lie VA, ii Yankee. a name
at IhaI time associated. III the minds of
the ignorant with everything that i, ha-r.
M!~taking the silence Of Crosby for fear
OF ms inability 10 pay. the stranger said
" am not without money. and putting
hl- hand 10 la, pocket 10 give ocular proof
o! ms assertion. hc was horror struck to
hnd that his pocket book was gone II
contained every cent OF his money. besides
papers Of great value to him
Without a iarthing, without even pa
per OF letter "a attest that his character
was honorable. III a strange land and sick
ness rapidly coming upon him. these feel
ing nearly drove INN 10 despair The
Squire, who prided himself on his saGacity
in detecting villains now found the use OF
his tongue. With loud and sneering
voice he SAID.
stranger. YOU are barking the wrong
trae e yet. tii.-!s ,6 o..,oi. MAO with tila-
Yankee trick o youn
He proceeded in that inhuman strain
seconded 10y nearly every one present, for
the Squire was powerful. and few dared
TO di-pl~a>c him, The youth felt keenly
h:- deeolate situation and casting his eyes
anxiety. inquired
l. there none who will receive me-
Yv>, ! VIII. cried a man among the
crowd. Yes. poor ,icl. stranger, | VIII
shelter You Then in lower tone he
added: i know that YOU are f !
lowbcinc. and III sickness and in want;
and for the sake Of Him who died for the
guilty, If not for your Own sake. VIII | b.
kind to you poor stranger
The man who stepped forth and proffer-
ed home To the youth in the hour OF su;-
fering. WAS Simeon Davis. an elderly man
who resided near Crosby. and the latter
was his deadly enemy. Uncle Simeon. rs
he was called, never retaliated and bore
many prosecutions Of his vindictive neigh
Dor without complaint His family con
sisted of himself and daughter, his only
child, an afitctionate girl Of seventeen.
The youth heard the offer OF Mr. Davis,
and heard no more. for overcome by his
feelings and extreme illness. he sank in
He was conveyed to the house
of his benefactor and a physician called
Long was the struggle between life and
death Though unconscious, he called
upon his mother and sister almost CON
to aid him When the youth was
laid upon hsr bed and she heard him call
ing for his sister, Lucy Davis wept, and
said to him, Poor young man, your sister
is far distant, but | win be to you a sister"
W ell did this dark eyed maiden keep her
promise Day and night She watched
over him except during the short intervals
when she yielded her post at his side to
her father.
At length the crisis of the disorder ar
rived, the day that was to decide the ques-
ton OF life or death Lucy bent over him
with intense anxiety, watching every ex-
preston of his features, hardly daring to
breathe so fearful was she of awakening
him from the only sound sleep he had en-
loved for nine long days and nights. At
length he awoke and sazed up into the
face of Lucy Davis. and family inquired:
Where am I?' There was intelligence
in that look. Youth and a good constitu-
ton had obtained the mastery Lucy felt
that he WAS spared, and, bursting into u
food of tears, rus he'd out of the room.
1t was two weeks more before he could
sit up even for short time. He had al
ready acquainted them with his name and
residence but they had no curiosity to
learn anything further and forbade him
giving his story until he became stronger
His name was Charles Wilson, and his
patern:l home Boston
A few days afterwards when Mr. Davis
was absent from home, and Lucy en- aged
about her household affairs, Wilson saw
close beside his head his pack, and rccol-
lecting something that he wanted, opened
it The first thing he saw was the identi-
cal pocket-book whose loss had excited so
many regrets. He recollected having plac-
ed it there the morning before he reached
4 l.
moment the circumstance was forgotten
He examined it, and found everything as
he left it.
The discovery nearly restored him to
health, but he resolved at present to con-
fine the secret to his bosom. 1t was grat-
flying TO him to witness the entire conf
dence they reposed in the honor and integ-