The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-11-19
Queer Pictures.

The events of. the war have served not
only to lift Charleston into an historic promi-
nence to which she had not previously as
pired, but have rendered her the favorite
scene Of many modern novelist, who
chooses at times. to invest her with traits
which might well startle her 'toldest inhab-
'itant." Two prominent English periodi-
Gals have lately contained stories whose
plot, at least in part, has been laid in
Charleston. One of these stories-"De Ben
''ham's Vow"-now in process OF publica-
tiou in ''Good Words" is the history OF q
blockade-running Englishman, who makes
several voyages to Charleston during the
war. There is very good description Of
the harbor and the adventures Of the ship,
one of the latter Of which is borrowed from
the famous recapture OF the "Emily st.
Pierre" and the author seems to have at
least general idea of the localities OF the
city. De Benham boards at the Mills House,
where he should have been discreet enough
to stay, instead OF wandering about town
into all kinds Of impossible places, and es-
pecially into that garden, which, as he de-
scribes it, ''slopes down to the river, can be
reached by boat, and contains a perfect
''forest of tropical vegetation"
His absurdities, however, are venial as
compared with those OF story which has
lately appeared in Mr.. Dickens periodical
'.All the Year Round" and which is styled
''The Disappearance OF John Ackland: A
''True Story" The following advertisement
Is prelixed to the tale: 'In the following ex-
"traordinary narrative nothing is fictitious
''but the names of the persons" This as
surance is evidently intended to be taken
merely in Pickwickian sense A charac-
ter in the story (Which is the tale Of the muir
der by Virginian gentleman of his Yankee
creditor and guest,) comes to Charleston,
goes to the "F street police station, Fifth
"ward, Inspector jerks" (was this last
an unconscious prophecy? for the time
of the story was several years ago, J
publishes o statement in the Charleston
messenger" to the effect that he had been
aoalking toaoards Charleston along the right
bank Of Tie Cooper Riuer, and had heard a
man jump in and drown himself; and finally
has lad the a1cer dragged thoroughly for his
bOdy-a somewhat herculean proceeding
we should fancy. All this is ridiculous
enough; but there is more to come. A hat
is found having within it 'tae mark of q
"Ge0ryetoUn aaoker.' How surprised our
neighbors must be to hear that so important q
fellow-townsman has resided with them for so
long without their having the slightest con-
seriousness of his cxistence 1t is refreshing
TO think OF the rush of custom that the poor
man must have had. Upon this discovery,
'.Mr. Tom Ackland Immediately proceeded
"to Georgetown, and had no difficulty in
''fnding there the halter, whose name and
'address Cartwright had detected inside the
chat. On examining tlls hat, and referring
"to his books, tho halter Identified it as hav-
sing been sold on the 29th of las. Septen-
"ber. To whom? lie could not say. So
'anany diferent hats aOere sold in the course
"of tue dry to so many different people
ale wol.d ask his young men," &c. The
au hor's ila a. Of tn. mo g of a Vi:gin;ans
speech may be en- from tn, following quo
taion: "Well, sir, and tho wa.ch Las gone
fright 70 six years. l. S ju six ye. and
''six months, D.; s m. .,son, sir, since Mr..
"Ackland got C wa,ch fixed up by me,
"And took it with him to Glenoak; nd it's