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 On historic promi-
nencc to which she had not previously as
pired, but have rendered her the favoritc
scene of many modern novelist who
| chooses Mt times to invest her with traits
which might well starLlc her ''oIdest inhab
'itant." Two prominent English periodi-
Gals have lately contained stories whose
plot, Mt least in part has been laid in
Charleston. One Of these storcs-"De Ben
''ham's Vow"-now in process of pubica-
ton in Good Words" is the history of n
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 tho latter OF which is borrowed from
tho famous recapture of the "Emily st.
"Pierre," and the author seems to haye Mt
least II 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 cs-
peciaily into that garden, which, as he de-
scribcs it, ''alOpcs down 10 the river, can lie
''reachcd by boat. and contains q perfect
''forest OF tropical vegetation"
His nbsurdities. however, are yenial as
compared with those OF n story which has
lately appeared in Mr.. Dickens' periodical
'All the Year Round" and which is STYLED
'The Disappearance OF John Acklnnd: A
''Truc Story" The following advertisement
| is prelixcd To the tale: 'In the following cx-
'traordinary narrative nothing is fictitious
''but the names Of the persons" This as
surance is evidently intended to be taken
merely in Pickwickian sense. charac-
ter in the story (Which is the tale OF the mur-
der by Virginian gentleman Of his Yankee
creditor and gucst,) comes to Charleston,
goes to the "F street police station, Fifth
''ward, Inspector jerks" (was this last
on unconscious prophecy2 for the time
OF the story was several years ago, J
publishes, o statement in the charleston
"llcssenger" to the effect tliat he had been
'ofi1;i'ig 0ioaras Charleston along the right
6tssaf Of Ghe, Co0per, ,Itipsr, and had heard n
MATT jHmp in and drown himself; and finally
has Sa6 Isc siuer d,dggcd thoroughly for his
'do,dy3 "a s.lAbmewhat hcrculcan proceeding
4 we' shMtt fancy.: ALI this is ridiculous
enongIE shaseis more TO come. A hat
is fopnq fsEipgsEithin it '!Ae mark Of a
'"GcorVqsoi iea tsay. How surprised our
neishbors must M hoar tllatso important a
fe!iow-townsmanit8 resided with them for so
long without their having The slightest con-
seriousness; OF his existencel It Is refreshing
TO think Of the rush OF custom that the poor
man must have had. Upon this discovery,
"&r. Tom Ackland Immediately proceeded
"to Georgetown, and had no difficulty in
"fndins thole Tho halter, whose name and
'hddress Cartwright had detected inside tho
chat. On examining tho hat, and referring
"to his books, tho hnttor identified I. IA hnv-
sing boon sold on tho a9tlrof lust Sep.em-
"lcr. TO whom? 10 could not cay. SC
'tnany di0trea! hats socre sold in Tie course
"of The 9ay 10 so many different people
''Ilo won'd nslt his young m,n," V. Tho
au hors ida, OF th. mo 70 of VirgininD's
spooch may bo 'nn from thu following quo
tl.ion: "Well, sir, and tho wa'th has gorI
right 70 six ycarL 1. juit six yers nnd
''six months, D.; 8 mpson air, since Mr.
"Ackland got I wa.ch fixed UP by me-
'hnd took it with him t. Glenoak; and it'e