The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-06-17
A REMARKABLE NARRATIVE.
Incidents I'm the Life of Former Mayor
ofRochester, N. X.-The Turning Potn
In an Eventual Career.

A most eventful and instructive person.
al history has come to our knowledge,
mainly through the statements OF a lady,
now far advanced in years, and still living
in this State, who was formerly resi-
dent of Lockport, and the wife of prac-
ticiDg physician of that place. She Is per-
sonally known to the editor, and reliance
may be placed in all her statements. The
occurrences referred to began about 1923
or 1924, when the great excavation for
the Erie Canal through the solid rock for
miles at LockpOrt was in progress, under
the supervision of David Thomas as chief
engineer, and of which Darius Comstock,
widely-known citizen, was one of the
largest contractors.
The physician to whom we have re-
ferred returned one day from his visiting
rounds under a good deal of excitement
and exclaimed to his wife, 81 have visited
to-day, in poor IriShman's hut, the
most beautiful woman | ever saw in nay
life. She is very sick-her case must be
an extraordinary one-and you must go
and see what YOU can do for her," The
wife consented to 90, and on entering one
of the most poverty-stTicken novels she
had ever seen-the floor Of bare earth, the
door cut partly down through the log
sides, so that on entering it was necessary
to step over the logs that were lefG-she
found the sick woman lying on bed of
straw. supported on rough poles, which
constituted the bedstead. She was young
in years, and trouble had not obliterated
the surprising beauty nor the refined eX-
preston of her countenance. The Ian
guage she used indicated high and eX-
cellent education, and she had evidently
been brought up in genteel society, not
withstanding the utter restitution OF her
present surroundings. Her husband, a
Young man recently from Ireland, was a
dav laborer, employed by Darius Com
stock and OTIS Hathaway, his assistant,
in excayating the bed of the canal. The
sick woman was of course adverse to Civ
ing any account of their history to a stran-
ger, but after several visits the physicians
wife secured her confidence, and she re-
lated their remarkable history in substance
as follows:
She was the daughter of gentleman in
Ireland, In rank but little below the no
bility. Her father employed as clerk and
steward young man named John --,
of rare attainments and ability. The gen
tleman's daughter and the young steward
formed a mutual attachment; but as he
was below her in rank, notwithstanding
his high character, the father would not
listen moment to any thing of the kind,
and seeing what was going on, dismissed
him from his service. But the attachment
was too strong to be quenched by a mln-
date. When the young lady and her lover
found there was no other resource, they
concluded to getmarried and "run away"
With his scanty means and what little
property of her own she could secure. they
sailed for Quebec in Canada. The ship
was wrecked in the st. Lawrence, and
they barely escaped with their lives. All
their effects and money went to the bot
tom of the wide river. Their condition
was desolate enough-without means,
without experience, unaccustOmed to
hardship, and in an unknown country
among strangers. He was compelled TO
labor by the day to keep them from starry
ing. He became utterly discouraged, and
through the enticemenCs of bad cOmpan
ions he resorted to drinking. In this state
they found their way to LockpOrt-a place
where many laborers were wanted at that
time, for eXcavating the canal, and where
he could obtain employment. 1t was here
that his young wife unaccuStOmed to such
accumulated hardships and privatiOns,
was Frustrated on a sick bed. and in this
condition was found by the physician and
his wife, as already related.
1t was about the same time, or before,
that COmstOck & Hathaway, the contract
Ors who employed him, observed that the
young man had not been accustomed to
the severe labor which he had undertaken,
and that in handling the heavy crowbar,
and in wheeling the loaded barrow, the
blood ooZed from his fingers. A few days
afterward, when pay day arrived, he
signed the receipt for his wages by the
usual cross, or his mark" used by the
Irish laborerS generally. In the course of
a few weeks his employers (whO were
members of the Society of Friends), OBJ
serving that he possessed superior intel
ligence, said to him in the peculiar Ian
guage in common used by the Friends in
that day, John, this is not thy right place
a man like thee ought to know how TO write;
and know better than to make a cross
mark - John was stung by this reproof,
his latent ambition was aroused, and step
ping forward, he took the pen and signed
his name in a rapid, Fracticed, and elegant
hand. His employers were astOniShed, and
said to him, John, this is no place for
thee-stop drinking, and we will take thee
into our employ rs clerk, and at once
double thy wages" These were the first
kind and helping words which he had
heard in America-their life-giving energy
went through him like electricity, and
from that moment he never drank drop.
He proved himself fully worthy of their
and became distinguished for
his efficiency. The morning of prosperity
began to dawn upon him. His wife recov-
cred her health. His progress toward
great success began. He subsequently
went into the forwarding business on the
canal as partner to a prominent citizen of
Western New York, who was also lead
ing member of Congress. The writer of
this narrative well remembers in years be-
fore rail- Dads were generally in use, and
on the canal was the common
mode OF passenger transit, that he could
not pass a day any where between
and Buffalo, without meet
ing one or more neatly built and well load !
ed boats, with the golden letters on the
side, John rs Clinton Line In
short, the young Irish clerk and steward !
the canal day laborer-the husband of
the beautiful and accomplished young lady !
Frustrated by sickness in the log hut-had
become the owner Of successful feet of
canal boats. Before twenty years had
elapsed he was Mayor of one of the largest
cities of Western New York; was emf
nent 1Or MS enterprise ana puDllc spirit, !
and took a prominent position in public
affairs.
After a lapse of years, and when he had
become eminently prosperous in business,
the father of the lady was stricken with
lingering disease which finally proved
fatal. In the midst of this sickness he Ie-
Tented and divided portion of his proper
ty for his daughter. After his death, John
went to Ireland to secure it, and took his
little boy with him. While there, he visit
ed his own father and mother, who were
still living. They had not heard from him
in time, but knew he lived in a certain
city in Western New York. He resolved
not to announce himself, to see if they
would recognize him. The stage in
which he and his little boy Travelled pass
ed within a mile of their home. They
reached the house by walking this dis
lance, partly across the fields, about
sunset. He said that they were travellers,
and begged nights lodging. The old
people were aVerSe TO keeping them. and