The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1869-11-18
The Disappearance of John ACk-
land.


ing is fictitious but the names of persons.
About thirty FIVE or forty years ago,
before the border Territory of Texas
had become a State of the great Amer
lean Union, Virginian gentleman liv-
ing near Richmond, received from a
gentleman of Massachusetts,, living near
Boston, letter pressing for punctual
payment Of debt owing to the writer
by the person to whom it was address
ed The debt was a heavy one. 1t
was a loan for limited period, con-
tracted partly on mortgage and partly
on other less valid securities. The per-
iod for which it was originally contract
ed had been frequently renewed at in
creasing rates of interest. The whole
capital would shortly be due; and re-
newal of the loan (Which seems to have
been asked tor) was firmly declined, on
the ground that the writer of the letter
was now winding up his business at
Boston preparatory to the undertaking
of an entirely new business at Charles
ten, whittier it was his intention to pro-
ceed very shortly. Such was the gen.
eral purport of this letter The tone of
it was courteous, but peremptory. The
name of the gentleman who received
it we shall suppose to have been Cart
wright, and that of the gentleman who
wrote it to have been Ackland. Mr..
Cartwright was the owner of an estate,
not very large one (Which, with the
readers permission, we will call Glen
oak) on the banks of the James River.
The Cartwrights were an old Virginia
family, much esteemed for their anti
guilty. Three generations of male Cart
wright babies had been christened Stu
art because, sir, the Cartwrights had
always fought for the Stuarts, sir, in the
very old country, and in Virginia very
moderate amount of family antiquity
has always commanded for the repre-
sentative of it as much consideration as
is accorded in England to the lineage
of Beaufort or a Howard The per-
sonal reputation Of this present Philip
Stuart Cartwright, however, was not
altogether satisfactory. 1t was regret
ted that a man of his parts and proper
ty should have contributed nothing to
the strength and dignity Of the terrific
ial aristocracy of old Virginia in the
legislature of his State,--a Legislature
of which the Virginians were justly
proud. The estate of Glenoak, il well
managed, would have doubtless yielded
more than the income which was spent,
not very reputably, by the owner of it,
whenever he had run of luck at faro.
But the estate was not well managed,
and between occasional but extravagant
hospitalities on his estate, and equally
extravagant indulgence in the stimulant
of high stakes and strong liquors at the
hells and bars about Richmond, MIR.
Philip Cartwright passed his time un-
proftably enoughi for pulling the dew
il by the tail is fatiguing exercise
even to a strong man, Mr.. Cartwright
aoas strong man, however, and hand
some man, and tall "Quite fine
man, sir" said his friends. "You may
have seen Philip Cartwright as drunk
as a hag, sir, but you will have always
found him quite the cavalier" And
in truth, he had grand manners, ant
pleasant manners, too, this hard-living
devil-may. care gentleman, which EN-
bellished the impression Of his vices
And he was bold rider and oracl
shot, accomplishments which, in al
Anglo Saxon communities, insure al
easy popularity to their possessor
Then, too, he had been left, early il
life, widower; and if, since then, h,
had lived too hard, or lived too loose
this was an extenuating circumstance
Moreover, he had but one child, a pret
ty little girl; and to her be had eve
been a careful, tender, and devoteC
father That was another extenuatin!
circumstance, He was doubtless NJ
mans enemy But his own and tn
worst ever said Of him was, that "Phil
ip S., sir, is smart man, smart anC
epry, but wants ballast"
Mr.. Cartwright lost no time in an
swering Mr. Ackland's letter. He an
swered it with the warmest expression
of gratitude for the consideration and
forbearanee which he had hitherto re
i ceived from the writer in the matter o
this large, and all too long outstanding
debt. lie confessed that only mont
ago he had been greatly embarrasse'
how to meet the obligations now falling
due; but he was all the more rejoiceC
for that reason, to be now enabled t
assure his correspondent. that ID cor
sequence partly Of the unsual excellenc
Of The present rice harvest, and part
owing to other recent and unexpecte
receipts to considerable amount, th
capitsl and interest of the debt woul
be duly paid off at the proper tim'
As. however, Mr.. Ackland, in his lette
had expressed the intention Of going
Charleston about that time, he (M
Cartwrigh0 begged to remind him th'
he could not reach Charleston withol
passing through Richmond on his wa
thither. He trusted therefore, that M
A. would afford him that opportunit
q nn 4ys1sa