Orleans independent standard. [volume], March 21, 1856, Image 1

About Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871

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A. A. EARLE, PUBLISHER.!
No More Oompromis o witli Slavery.
TERMS, 81,25 IX ADVANCE.
IRASBURGH, VERMONT, FRIDAY, MARCH 21, 1856.
VOLUME 1.
NUMBER 12.
itcrarn 0 election
A NIGHT AT AN ALPINE INN.
I was traveling through Piedmont to
wards the Alps, Great St. Bernard being
my object on the present jaunt. Among
my traveling companions in the present
oach if the heavy, lumbering thing in
which we rode can be called such was
an Englishman, named Fitzhern. He
had traveled over nearly the whole con
tinent, and his companionship was not on
ly pleasant but valuable. We left Cba
"tillon in the morning, and at noon we
stopped to dine at a little inn some fifteen
miles to the northwest of Ayace. It was
only about twenty miles from St. Ber
nard, and directly among the Alps. There
was no other building in sight than those
belonging to the inn, for there was hardly
chance to build another. A wilder spot
I never saw ; but yet it was grand and
romantic. The giant Alp3 towered up
close at hand, and all about the spot we
could see the massive crags lifting their
dark gray heads above the forest trees
A wide stream went dashing wildly thro'
the gorge, and its roar at first was almost
deafening when the stream was high.
:i noticed that my companion regarded
the place with interest, and he took par
ticular note of several things which seemed
very commonplace to me. Ater dinner
we went back of the house to look at the
torrent. As far as the eye could reach
on cither hand the water came and went,
dashing over its bed of rocks tumbling,
crashing, boiling hissing, and I soon grew
dizzy with the view ; for I had imagined
what would be the sensation of my soul
were I to fall into the mad flood ; and the
very thought was so fearful that I shud
dered and grew weak. Near at hand
was a narrow footbridge, formed by three
stout logs which had been fallen across
where) and then went up to my room. I
was shown into the same apartment that
we visited ; it was well furnished then,
and looked comfortable. Yet I disliked
the roar of the mountain torrent directly
under my window, and asked for another
room ; but I was told this was the only
one they had in readiness for travelers,
" Robbers, you mean T'
Exactly."
" Have you ever come across them ?"
" Ah, I wish" I could, sir. I came for
that purpose,"
" What, to hunt up brigands ?"
" Yes ; I trust you, for I know you
would be a fool to betray me. I am sent
out by government to arrest the villains so I had to put up with it
if possible. I have a detachment of sol- I always used to steep with my pistols
diers at Carmillon. I have only been under my pillow, and of course I did so
about here three days and hardly got on this occasion. I had faithful weapons
started yet. Are you on business ?" made on purpose for me m Manches
" Partly," I answered. ter double barreled and powerful. They
I began to like my companion, and be- were a pair of my own invention, and
fore we left the table we cracked a bottle one hammer operated upon both pans, so
of wine. I told him my business and in- that they were easier to carry than the
formed him that I had some reason to ordinary weapon with double flint locks.
dread meeting robbers. Our conversa- j I left my lamp burning with a low flame,
tion was careless, and before we arose and having secured my door, went to
from the table, I had confessed that I bed. The roar of the torrent soon be
traveled with quite a sum of money. came a wild music to me, and I was not
After supper the officer said I must ex- long in falling asleep.
cuse him, as he had orders to send his I must have slept not far from three
troops ; sol was again left alone. I lighted hours, when I was awakened by feeling
a cigar, and started to take a stroll down something on my shoulder. I started up
the stream. I had gone some hundred and made an instinctive movement to-
rods or so, when I was startled by hear- wards my pistols.
ing the sharp cry of some one in distress. " sh !" uttered some one close to my
I stopped, and the shout came up loud ear. " Don't be afraid. You saved my
and shrill. I hurried down the stream life, and now I am come to save yours
from whence the agonized sounds came, My eyes were now fairly open, and by
and upon reaching a bluff where the tor- the dim light of my lamp I could seethe
rent poured down into a deep chasm, and features of the boy whom I had rescued
took an abrupt turn, I saw a boy almost from the rock only a few hours before
down to the boiling, hissing flood, clinging "What is it?" I asked, not a little
to the sharp point of a jutting rock. For startled,
a few moments I was too horrified to " You are to be murdered and robbed
move. The poor fellow was some twenty before morning !" he replied, in low, quick
feet below me, hanging with his feet so tones.
