The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1866-10-19
From Once " eek.
PRESS GANGS AND POISON.
4 story of Death and the Doctor.


PRESS GANGS AND POISON.
4 story of Death and the Doctor.
This isn't altogether story Of press
gangs, as you'll find before I've found, and
it made a gooi deal of talk here. at the
time, as l remember, though | was only
lad But, you see the coroner's inquest set
all things right, and after that 1T was no
use asking further questions, Il must now
be nigh fifty years-tify years he re-
peated 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 hltle village, where an
old seafarlng man they called Captain
Meredith lived-at least that is to say,
lodged-in the house of widow named
Penrynn Yon might see the spot from the
brow of the hill, for the house itself has
been pulled down long since then. Well,
he might have been captain or net. |
don't pretend to say. 1t is certain be had
bit of money put by, and lived comfort
ably enough. Some say he had been in the
smuggle trade, and had made money in
that way. However, it don't much matter !;
he was well respected, and though he had
a daughter as was called Ellen, and the
prettiest lass in Cawsand, and for miles
around Wen, now. This old widow had a
son named Paul, and strange article he
was. | remember nina little handy
legged chap, with red hair, and the people
used to call him !" Doctor.
"Was he, then, surgeon" ! inter
rupted.
I'm going to tell you. lie had been ap-
prenticed TO chemist in Davenport 1--WE
used to call him Dock, in those days., and
after his time was out; he had been stop
ping with his mother to take care of her, or
perhaps, he couldn't find situation readi-
ly for himself. The old widow had put
something by, suppose, and Paul had been
at home about year, when the captain
came TO lodge with his daughter. This
Pauls room was at the top Of the house,
where his light would be seen burning at a
time when honest folks were in bed and
asleep. Sometimes he would be out all
night, and be met in the morning returning
with his arms full Of weeds and plants
which he used TO take up stairs, into the
"doctor's shop" as they called it.
"Ah botanist,o l remarked.
81 don't know about that" replied my
friend, slightly puzzled; "but the people
said he made poison 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
bit of bread, and the dog was dead within
an hour. The neighbors blamed him for
it, and recollect, when youngster, call
ing after him, There goes DR.. Nightshade.
and his stopping and saying, If had you
to doctor, my lad, you wouldn't shout SC
loud Well, very shortly after Ellen and
her father had been lodging at the widows
i MI 4 Eol pn,,N Slar
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 night, the wind blowing grea,
guns and the sea running high, We saw sig
nails of distress from some vessels on the
point There was no life boat in the place
and our small craft couldn't have lived a
minute in such weather. In the morning
we saw no signs of the vessel, and supposed
she had gone down, and all on board lost
however, we heard in the day that one Of
the poor fellows had escaped, and, though
cut and bruised, had contriyed to crawl uE
the point there, where he was found BY
Capt Meredith, who brought him home Il
his own lodging and nursed him.
He was a fine young fellow, an orphan
as he said, by mans William Randall, anc
had been working his way to Liverpool il
hopes of obtaining employment. TIT
clergyman Of the place-you may see tn,
church on the right as you go TOWARD
Edgercumbe Ferry-heard Of this, and be
coming good deal interested in the youns
man, offered him place as gardener, Of
general servant, or something or other
Bill was q handy chap. and soon made
friends with the people, and they persuaded
him to stop here, instead Of going 10 Liver.
pool as he had intended TO. He didn't want
much pressing, for any one could see there
was girl in the case, ana 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 Treyellian, the
blacksmith, as owed him grudge for the
dog, used to say, J" Well. doctor, hows your
nose by this tiIne!" But they said the doc.
tor only used to turn white and rub his
hands; il was q way he had, and he did the
same when he gave the dog the bread.
Well, things prospered 50 well with young
Randall, that he at last made up his MINI
to ask the Captain for his consent tina, hs
and Ellen should be married, and ss th,
old fellow was a jolly, easy going customer
and liked Bill very much beside, il WASH
long before he gave it. Just about th
time, the folks in the village were fright
ened at the report that the press gang wcr
out; that they had been as far as Plymouth
four or five miles from the town there, an,
pressed one or two men The Captain an,
Ellen wanted to put the wedding off, bu
Bill wouldn't hear Of il, and, strange to say
Paul sided with him. Well, ON the yer
day afore the wedding, a strange man a
hadn't been seen in the village atore, Gale
at the house to speak TO Paul, and a neigh
Dor as happened to be present at the tim'
said afterward she had seen them takin
the road to Plymouth. Now, mind me, j
the evening, and just as they were sittin
down to supper and drinking healtns, Pau
who was late, ran into the room, leavin
the door open behind him, and en'reate
William to look TO himself, as the press
gang were already in the village; and afor
poor Bill could get away the press gan