The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-01-07

Aueu, ue cTleu Win manifest enOLlOQ,
there is one living yet, ! hope, gentlemen,
you will treat him with humanity"
he shut his eyes. a grizzly spectacle Of grim
ness in grief, and then J. Z. b. Stuart came
in with a friend.
"Do you know who this old guerilla is?'
he said. ut is Ossawattamie Brown! heard
of him in Kansas, when we were clearing
that territory out. Turn over, you old brute,
and pull that blanket down from your face;
do you hear?"
John Brown paid no more attention to
Stuart than it he had been peacock's feather.
The cavaryman struck him smartly with
his boot. .'Pull down that banket"
"I.eave him." said bis friend; "he Is old and
troubled; come awayw
Quickly, with much clat!er and ceremony,
Gov. Wise appeared, surrounded by parasites.
He was introduced to John Brown, who
frightened up at his name, for this was to be
the conference Of the two great commanders,
and, while Brown felt elated in the instant,
Wise assumed loud rhetorical tone Of great
magnanlmity. He made sonorous inquiries
as to the wounds of the usurpor, and assured
Brown of his personal protection. Then en-
sued discussion that is still 1ecollected as
the most refreshing bit of a6surdity since the
settlement of jamestown. Brown and Wise
were remarked-and the likeness is said to
be more perfect now that Wise has grown
seedy, more struggling of beard, and wilder of
eye-.o have strong points of resemblance.
Each had great vanities, and very apparent
conceits, with like incoherence of thought.
Wise sat up, his bristlirg hair, keen eyes,
and Ratchet face, illuminated with dramatic
glow, and old Brown, out of his unkempt will
derness of locks and wrinkles, measured dig
nifty with him in no whit abashed, lying at his
feet. Itwas the play of Alexander and the
Robber. Wise had a multitude of Browns
insurrectionary documents, rolls of six
thousand names-put down at hap
hazard by the old Trojan, OF everybody who
voted his political ticket manual of arms,
mountain tactics, proclamations, tracts, levies
what not? Colonel Lee took seat near by
and Wise opened thus.
"A9h! ha! Well, Mr.. Brown, will you do
myself and these gentlemen the pleasure of
making us know why, Mr.. Brown, you have
invaded peaceful community and shed the
blood of the citizens?"
To this deep-toned con;uration Browns
short, down East, nasal speech replied:
"Waal Governor, l hev come to relieve the
oppressed, to let the prosecuted 60 free.
That's my mission, Governor!'
"Ha! agh! Mr.. Brown, then you meant to
overturn my government, Mr.. Brown, and
establish one Of sour own?"
That was my purpose, GOVERNOR
NOW, MI. Brown, you Claim to BIZ Chris
tian, sir. Let me say to you, Mr.. Brown,
that If you would kill people to do good sir,
take life to confer freedom, you have great
deal yet TO learn" (Sensation)
"And then, Mr.. Brown" said the Governor
again, you were insane enough TO undertake,
witt tveuty-three men, to carry the strong
position of Harper's Ferry?"
"Waal Governor, did TEX 1t, and held 1t
| three days."
The old man smiled and the people sncker-
| ed at Wise.
Eyes, Mr.. Brown. and had been here you
| should not have held 1t an hour, sir. would
have blown your engine house to atoms, Mr..
| Brown"
"And taken the lives of your innocent fell
| low-citIzens, Governor, who were In there
| with me?"
"Yes STRIP
Governor" said John Brown "you have
| good deal 10 learn" fGuffaw)
Brown and Wise now grew very confidential,
| and the former requisite that his constitution
and laws of war should be read, which Wise
| proceeded TO do, with many voc /. fluctuations
aud terrific cadences, Brown and be mean
while arguing, aud Stevens, unabashed, put
| ting 10 an occasional word. With t,e dying
| people and the dead around this scene was a
| goblin comedy, and 1t continued until the
hour came to send the old man up to Charles
town jail.
JOHN BROWNS EXECUTION.
He wore strange, stiff hat, OF bellying
body and wide Quakerly blinl; somebody had
sent it to him. His beard was cut 10 less
struggling business. Old carpet slippers
| were drawn over bis horny teet, and when
be dismounted he spoke with those that be
had known with his grim, goblin, original
| gentleness. The old macs conceit had gone
out of him; the old mans piety had come in
| its stead TO give his closing moments grace,
| dignity and manllness. No soldier OF the re-
bellion ever died aIterward with more sub.
mission to death. He climbed the gallows
stairs With his old brawny stride, and in his
ragged and threadbare garb looked even SOL
dierly. The sheriff, Campbell, and the jailer,
Avis, assembled with him. The former lived
t, be rebel quartermaster. and died some
time ago; the latter became Mayor Of Charles.
town. that has lost the county capitalship:
and the most distinguished event OF the life
OF either of them was that he had laid hands
upon John Brown. They began 10 wrap up
bis head with Goth, and wanted Plus to
make 1t fast. Blown carried pins 10 hrs coat
lapel. He pointed up to them with his long,
oony finger, and Campbell covered for the
last time his grlzzled eyebrows, grand old
foxy white beard, and beaked nose.
BE speedy?' he said. do not keep me
| long,"
His bony fingers went counting an Instant /;
ne was like long, ripped bolster standing
there. Then the drop fell.
Porte Crayon, standing by, sketched him
hanging through the gallows floor, rag2ledy-
shrouded length OF palpitation, not shapely
nor tallorly, the long fingers going still, as il
he were counting the days of slavery. Then
a man from Kansas, who had cordial hate
and deadly lear, OF Brown and believed they
could never entrap him to death, cried from a
tree top:
There, by =! if didn't see him drap."
There was laugh, a roll of drums. an
ashamed cheer and under the Blue Ridge,
his body across the great valley swinging, the
the hrst volunteer of the grand army showed
Virginia how Yankee could die.