near the water the dashing spray soaked " Murdered !" I repeated. " What,
them. He caught my eye and his cries here ?"
were piercing. I saw that he could not " Yes here. The brigands are about
help himself in the least, for the point and they know you have money. You
upon which he hung was so far out that are in danger ! They mean to kill you
he could not swinr his feet in so as to and throw vour body out of the window
from crag to crag, and bound witli ropes. , ; . . . h; , . . . . , would b(J
mere was no railing ot any kind to pro- . fnr h:m tn Mlf . lfls, of vnn r
rot uie parogen, an.i i ..uu no ueo.rc But how d(J th knQW j W mon,
w cross over. TT , , . , , , . , . , i , T , ,
itti . . i . .1. r it i o I J
,v nen we returneu to tne inn, we xounu ; . tones j fd , , . You toH
the ostler just leading the horses out, but fujjy "Me told "
my companion abteu me 10 tate a mm up For ft moment j determined to u Tes. You ate supper with the bri-
sta.rs. i toiiowca mm up, ana alter reacn- , . & fc th M fa , M f
i i j l .i: l .1 :i 1 '
,ug luc .u. u i.s, m, lulll0u imu a been mere suicid withQut hd - hjm- go mystery outi an(J J knew
i -
But my thoughts became calm in a few what a fool I had been to trust a stran
moments, and then I went to consider if ger,
there was not some means by which I " But," said I, "the landlord will "
could reach him. I walked further down, " He dares not do anything." interrupt-
and soon found that the rock upon which ed the boy. "Fear binds him. We
he held was a jut from a narrow shelf come here a the brigands come here
which extended about parallel with the when they please, and he serves them."
waier 10 a instance 01 some iorry leei men you are witn tnem r 1 re
down the stream. If I could reach that marked,
shelf J could save mm. I hurried down " I cannot help myself," he said, "for
and found that I could reach the shelf by I have no other home but with them."
a narrow gorge, in which grew a lot of You may imagine how peculiar my
shrubbery, provided that shrubbery was feelings must have been at that time.
deeply rooted enough to hold me. I took could not take my horse, for one of the
hold of some of the bushes which grew brigands was in the stable. I could not
near the top, and found them firm. With fly, for the yard was watched. The boy
a quick prayer I threw off my coat and informed me that there were four of the
think. Should I remain in my room, or same time had my pistols ready. After
should I seek some other place ? I could that person went away I happened to re
not go below, for there I should be de- member the recess, and ihere I went and
tected, and perhaps taken at a disadvan- hid myself. I did not fire until the vil
lage. If I allowed the villains to come lains showed their weapons, and offered
up, they would not be very particular to attack me."
about their arms, as the work of killing This satisfied mine host, and assured
a man in his sleep is not difficult. At the boy. The former protested earnestly
length I remembered a place in the long that he knew nothing about the robbers,
passage through which I had come where and I affected to believe him. Of course
there were two recesses. I hurried out I slept no more that night, nor did I leave
from my room, and glided noiselessly my pistols far out of reach. In the morn-
along to this place, where I found a posi- ing I offered to pay my bills, but the
tion which could not have been, bettered, landlord would take nothing. I ate an
The recesses were dirmiy 'opposite each early breakfast, and then set out on my
other, and were abouribur "feet wide. journey, leaving mine host to take care of
One of them was for a window, and the m7 mSht s wrk a' 1S leisure. I reached
other seemed to have originally been left Chatillon in safety, but said nothing more
for a closet, but it had no door, and was of my adventure, for I knew that other
lumbered up with old chests. I went to brigands would be shy of the place for a
my room and left the lamp, and having while, and that might only lead to the ar-
once more examined my pistols, I took rest of the boy. A year afterwards I went
my position on one of the old chests, and tht way again. The same host was at
thus had a great advantage in my favor, tile mn,and he assured me that no brigands
for while it would be difficult for any one had been there since the night on which
in the passage to see me, I could yet see I had stopped there before. I enquired
them plainly on account of the opposite tor the boy who had been there, profes
window, against which their forms would sinS t0 think that the lad was his son, but
be clearly revealed. he knew nothing of him, and hinted that
So there I sat, and at the end of half I the "little scamp belonged to the bn-
an hour heard a creaking of the stairs, gands.
