, 1885-03-31
CAPT. JOHN E. COOK.
VOORHEES, RecoLLEcTloNs OF ONE
OF JOHN BROWNS MEN.


0ath IN AiheinNAu flhQuiIefI
"Mr, Mason went with Us to the jail" con
tinued Mr.. Voorhees, ave entered that
building aud passed into a hall or corridor
and were taken into quite a large room. No
body was In that room but n rather small
young man, who was sitting near the win
dow with his check IN the hollow OF his
hand. He was looking out Of the window in
Nh abstractei way, as at something far of
| was the last one TO enter. Mr.. Mason. /
think, went In first But l looked In that
room ~ we came to it, and there l saw
stamped on that young mans face. though
be was OF a morn fiaxen complexion than his
sister, the unmistakable likeness Of Carrie
Willard. Ny heart began TO droop. had
the evidence before mo that Willard had not
been mistaken In the identity Of the young
man. l was so much overcome for a mo-
ment that did not enter the room, but
paced the hall outside. / knew that / had to
defend this youth upon the terrible charge
against him.
Mr.. VOORHEES, seemed touched with the
recollection, AMI paused awhile. Then he
said:
when l vent in the room Governor Will
ard was sitting near this young man and
Senator Mason was looking at them both
from a chair. do not think much, il any
thing, had been said. The young man had
now turned his face around still keeping his
hand as la vat against his check, and he
looked at Willard with "A distant recogni-
ton, rs II be was not decided about welcom-
ing him. Ho had a broad forehead, fine
long locks Of brown hair. a nearly trans
parent skin, In which you could 500 the blue
veins, a smooth face, aud tho chin firm though
slight. He bad n lno mouth and beautiful
white teeth in il. as ! saw afterward. Ho
was looking at Willard as at a friend who
might now be an enemy, and without very
great concern. but like ono wearied.
II will not attempt said Mr.. Voorhees,,
80 repeat the conversation, though IL was
not long. 10 wa, something like this;
John said Governor Willard. how came
you TO 10 In such company These men are
Of a different sort from you. You have
been better bred. better educated The
young man replied without amy excitement.
that he was there. Governor Willard then
aid. John, why have you not pritten 10
your s%istersi They loved you, and you have
been lost 10 them for two or three years
Cook replied in tho same wearied, dreamy
way, turning his face back from the window
out Of which ho had looked with the same
distant and droaminess: Il have been in
Kansas and out where / have had a good
many things 10 think Of. Sometimes 1 have
not In tho f%acilitie, - write. At other
times ] have been too much engaged
But, John aid tn, governor, looking at
him with all his might, what were you
doing in Kaisas OF anywhere with these
outrageous criminals and disturbers Of your
country's poacei l want you TO tell mo how
you came in such company
Cook thcn dropped his hand and looked
firmly to Governor Wizards face and his
blue oyes distonded ami flashed, and as he
raised his upper lip | could sec those fine
white teeth shine. Said hel Ashbel, l
went TO Kansas throe years ago TO get my
living anI disturb no man. l had no in
tention OF breaking the peace anywhere. but
the border rulians had come into Kansas to
do a. they pleased. / was going from Leav-
enworth To Lawrence with a cherished
friend, Alexander Stuart, when a
bard OF those border fufiiians
rode up to us and fired upon US, and they
killed my friend by my side. His blood
was spilled upon my garments. He died in
my arms. I raised my rife and emptied two
OF the saddles. For this act n price was put
upon my head, and | was hunted like a
WOLF As Cook spoke theo words he turned
his face from his brother-in-law and looked
right at James NJ. Mason rs II he Instinct
lively guessed that man 10 b In sympathy
with those border ruiiians Mason was n
proud man, but as he heard these words his
mind seemed 10 be disturbed, and the young
fellow looked him through.
"Govornor Willard then spoke up and said
John, II that was tho cause II will account
for your having been in Kansas, but what
ara You doing here in this peaceful COM
munity among a bani OF assassinsf Cook,
who had been aroused before as II rosenting
the reflections upon his companions and their
motives, hesitntei a minute and said Yes,
1 am here Ho gave that dreamy look out
OF the window again, and then returning
tho gaze OF his brother-in-law though
ia moro foftencd way, he said:
'Ashbel, whom 1 was In Kansas
l learned 10 hnto slavery. 1 felt that it was
not right 10 keep men enslaved, and l did
for these men what | would expect them TO
do for me il l was In their place | came to
set them free II / could, Governor Willard
remarked that II had boon a poor business,
or something 70 that effect Cook said:
Well, l am disappointed in tho slave. l
put arms in his hands, and he wouli not
fight. l thought he would fight for his FREQ
dom. He has not done 10, but ! can not
feel that ! tried to do wrong when I came 10
help him John said Governor Willard,
Your sister is my VITO. And | havo made
up my mind to stnnl b. you You are in
peril OF your life. ! shall not desert you
Aahbel, replied Cook, my life has been in
peril for two yonrs, day and night I have
been in peril all tho time. This Is nothing
new TO me- But, john. said Governor
Willard. you have never been in such peril
as you are in now, Every probability Of n
criminal death is before you. What will
your old father and mother think when they
como b see youf Cook now showed emo
ton. and something Of a shudder went
through him For a moment he broke down.
-As Hooked at him with my ~anti-abolition
feelings, n conviction OF tho Tremendous
Significance Of this sentimental, crusAding
hostility 10 slavery depressed me. 1t had
entered Into tho house OF my friend, aud
here 1t was no loager in distant Kansas, but
right among ~, Democrats as we were.
We left Cook at this first interview with our
minds still disturbed, and sought our quar-
tiers From that time onward l saw him