Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1877-06-28

ougnlares leadlng 70 the city were
filled with droves Of hogs. As the
day advanced, the sun melted the
frozen roads and the passage Of so
many drOves made one vast mud
puddle. The road travelled was the
main road leading through Shelby
vile, Greensburg and Lawrenceburg.
Every tributary road on the route
furnished its contribution Of hogs, so
that was rarely out OF sight Of de-
tached parties Of well-fatted porkers,
all travelling with happy unconscious
ness to a common doom. 1t may be
imagined what appearance they and
their drivers presented; it was fresh
bath In fluid mud.
Nearly every house on the road
was a house Of entertainment in
those days when the gainful spirit
had no other former manifestation.
but there were certain ones OF es-
tablished reputation and most fire.
quented. My first days ride carried
me to one Of these. Hawkins Tav-
ern." twenty miles cut from Indiana
polls. and six miles this side Of
Shelbyville. The house was filled
and running over that night with
hog drovers. slept in room con-
tanning four beds. Ny great concern
was with my saddle-bags. containing
$4,000 OF paper treasure. To take
special care of them was to invite at
tention. OF course there was no
safe or other place Of deposit. The
only way was to throw them down
in the common pile Of baggage and
do nothing TO exile suspicion that
they held anything beyond what
was common for travellers to carry
In the way of personal baggage. /
never was a success at assembling,
to dissembls here was to be wise and
true to my employers.
leave IL to the moralist who will
not compromise with the sin Of
deceit on any terms, to say just what
q young fellow should answer il ques-
toned about the contents OF his
saddle bags. I have always felt
great charity for Peter, when ad-
dressed by that impertinent maid as
he sat by the fire In the judgment
hall. The Christian world have very
generally condemned Peter for hav-
ing denied his master on that trying
occasion, but / can't help thinking he
acted up to the average human
nature. For four days. for four watchful
nights, was on the miserable road,
tormented with the possession OF so
much wealth. never spent a more
unhappy period. once stood in q
small room in the Treasurery De-
partment set apart for the deposit Of
United States bonds, by the National
banks as security TO their bill holders.
and for the government deposits with
them. There were within my reach
bonds calling for $4OO.O00.OO0. /
think that a heavy responsibility
rested on the consciences Of the
men charged with their safe custody,
but 1t was nothing In comparison with
the sense OF responsibility felt. for
the government has provided these
men with every conceivable means
to make their trust light. There was
q moment, q supreme and critical
one when the voice OF the tempter
penetrated my ear. 1t was the OLD
tempter that sung In the ear Of Eve.
1t was when / reached the crown Of
those imperial hills that overlook the
Ohio river when approaching Law
renceburg from the interior. This
noble stream was the great artery Of
commerce at that day, before a rail-
road west OF Massachusetts had been
built. What a gay spectacle it pre-
sented, flashing in the bright sunlight.
covered with flatboats, with RATS.
with gay painted steamers ascending
and descending. and transporting
their passengers in brief time to the
Gulf of Mexico, the gateway to all
parts Of the world had but to sell
my horse and 60 aboard one Of these
with my treasure, and was absolute
ly beyond the reach Of pursuit.
There were no telegraph then
flashing intelligence by an agency
more subtitle than steam, and far out
running 1t; no extradition treaties re-
curing foreign governments to re-
turn the felon.
| The world was before me, and Of
the age Of twenty-one with feeble
ties connecting me with those left
behind. ! was In the possession Of q
fortune from those early days.
recall the fact that this thought
was o tenant Of my mind for q mo-
ment. and for moment only. Bless
God, it found no hospitable lodg-
ment any longer. And what think
you. gentle reader, were the associ-
ate thoughts that came to my rescue9
Away over rivers and mountains, q
thousand miles distant, in a humble
farm house, on a bench, an aged
mother reading to her boy from the
oracles Of God
Husband and Wife.
The good old times" when q wife