I drew back, as far as possible ; and ere
sort of corridor, which led out into a long
wing towards the stream. At the further
end of this passage, he opened a door,
. and entered a small room, in which was a
.bed-frame, but no bed. I looked out at
; the little square window, and found the
torrent close below me. At least I could
have easily jumped, from where I then
stood, half way across the boiling stream.
: "I don't wonder they've taken all the
- bedding out from here," I remarked, as I
. turned my gaze from the window to the
- bare frame-work of the couch.
; "Why so ?" asked Fitzhern.
, "Why no one could sleep here, with
such a roar in his ears."
" And yet I slept here once," he said,
long a form glided through the recess.
It was a man, the very one with whom I
had eaten supper, and in his hand he car
ried a lantern. After him came three
men. I heard them at my door I
heard them enter my room and in a
minute more I could hear them talking
in wondering tones. For a while I could
only understand that they were surmising
what could have become of me, but at
PHASES OF LIFE.
On a cold day in January last, a pen
sive-faced boy, apparently nine or ten
years of age, sat in a broker's office, in
Wall Street, twirling between his thumb
and forefinger, a bright new penny upon
the baized table before him.
The occupant of the office had gone to
the " Board," leaving word with hi3 boy
to close up at the usual time ; that he
' I t . i.. .1 u-
length I heard the order given to search. . . .
aa guiiur 10 uute a sieisu-riue.
I could hear that the doors between me
and my room were all opened, and the
apartments were searched. At length he
with the lantern reached the recess, and
as his lantern was raised so as to cast its
rays in, I was discovered.
" Ha ! - here you
chief uttered ; and on the next moment
he drew his dagger.
My pistols were both ready,
" Move this way another step, and you
die," said I.
But he only laughed, and came towards
me. At tnat moment every nerve in my
body was as still as a dead man's.
The thumb and finger continued mak
ing the rapid whirls of tho penny. The
mind within was also engaged ; his skates,
his little sleigh, and his dinner were the
objects of his thought for the bit that
... . . . , mother ravK him for li! lnnpli w.na ewal.
are ! tie brigand c
lowed before ten o clock. "He could
not help it, he was so hungry." Besides
mother had promised that she would try
and have a dinner that day ; and Hope
whispered she would, and then such fun
on his sleigh with the neighboring boys !
A restless desire to get home soon fbl-
I took 'owed visions of so much happiness.
T T . 1.1 . . I rr- - i ,
deliberate aim at his head and fired. I iie must louit aL ule A nan7 C10CK
saw him staler back, and on the next "Ten mies," lie softly articulated, "and
0 ' i! Ml 1. t At i ,
mmnnt: two of the others were unon the m ume u De UP" As ne closea tlie
snnt. T could see them nla nlv asraiust " l'"""-"
i i j - tj
the opposite window, but they could not
see me, for their leader's light had gone
out as he let it drop upon the floor.
I knew those villains meant to murder
me, and my blood was up. I took aim
wards him, with hat in hand, supplicating
charity. The reverie was broken.
Child and man looked long and silently
at each other. Then the latter, with a
still idiotic stare, exclaimed, " Whose boy
again, and fired at one of the heads. In are '
" Toil T
Yes but there's the horn. Ill tell boots, and then let myself down. I found robbers at the inn, and that they would be
you about it when we get under way once the shelf not more than two feet wide, at my room in an hour. He also ac-
more. We'll take a seat on ton." and -ran miv hplinvB it v a dnhinn knowledged that he was sent ud to my
So down we hurried and found the dil- track : but I hurried on and reached the room to see if I was asleep, and if my
igence ready to start. We took our seat jutting rock in safety. In a moment more dc-r was locked. , I asked him if he
on tlie top, and as soon as we had got fair- j was flat on my breast, and then reached not help me,
jy started, i ltzhern commenced to relate over after the boy. I caught him bv the I -1 have done all l can, he said.
his adventure in the old inn we were n fi:. :..ut j u have, told vou all. and I should die in.
i cvuai vi ilia jciunci, ouu ujiu uim tu licip '
iea ing. u:.if n u 1,1 tt- j i.:. i Ktnntlv if that wcr known '
i uiui&cii ail uc wuiu. lie iiiaue 1115 itusi 1 J
It is now years, he began, " since I effort. I threw all my strength into that "But can you not get hold of their
passed this way before. I was then alone, one Hft, and drew him from his perilous pistols, and extract the balls ?" I asked.
