The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1865-05-11
PRESS-GANGS AND POISON.



This isn't altogether a story OF press
gangs, as you'll find before I've done,
and il made good deal of talk here at
the time as / remember, though l was
only lad F; but you see the GROWERS
quest set all things right, and after that
it was no use asking further questions,
til be nigh fifty. years ago-ffty
years. he repeated, half closing his
eyes and pausing, as his mind Travelled
over the space which had brought SO
many and great changes even to that
quiet little village-"that an old sea
faring man, they called Captain Mere
dith, ived-at least, that is to say,
lodged-in the house Of q widow named
Penrhyn. You might see the spot from
the hill, for the house itself has been
pulled down since then. Well, he might
have been captain or not. don't pre-
tend to say, it IS certain he had bit Of
money put by and lived comfortable
enough-Some said he had been in the
smuggling trade, and made money that
way. However, It don't much matter;
he was well respected, and though he
had no wife living, he had daughter, as
was called Ellen, and was the prettiest
lass in Cowsand, and for miles round
Well now, this old widow had a son
named Paul, ard a strange article he
was! remember him: little handy
legged chap with red hair, and the PEG
Pile used to call him doctor"
WAS he a surgeon, then y / inter
rupted.
I'm going to tell you. He had been
prenticed to chemist in Davenport,
1--WE used to call it Dock in those days.
and after his time was out, he had been
stonniuO with his mother n take care of
her, or perhaps because he couldn't find
a situation readily for himself. The old
widow had put something by, suppose,
and Paul had been at heme about a year,
when the Captain came to lodge there
with his daughter. This Pauls room
was at the top of the house, where his
light would be seen burning ut time Of
night when all honest folks were in bed
and asleep. Sometimes he would be out
all night, when he was met in the morn
ing returning with his arms full of weeds
and plants, which he used to take up
stairs into the doctors shop as they
called it."
''Ah a botanist," / remarked
~ don't know about that" replied my
friend, slightly puzzled; 'but the people
said he made pizen out of them. Any
way, once when Paul was passing by the
blacksmith's, the dog ran out and bit
him, and the next day Paul was seen to
give him piece of bread, and the dog
was dead within an hour. The neigh /
bors blamed him for it, and l recollect, |
when youngster, calling after him,
There goes DR.. Nightshader and his |
stopping and saying, If ] had to doctor |
you, my lad, you wouldn't shout so loud
Well, very shortly after Ellen and her
father had been lodging at the widows |,
house, it was clear to see that Paul wish !
ed to court her wherever she went sure
enough Paul wasn't far behind, and
things went on in this way for about six
months, when one dark and wintry night
the wind blowing great guns, and the sea
running high, the widow saw signals of
distress from some vessel OIL the point
there. There was life boat in the
place, and our small craft couldn't have
lived II minute in such weather In the I
morning we saw no signs Of the vessel.
and we supposed she had gone down,
and all aboard lost; however, we heard
during the day, that one Of the poor fed
lows had escaped, and though cut and
bruised, had contrived to crawl up the \
point there, where he had been found by
Captain Meredith who brought him
home to his own lodging and nursed
him.
He was fire young fellow, an orphan,
lie said, by name William Randall, and
had been working his way to Liverpool
In hopes of obtaining employment. The
clergyman of the place--you may see
the church on the right as yeu 20 to-
wards Edgecumbe Ferry-heard Of this,
and becoming good deal interested in
the young man, offered him place as
gardener. or general servant, or some
thing or other. Bill was handy chap,
and soon made friends with people, and
they persuaded him to stop here. instead
of going to Liverpool as he had intend
ed. He didn't want much pressing, for
any one could see there was a girl in the
case, and that girl was Ellen Meredith,
and it didn't want more than two eyes to
see that she liked him The folks used
to jeer Paul about his nose being out of
joint, and Tom Trevellian the black
smith, as owed him grudge for the dog,
used to say, w ell. doctor how's Your
nose by this time?' But they said the
doctor only used TO turn white and rub
his hands, it was way he had, and lie
did the same when he gave the dog the
bread. Well, things Prespered so well
with young Randall, that at last he made
up his mind TO ask the Captain for his
consent, that he and Ellen should be
married, and as the old fellow was Jolly,
easy going customer, and liked Bill very
much besides, it wasn't long before he
gave it. Just about this time, the folks
in the village were frightened at the re-
port that the press gang were out that
they had been rs far as Plympton, four
or five miles from the town there, and
had pressed one or two men. The Cap
tain and Ellen wanted TO put the mar
riage OFT, but Bill wouldn't hear OF il
and. strange to say, Paul, as was his
worst rival IS you may say, sided with
well. on the very day afore the we'd
ding, . strange man as hadn't been seen
in the village afore, called at the house
to speak to Paul, and a neighbor rs
happened to be present at the time, said
afterwards she had seen them talking
together on the road to Plymouth Now.
mind me. in the evening. and lust as
they were setting down to supper. and
hcalths, Paul, who was late,