Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1861-03-22
Snistrttanr
TIE FORGED PATENT.

wears had wrought in Illinois, would kt
incredible to any one who had not wit
messed them. At that time the settle
ments were few, and the spirit of enter
prise which now pervades every corner
of the State, had not awakened. The
bluffs of the beautiful Illinois river had
never sent back the echo of the steam
engine. Without a market for THEN
produce, the farmers confined their la
bors to the wants of their own families
Corn was nearly the only crop raised
and from the time it was Laid BY" near
the end of June, till pulling time in
November, was holiday, and the iuter-
vening period was passed in idleness
except Saturdays. On that day, duly
as it arrived, the settlers, at the distil-
lery, amused themselves with shooting
at mark, trading nag and too often
when the tin cup passed freely round
in fighting.
This is by no means a 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
! 1919. a young man was seen approach
ing, with slow and weary steps The
house, or rather distillery, of Squire
Crosby, OF Brent's Prairie, an obscure
settlement on the Military Tract As
usual on that day, IL large collection "i
people were amusing themselves at Cros-
by's who owned the distillery in that
/ region, and being Il magistrate, was re-
garded by the settlers as rich, and con-
sequently a great man.
The youth who now came up to the
group. was apparently about twenty one
Years OF aye. and of slender form, fair
and delicate complexion, with the air of
one accustomed TO good society, and ii
was evident at glance that he was not
Injured to the hardships Of frontier life
or labor Of amy kind. But his dress
bore strange contrast with his appear
ance and manners He wore hunting
coat OF the coarscst linsey weolsey. IA
common straw hat. and pair OF doeskin
moccasins 4 large pack completed his
equipment.
Every one gazcd with curiosity upon
the new conner In their cagerness to
! learn who he WAS. whence he came, and
what was his business, the horse swap
was left unfinished, the rife laid aside.
and even the busy tin cup had tempo
rary respite.
The young man approached Squire
Crosby, whom even stranger could
distinguish as the principal person
among them, and anxiously inquired
for house where he could be accom-
modated, saying that he was extremely
i'll, and felt all the symptoms of an ap-
preaching fever.
Crosby eyed him closely and suspi-
ciously for moment without uttering
Il word. Knaves and swindlers had
been recently abroad, and the language
Of the youth betrayed that he was Yam,
kee, name at that time associated i'll
the minds Of the ignorant with every
thing that is base. Mistaking the 81.
lence of Crosby for a fear of his inabil.
ity to pay, the stranger smiled and said
Il am not without money and putting
his hand to his pocket to give ocular
| prOOl VI HIS dSscl tloH, He WIS uOfTOF
struck to find that his pocket book was
gone. 1t contained every cent of his
money, besides papers of great value tc
him.
Without farthing, without even a
paper or letter to attest that his charac
ter was honorable. i'll Il strange land
and sickness rapidly coming upon him
these feelings nearlydrove him to des
pair. The Squire, who prided himsei
on his sagacity in detecting villains
now found the use of his tongue
With loud and sneering voice he said
Stranger, you are barking up the
wrong tree if you think to catch me
with that are Yankee trick o'yourn."
He proceeded in that inhuman strain
seconded by nearly every one present
for the Squire was powerful, and few
dared to displease him. The youth fel
keenly his dcsolate situation, and cast
ing his eyes around the group, and in ;
tone of deep anxiety, inquired
lis there none here who will receive
me?"
"Ycs, l viii" cried a man among th'
crowd; yes, poor, sick stranger, L viii
shelter you Then in lower tone h.