-uu on norseuacK, and was traveling m situation. The noor fellow was Derfectlv " hey won't have pistols," he answer
the opposite direction and on my way RPnS;hlp. T nskPd him if hP. onnU walk ed, "for they make too much noise, and
from the Great St. Bernard to Chatillon. and he said yes . and so I arose and bade there are some of the girls in the house
1 reached the inn we just left about the him foUow me. We reached the little they wouldn't trust. The dagger and
middle of the afternoon, and as my horse gorge in safety, and made our way up the club does their work. They mean the
wasureu, and tearing 1 suould not be bank, and when we were once more on club for you, and then if your body is
awe 10 rcacn Ayace until long alter dark, the faithful ground, the boy sank down found in the stream, nobody could swear
I resolved to remain here for the night. upon j, knees, and clasped his hands, you were murdered. You understand
o 1 gave my horse to the ostler, and or- He was not over twelve or fourteen years now, and I must go back, for they'll ex
dered supper and a room. There was no of age, and dressed in a sort of hunting pect me. I shall tell them that you are
traveler Dcside myself, but 1 found plenty garb 0f chamois skin. He had an intel- snoring loudly, and that I found the door
xo engage my attention. Y hen supper Wnt look, and ' his lanrua?e was Dure locked."
w -' ' a a - - . i
time came, 1 found a new comer at the German. "And I did lock it," I uttered, wonder
vaole. lie was a tall, dark looking man. rv, :,i t i. t.i j 1 v,. t'Ua :
, 0 7 vAimc, oaui j., -unci uc uau uicsseu j "o - kjj u
nut witn a very intelligent face; and one me a dozen times, "get up and I will help He smiled and showed me that the
v.a.uiaiea to command a certain degree yOU to the inn, for you must be weak and socket into which the bolt shut was so
f respect. Hp wna rlrpccor! In n nlninl f . 3 il i ij 1 J r
-." i iaini. i arraiigeu. uuil il cuuiu oe reuiuveu irom
SUlt of green cloth without nmntnent r,f I u v i t- -1 !- 1i ' it t I .,.M rnn 1 t.-
w . ...... v. i xUj jie iuiatveieu quic&iy. X j m- uuiaiuc mui c uc uauc me ue
any kind, save that the Shirt Or frock. Was m,.ct n ka T,- u .TmncfU nn mu- cmaJ anA gsenrni m flot a
v umm a oiack cord upon the breast. t00. I ought not to have stopped to look brigands would be up in an hour, at
MA Tnti n -v,:i:i. . I I -
xumiary appearance, and I at over into the stream and you see what least
.stnstA vrL- him 1 I I
. . . l ue a mmtary officer in came of doing it. I looked at the water
uiuuiTCnii-e. lie convprspH with 1 .I...T1 j: Tf.n , . . ..
' V h - nuiuiijjiuanucuuucuiiij, x icu upuu nearly as we can oe at tne present,tor
me m rencn, but with the Germanic ac- the rock that juts out there, and as I was you may be sure that I risk my life now.
cent. We were alone at the tnt.in nA r-r , . , , -r J .... J
e , , . , ' o0'"g " caugni ji witn my nanus, x Jf rotect yourself if you can, and may
. . , , Pea should not have been here alive now if God help you,
" - v irav- vou bad not wmp. tc: j
I told the boy I was as thankful as he I wa3 eft to my own reflections. My
WaS. lie thanked Die and hlppH niA lomrviPQactlHKiirnmtT on1 KoTr, lrvo.L-
flT) ii y i ii . . . i i aia4K o" jjt t iu- uivuk.'
