Maryland free press., 1866-11-22
Press-Gangs and Poison. I
A STORY OF DEATH AND THE DOCTOR.

This isn't altogether q story of press gangs, as
you'll find out before I've done, and it made q
good deal of talk here at the time as Iremember
though was only lad; but you see the crow
ner's quest set all things right, and aftet that it
was no use asking questions. 1t must now be
nigh on to fifty years ago-ffty years. he repeat
ed, half closing his eyes and pausing, as his mind
travelled over the space that had brought many
and great changes even to that quiet little viii
lsge-that an old seafarng man they called Cap
tain Meridith lived-at least that is to say, LODI
ged-in the house of widow named Penryhn.
You might see the spot from the brow of the hill
for the house itself had been pulled down siace
then. Well, he might have been a captain or
not. don't pretend to say, it is certain he had
bit of money put by and lived comfortably
enough. Some said he had been in the SNUG
Cling trade, and made money that way. How
ever, it don't much matter; he was well respect
ed, and though he had daughter, as was called
Ellen, and the prettiest lass in Cowsand and for
miles. around. Well, now, this old widow had
son named Paul, and strange article he was.
remember him; little bandy'legged chap
with red hair, and the people used to call him
Doctor"
"Was he q surgeon, then?'
I'm going to tell you. He had been 'prsnti-
csd to chemist in Davenport 1--WE used to call il
Dock in those days) and after his time was out
he had been stopping with his mother to take
care of her, or perhaps he couldn't find situa-
tion readily for himself. The old widow had
put something by, suppose, and Paul had been
home about a year, when the captain there
there with his daughter. This Paurs room was
at the top of the house. where his light would be
seen burning at q time when all honest folks
were in bed and asleep. Sometimes he would be
out all night and be met in the morning return
ing with his arms full of weeds and plants which
he used to take up stairs in the doctors shop, !"
as they called it.
"Ah, a botanist" remarked"
81 don't know about that" replied my friend,
slightly puzzled "but tho people said he made
poison out of them. Any way, once when Paul
was passing by the blacksmiths, the dog
ran cut 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 tlamed
him for 1t, and recollect, when youngster,
calling after him, "There goes DR.. Nightshadel'
and his stopping him and saying, ''lf had to
doctor you, my lad, you would not shout quite
90 loud" Well, very shortly after, Ellen and
her father had been lodging at the widow
house, it was clear to see that Paul wished to
court her; wherever she went, sure enough Paul
wasn't far behind, and things went on this way
for about six msnths, when one night, the wind
blowing grea. guns and the sea running high,
we saw signals of distress from some vessel on
the point there. 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 we supposed she
had gone down, and all on board lost; however,
We heard in the day that one Of the poor fellows
had escaped, though cut and bruised, had con-
trived to crawl up the point there, where he was
found by Captain Aeridith, who brought him
home to- his own lodging and nursed him. He
was fine young fellow, an orphan, as he said,
by name William Randall, and had been work
ing his way to Liverpool in hopes of obtaining
employment. The clergyman Of the placs--you
may see the church on the right as You 60 to-
wards Edgecombe Ferry-heard of this, end be-
coming good deal interested in the Young man,
offered him place as gardener, or general SER
want, or something or other. Bill ives handy
chap, and soon made friends with the people,
and they persuaded him to stop here, instead Of
going to Liverpool as he bad intended. Ee
didn't want much pressing, for any ono eould
see there was girl in the case, and that girl was
Ellen Meridith, and it didn't want more than two
eyes to see tAat she liked him. The folks used
70 jeer Paul about his nsse being put out of joint
and Tom Treyelliau; the blacksmith, vho owed
him erudge for the dog used to say, "Well,
doctor, how's your nose by this time r. But
they say the doctor only used to turn white and
ypb hi, bands; 1t was way be had, and he did
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