Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-10-10

A stage Incident.


From Harperas Magazine
In ante-railroad times. when most Of the
travel between the Ohio river and the seaboard
was In stage-coaches. western members of Con-
gress, in going to or returning from Washing
ton, would make up parties of six. and charter
a nine-passenger coach, SO as to have more
ample accommodations. Every such party
would be m ade up OF personal and political
friends, VINO would be pretty sure to have o
good time.
In 1S45 a company OF this kind was travelling
eastward, consisting Of Senators Johnson COT
Louisiana), Crttenden, and Corwin. and Rep
resentatives Vance. Vinton, and Schenck, all
except Vinton backwoodsmen by birth and rear
ing. Johnson was the oldest, having been born
in 1888. in the wids of Tennessee from which
state he went to Louisiana early in the
present century. Schenck was the youngest,
and is now OSSS) the only survivor of the party.
He is responsible for the substance Of the fol-
lowing story, which. at seventy-three he tells
with as much animation and gusto as he would
probably have shown the day the thing occur
red. when he was only about half that age.
When the stage was i'm Fayette county, Penn
sylvania, 1t stopped. just at the dawn of day, to
change horses All the passengers seemed to
be asleep except Schenck who put the curtain
aside to take look at the surro findings. and
seeing a man near by, asked him what place it
was.
.'Smithfield." answered the man.
''Smthfield," said Schenck; s.why that's the
place where John Rogers was burned at the
stake"
johnson had got Just enough walked up to
take in this dialogue, and, with O start, he ex-
claimed, whats that Schenck? Did you say
man was burned at the stake?"
"Yes, replied Scienck.
ga live MANI"
eyes. a live man-burned-at the stake-at
Smithfeld," said Schenck, with pausing en-
phasis.
SIS it pOssibles Why, never heard Of it be-
"But, Senator" gravely reyoined schenck.
tits as true as that this is Smithheld. And
what's more, his wife and children stood by and
saw him burned; and it's a curious thing that it
is to this day disputed how many children there
were. The story goes that she had with her
nine small children and one at her breast; and it
is to this time mOoted point whether the one
at the breast was one OF the nine. or was
number ten"
"Why, Schenck. how on earth is it that
never before heard of such an outrageous affair
as that? live man burned at the stake here?
l swear never saw q word about it In the
papers,"
By this time the other passengers were awake,
aud comprehended the situation. but kept still /,
leaving Schenck to manage his own case.
Nevertheless. Senator" he proceeded. ''that
stated"
by thunder!" exclaimed johnson, 'ft's dew
ilish strange that l never heard oft. When did
it happen?"
well, Senator"-Schenck paused little. as
II trying to recollect-''upon my word / can't
on the instant recall the exact date: but as well
as my memory serves me it must have been-let
me see-about two hundred and ninety years
ago; at any rate, it was some time in the reign
OF Bloody Mary of England"
Then the others could hold in no longer, and
Smithfeld heard such guffaw as 1t had never
before heard from lot of stage passengers
Schenck says that johnson didn't join in il, but
was grum for three hours afterward; that it,
until after he got his breakfast. Whether he
subsequently became acquainted with the New
England Primer is not known.