' . "Stnen said he hoped ne could re- ed the crust from the wick, I examined
pay me sometime, and then turned away, mv nistols over asain. There were four
I watched him till he was out of sight, 0f the robbers, and I had four balls to
ana men turned back to the inn. 1 1 fire and they without fire-arms. I took
v. v.., tuauwl awiiuewHii courage M this. Mr next movement
uk wucr Kuk laimiora uemg away some-1 was to dress myself, and then. I began to
an instant I caught the other pistol and
fired again. The last one uttered a
sharp cry, and ran towards the stairs, but
the other two fell. It was a full minute
before the fourth man made his appear
ance. I saw him between me and the
window, and I could see that he had a
weapon of some kind in his hand. " I'll
"Mrs. Hammet's," replied the bereaved
but ingenuous child.
" Don't tell a s-t-o-r-y !" drawled the
half-conscious man ; " Is not your name
Charley ? and do you know Henry ?"
No, sir," answered the innocent-faced
boy.
The unhappy man re-crossed the thresh-
i. -l.i i f i- ,i
do the world a blessing," I uttered to my- "om wuu lue v aSue uncertaln "'eiing mat
self, and with a careful aim, I fired the lue "Ule Paiellice anu mm6en stoou m re"
lauon 10 eacu oiner.
last ball. The man gave a cry and then
staggered from my sight.
Without a moment's delay I spran
from my retreat, and hastened to my
room where I found my lamp still burn
ing. My little portmanteau, had not
been molested, and from thence I took my
powder and balls and reloaded my pistols,
It was true.
The father and son had again met !
And the hope of the young child, which
a few minutes before had so buoyed him
up up where was it ? Gone !
The little form sank down. The tears
flowed full and fast. " My poor father !"
After this had been done, I took the lamp was sPken in low and 1'eart-brokcn tones
vi . , . .,. A by the striken child. The " cross" was
1U uub uauu OUU A UlUl 111 111 V. UL11C1 , 111U I
went out into the nun. T found tho already Skates' sleigL' d'uner all
landlord, ostler, the bov who had ve.n were forgotten in that cruel anguish.
me the warnintr. and three women Bath- ASain the I,enny was turned, and, in
ered about the spot where I had shot the an interval of child-like grief, he wished
brio-ands. e e011 spend it. But No ! the penny
" What do you think of this ?" I asked. must be kePl for lhe Kymaa. lie crossed
The landlord was frightened and stam-
"And now we are square," he said, "or
cling north. I told him no that I had
come from the north, and was going south.
ftuile ; " but if you are not going on by
night it may be all safe."
"Where is the danger?" I asked.
a 0, only now and then a fellow who
wanu to overhaul your luggage."
mered out a reply which I could not un
derstand. He feared that I should sus
pect him, but I contrived to quiet him on
that point, and soon afterwards we went
below, where we found the third man
whom I had shot, sitting in the bar-room,
but he never spoke again, and died before
morning. I saw that the boy was fearful
that I might expose him unintentionally,
but I soon assured him to the contrary,
for to a question of the host's as how I
happened to be go well prepared, I an
swered with an easy manner:
"O, it's simple enough. I knew that
fellow who ate supper with me the mo
ment I saw him, for I have met Lim be-
the river to reach his home the home
of his lone mother! who, for six long
years, had toiled and struggled, friendless
and alone. Her earthly tie was broken :
but not by death. The husband and
father was a drunkard and an outcast.
Moss will grow upon grave-stones, the
ivy will cling to the mouldering pile ; the
mistletoe springs from tlie dying branch ;
and God be praised, something green,
something fair to the sight, and grateful
to the heart, will yet twine around and
grow outof the seams and cracks of the
desolate temple of the human heart
A ray of light comniunicatud to the
understanding, is of more value than a
fore. When he asked me aboutmy money, whole volume committed to memory.
ana warned me not to travel any turtlier This is like water in ac'wtern, which may
until morning, I knew he meant to rob be exhausted; that is like a fountain
me, I knew it. Then when I went to yielding to-a continued supply.
