Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1872-06-28

resources, with a mother to support, at
an age when more fortunate children are
asquiring the rudiments of an education
He engaged in the business of salt-boil-
ing at Syracuse when mere lad, or at
least some years before attaining his ma
jority and while in the prosecution of
his business he met with an adventure
at Sacketts Harbor the result of which
| illustrated some of the peculiarities of
his character. He was in the habit of
visiting the lake towns on Ontario, both
on the American and Canadian side, in
the prosecution of the salt trade. Being
detained at the above named port, then
familiarly known as Sackett's, and just
ly regarded as one of the most dissipat-
ed places on the frontier-always infest-
ed with men of vicious inclinations and
profigate habits-he had occasion to OBJ
serve the knavish devices of gang of
sharpers who made it a point to plum
der every unsuspecting man whom they
could entice into their tolls. Among
their victims was tin pedler from Yer
mont. They had inveigled him into a
game at cards known as three up and
three off," that is, three cards constitut-
ed hand and three points the game
They soon won all his money, the con-
tents of his pedler wagon, and the horse
and wagon as well. The poor pedler ut
terly ruined, was in despair, and being
a stranger in the neighborhood, and des-
titute of resources he knew not which way
to turn. But relief came from quarter
wholly unexpected. Young Richmond
seeing the distress of the pedler, and pen
etrating the tricks by which he had been
defrauded, proposed to take his hand in
the game. The sharpers delighted at
the prospect of fresh victim, eagerly
accepted his proposition, and set to work
in earnest at their scheme of plunder.--
But they had a different person to deal
with from the unsophisticated vender of
tin ware The gamblers found them
selves overmatched, and the result of
the game was the recovery of all the
property of which they had robbed the
pedler. Richmond then, in the presence
of the gamblers, restored to the aston
ished man his horse and wagon and en-
tire stock of goods, having taken from
him solemn promise never again to
play cards for money, or to gamble in
any mode whatever.
Nearly quarter of a century after
ward he was accosted in the streets of
Syracuse by well-to-do looking strang-
er, who represented himself to have been
the tin-pedler who was extricated from
ruin through the dexterity, firmness and
generosity of young Richmond. The
grateful man informed his astonished
listener that the promise given at
"Sackett's" had never been violated,
that he had been thrifty and constantly
prosperous, and that he was then of am
pie means, and profered any pecuniary
aid that his benefactor might be willing
to accept.
Richmond was man of quick per-
ception, happy in retort, with senten-
tious epigrammatic mode Of saying
things, which gave them great force
When Mr.. Lincoln passed through the
State on his way to Washington, in the
winter of 1861, Mr.. Richmond provid-
ed special train for him at Buffalo and
accompanied the party to Albany. At
Syracuse Mr.. Greeley joined the compa-
ny. Mr. Lincoln, who had keen ap-
probation of original and peculiar men,
was much amused by the occasional
pleasant passages between Richmond
and Greeley.
A new sleeping-coach of elegant APP
pointments and high finish was placed
at the disposal of the President elect
The superb palace cars of the present
day had not been invented, but this
comfortabl BILE coach, with its elevated roof
spacious and complete accommodations,
and perfect ventilation, was great inn
provement upon the close, low-roofed,
cheaply furnished, and dingy cars that
were in general use at that time. Lin
coin, Greeley and Richmond were seat
ed in this handsome coach chatting in a
free and easy manner. "This is some-
thing like, Dean" said Greeley, but
why don't you have all your cars made
in this way ? The common miserable
things are nothing but nuisance" 1--WE
adopt improvements as they are invent
&c" was the reply, but the changes
have to be gradual we cannot afford to
throw aside substantial cars that have
cost great deal of money, and stock
the road with those that are more expen-
sive merely for the comfort of passen-
gers. Whenever we build new ones. we
incorporate all available improvements.
"Oh, that's no excuse" was Greeley's
REMINDER "The neonla confar 49,,