The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1861-11-27
A REMARKABLE STORY.

The following singular story 10 taken from
!" illustration. oi Human life, ,"by Mr.. Ward.
author Of Tremaine
The story 10 which we shall now advert
has the double value .f being told, we pre-.
sumo, ON Mr.. Wards personal knowledge.
ami Of illustrating the extraordinary chances
on which human Iif. Is suffered to depend.
The circumstances occurred to the well
known Sir Evan Nepean. in the Home de-
partmrnt. The popular version of the story
had been, that he was warned by visio, to
save the lives OF three or foor men condemn
ed to die hut rrprieved; and who but Tor the
vision. would have pershe,i through the un-
der Secretary's neglect in forwarding the
reprlese. On SIR Evans being subsequent
ly asker how far this story was true. his an.
swer was: "1he narrative romances little,
but what u ailudes to was The most extra0r.
binary thing that ever happened to me-"
The supple facts, as iold by himself, are
these One night. during his Office as under
secretary. he telt the most unaeconntable
wakeiulne,s that could be imagined he was
10 perfect health, had dined early. and had
nothing whatever on his mind TO keep him
awake. still, h. found all his attempts TO
sleep impossible. and. fram eleven ill two
10 ihr morning. he never closed his eyes.
Al length weary III his struggle. aud as the
iwlllghr was breaking liz was in sammerl he
driermIned to try what would be the effect
OF walk in the park. There he aaw moth.
ing but the sleepy seniinels. But. in his
walk. happening to pass the Home office
several times. he thought Of letting himself
IN with his key. though without any partIcu-
lar object. The book of ensries Of the day
bsiore still lay on the table. and through
sheer ii.ilrs.ness he opened il. The firsi
thing he saw appalled, him." A reprieve i"
be stnt 10 York Tor the coiners ordered for
exeeutlon." The execution had hccn sp
p"lntrd for the next day. Il struck hla
that lie lad received no return to his order
To send the rrprieve. He searched The
minutes s. he couid mt find il there. IL
alarm, hr went To the house uf the he ID
clerk, who lived in Downing street, knucked
him up. Ot vas thin past three } and asked
II he knew anything Of the reprie,r beng
srni. IL great alarm. the chief clerk cculd
not REM 'mbei. You are scarcely awake.
sah SIR Evan, "iecollect yourself, Il must
have b-rn sent"
rhe clerk now reeollecied I've had sent i
to The clerk oi the Crown. whose businss,
II VS. 10 forward u :, York.
. G.od." said Sir Evan. !. But have Yau
his .ece'pt and certificate thar il is gone =
.No"
"Thrn come with me (; We mus, 6rd hin
slihaugh 4 is $. early
II vas nav tnnr. and the clerk II the
Cro~n lived IN fhancery Lane. There MSS
no haeknry coach 10 he seen, ard they al
must ran. They we jgst in time. The
clerk af The crown had country house. and.
meaning to have long holiday. he was al
that momrnt stepping INT" his gig TO e. 90
h. villa. Astonlshrd At this visit ~ the IA.
drr.S-cre,ary OF State al such an hour. he
was still more so al his business.
!. Heavens" cried he. " the rerriess !,
locked up in my dr.s!" /, vas brought,
Sir Es.n sent TO the post office Tor The trues
and hrrlest raprsss. The rrprirse reached
Ymk neat morning just Al the mnmrni tie
unhapp, men werr ssrrniing the cs't.
With Sr Evan Nepean we iulls sgrre 10
regarding this little narrative as one nf ihs
musi ex raordinary that we have ever heard
We shall 20 further even than he aeknesl'
edged. and say that to Us il APPEARS striking
evidence Of what We should conceive ~
,erlnr interposition. II is true that 40 ghe.
appears. nar is any prompting saice audible
yet the result depended upa. So lung sue
cessinn 81 seeming chances and each 81 thes'
chances was Al once 40 improbable and 4
Unnecessary, that We are almost ramprlled q
regard the whcle az matter oi an infiaenc,
noi TO be attributed 60 man. II the FRS
link Of chain might pass Cor eommon oc
currrnrr--ss. undoubtedly. fits Of wakeiui
mess will happ.n without any dise"sersbi
grasnd i1fthr state of either bod, or mind
still what could be less IN The e.mmo
course Of thing, than thus waking. he shnul
,skr II into his head To- get ~ aud take
walk IN the park at two IN the m"rnins
Yet, 10 he had, like others, contrnied him
srli with taking a walk IN his chamber, q
enjoying the cool ayr al The window, not On
Of the succeeding e, ents could have been rs
allied. Or II when he took his walk. he ha
been ccnirnted with getting rid Of the ie, ct
ishness VI the ght. snd returned to his brt
the chain usuld have BEEN broken fur whs
sas more out oi the natural course ~ event
than that 81 tao 10 the morning. the lds
-hrvld come into The head Of sny m,n to z
, TO his ufiics. and sit dawn 10 The lanely ronT
10 his department. Tor 90 purpuse oi businsl
or pleasure, but simply trom not k.vsir
what 10 DO With himselii
: Or IL. when he had lei himself into thu
solitary ruams. the book OF entries had u
lain on the table (aud this We presume
have been among the chances, a. We ca
! scarcely suppose books ef this otiieiai impo
lance TO be generally lett 10 their ia,r amar
ihe servants and messengers oi the niiirr y "
!, u the entry. instead oi being on the w.
page that apensd TO his eye. ha, hc,n IN a,
other. even the sseord. as h. might new
:, have taken the trouble of turn,6g the p'g'
or ,f he aud the chief clerk hal bttn 6
: minutes later st the clerk u the Grown
house, aud. instead Of finding h.n at the M
: mrni of getting into the ca'risgs. had be-
compelled 10 incur the delsy ei br'ug'ng hi
i back Iram the country. all The preeedHg
j, vents would have been useless. The peop
- A.