Dea, l snored, Put aid not sieep. uy-aod
by I heard some one come to my door and ftg" The best outky of money is in He opened the barrel, and from among a
try it. I snored away then, but at the 'good deeds, heap of shells out tumbled a etout haller !
From Mscnulav's History of F.nfrlanJ.
LAST DAYS OF JEFFREYS.
ONE OF THE ATROCIOUS JUDGES.
Among the many offenders whose
names were mentioned in the course of
these inquiries, was one who stood alone
and unapproached in guilt and infamy,
and whom whigs and tories were equally
willing to leave to the extreme rigor of
the law. On that terrible day which
was succeeded by the Irish Night, the
roar of a great city disappointed of its
revenge had followed Jeffreys to the
drawbridge ot tne lower. 1 lis impris
onment was not strictly legal ; but he at
first accepted with thanks and blessings
the protection which those dark walls.
made famous by so many crimes and
sorrows, afforded him against the fury of
the multitude. Soon, however, he be
came sensible that his life was still in
imminent peril.
For a time he flattered himself with '
the hope that a writ of habeas corpus
would liberate him from his confinement,
and that he should be able to steal to
some foreign country, and to hide him
self with part of his ill-gotten wealth
from the detestation of mankind ; but, till
the government was settled, there was no
court competent to grant a writ of habeas
corpus ; and as soon as the government
had been settled the Habeas Corpus act
was suspended. Whether the legal guilt
of the murder could be brought home to
Jeffreys may be doubted. But he was
morally guilty of so many murders, that
if there had been no other way of reach
ing his life, a retrospective Act of At
tainder would have been clamorously de
manded by the whole nation. A dispo
sition to triumph over the fallen has never
been one of the besetting sins of English
men ; but the hatred of which Jeffreys
was the object was without a parallel in
our history, and partook but too largely
of the savageness of his nature.
The people, where he was concerned,
were as cruel as himself, and exulted in
his misery as he had been accustomed to
exult in the misery of convicts listening
to the sentence of death, and of families
clad in mourning. The rabble congre
gated before his deserted mansion in
Duke street, and read on the door, with
shouts of laughter, the bills which an
nounced the sale of his property. Even
delicate women who had tears for high
waymen and house-breakers, breathed
nothing but vengeance against him. The
lampoons on him which were hawked
about the town were distinguished by an
atrocity rare even in those days. Hang
ing would be too mild a death for him ; a
grave under the gibbet too respectable a
resting-place ; he ought to be whipped to
death at the cart's tail ; he ought to be
tortured like an Indian ; he ought to be
devoured alive.
The street poets portioned out all his
joints with cannibal ferocity, and com
puted how many pounds of 6teak might
be cut from h is well-fattened carcass. Nay,
the rage of his enemies was such that, in
language seldom heard in England, they
proclaimed their wish that he might go to
the place of wailing and gnashing of teeth,
to the worm that never dies, to the fire
that is never quenched. They exhorted
him to hang himself in his garters and to
cut his throat with his razor. They put
up horrible prayers that he might not be
able to repent, that he might die the same
hard-hearted, wicked Jeffreys that he had
lived. His spirit, as mean in adversity as
insolent and inhuman in prosperity, sank
down under the load of abhorrence. His
constitution, originally bad, and much im
paired by iintcmperance, was completely
broken by distress and anxiety.
He was tormented by a cruel and in
ternal disease, which the most skillful sur
geons of that age were seldom able to re
lieve. One solace was left him, brandy
Even when he had causes to try and
councils to attend, he had seldom gone to
bed sober. Now, when he had nothing
to occupy his mind, pave terrible recol
lections and terrible forebodings, he aban
doned himself without reserve to his fa
vorite vice. Many believed him to be
bent on shortening his life by excess.
He thought it best, they said, to go off in
a drunken fit than to be hacked by Ketch,
or torn limb from limb by the jiopulace
Once he was roused from a state of ab
ject despondency by an agri-table sensa
tion, 8pe;dily followed by mortifying dis
appointment. A parcel had been lft for
him at tlie Tower. Jt appeared to be a
barrel of Colchester oysters, his favorite
dainties. He was greatly moved ; for
there are moments when thooe who least
deserve affection are pleaded to think that
they inspire it- " Thank God," be ex
claimed, ! Lave still some friends left'"
It does not appear that one of the flat
terers or buffoons whom he had enriched
out of the plunder of his victims came to
comfort him in the day of trouble. But
he was not left in utter solitude. John
Tutehin, whom he had sentenced to be
Hogged every fortnight for seven years,
made his way into the Tower, und pre
sented himself before the fallen oppres
sor. Poor Jeffreys, humbled to the dust,
behaved with nbject civility, and called
for wine. " I am glad, sir," he said, " to
see you." "And lam glad," answered
the resentful whig, " to see your lordship
in this place." " I served my master,"
said Jeffreys, I was bound in conscience
to do so." " Where was your conscience,"
said Tutehin, " when you passed that sen
tence on me at Dorchester?" " It was
set down in my instructions," answered
Jeffreys, fiiwningly, " that I was to show
no mercy to men like you, but to men of
parts and courage. When I went back
to court I was reprimanded for my leu
ity." Even Tutehin, acrimonious as was his
nature, and groat ns were his wrongs,
seemed to have been a little mollified by
the pitiable spectacle which he had at
first contemplated with vindictive pleas
ure. He always denied the truth of the
report that he was the person who sent
the Colchester barrel to the Tower.
A more benevolent man, John Sharp,
the excellent Dean of Norwich, forced
himself to visit the prisoner. It was a
painful task, but Sharp hud been treated
by Jeffreys, in olden times, as kindly as
it was in the nature of Jeffreys to treat
anybody, and had once or twice been
able, by patiently waiting until the storm
of curses and invectives hnd spent itself
and by dexterously seizing the moment
of good humor, to obtain for unhappy
families some mitigations of the suffer
ings. The prisoner was surprised and
pleased. " What," he said, " dare you
own mc now ?"
It was in vain, however, that the ami
able divine tried to give n salutary paiir
to that seared conscience. Jeffreys, in
stead of acknowledging his guilt, ex
claimed vehemently against the injustice
of mankind. " People call me a murder
er for what at the time was applauded
by some who are now high in public fa
vor. They call me a drunkard because
I take punch to relieve rnc in my agony.
He would not admit that, as President of
the High Commission, he had done any
thing that deserved reproach. His col
leagues, he said, were the real criminals,
aud now they threw all theblamcon him.
He spoke with peculiar asperity of Sprat,
who had undoubtedly been the most hu
mane and moderate member of the board.
It soon became clear that the wicked
judge was fast sinking under the weight
of bodily nnd mental suffering. Doctor
John Scott, Prebentary of St. Paul's, a
clergyman of great sanctity, and nuthor
of the Christian Life, a treatise once
widely renowned, was summoned, pro
bably on the recommendation of his inti
mate friend Sharp, to tlie bedside of the
dying man. It was in vain, however,
thnt, Scott FfKike, ns Sharp had already
sKken of tlie hideous butcheries of Dor
chester and Taunton. To the las!, Jef
freys continued to repent that those who
thought him cruel did not know what his
orders were, that he deserved praUe in
stead of blame, and that his clemency had
drawn on him the extreme displeasure of
his master.
Disease, aasisted by strong drink and
misery, did its work fiist. The patient's
stomach rejected all nourishment. He
dwindled in a few weeks from a portly
und even corpulent man to a skeleton.
On the 18th of April he died, in the 41st
year of his ago. lie had leen Chief
Justice of the King's Bench at 3:, and
Lord Chancellor at 37. In the whole
history of the English bar there is no
other instance of so rapid an elevafion, or
so terrible a fall. The emaciated corpt-e
was laid, with all privacy, next to the
corse of Monmouth in tho chapel of the
Tower.
A Ksonr Problem. The Chinese
arc said to have labored for centuries un
der great embarrassment, from not know
ing how to make a barrel. Tluy could,
without any difficulty, make the staves,
set them up, and hoop them in ; anil, in
deed, with the help of a man inside, they
could put the second head on ; but how
to get the man out after the barrel wa.-t
beaded that was the question.
C" We do not ant precepts so much
as patterns, says Pliny j and example U
the foftest and surest way of command-'
ing. .
y Content is the weaitli of nature.
9
J