Termination of the shingle-machine affair, — Obtain a horse and chaise and start for Athens, — Description of the roads, — Sentiment, — Stop to rest, — Dismal appearance of the country. — See a house, — Get to it, — Happen to hit on the right man, — Explain our visit, — Kindly treated, — Description of land speculators, — Describe our lots, — They are valueless, — Remarks on Athens, — Remain all night, — Ride up to a tavern, — Plentiful supply, — Arrive at Skowhegan, — Description, — Start for Boston, — Disposal of our land. I informed the sheriff that I was the prisoner's friend and should not leave him until justice had been done.
" If this man has come all the way from Boston with a forged note against that ' cut-throat looking villain,' with an expectation of getting money from him, then he deserves the highest punishment that the law can inflict. But, sir, if on the other hand, it turn- out that all this is a scheme to defraud this man of the genuine note, I am determined to put him through and have that fellow punished. " The gentleman who was my fellow traveller to Athens was also a sympathizer with me in behalf of the prisoner, and was willing to remain until the case was decided. The first thing now to be done was to procure able counsel, if such could be found in these regions, and it must be done immediately.
The sheriff recommended me to a squire somebody, who resided in a village seven miles distant. I accordingly made preparation to go for him, and went out on the piazza among the people who, by this time, had considerably increased. They gathered round me, enquiring what was to lie done with the forger. I now explained to them my position; that after hearing the man's story, I believed that a plan had been arranged to defraud hirn out of the note and probably to extort money from him. " Now, gentlemen, I am his friend to any amount, and am determined that the guilty party shall be punished." Turning to the miserable object who was the cause of this trouble, said I, " how is it that there are two notes alike, unless you wrote a duplicate for this very purpose?
And I wish to ask another question. You say you paid the note two months ago; why did you pay before it came to maturity 1 you don't look as if you were over-run with money." And while talking with the fellow, the landlord beckoned for me to come in; he then took me aside and said: " I think, sir, this matter can be adjusted without further trouble. That fellow is now under bonds for stealing logs, and is not worth a red cent. I think if you will come in and see the sheriff with me, the whole matter can be settled without further trouble." And now, reader, what do you think flashed across my mind? could it be possible that the landlord tvas at the bottom of the whole transaction, and when he found that the man had a friend he teas' glad to back out?
And to end this villanous affair it was adjusted that night; and in the morning our quondam prisoner came to me with a cheerful countenance, saying that all was right; he had been remunerated and was going home in the next stage. Although this story may appear like fiction, yet I assure the reader it is strictly true. We ascertained that Athens lay in a northern direction about twelve miles distant. Obtained a horse and chaise and commenced our journey very early next morning; previously parlaking of a hearty breakfast. The first few miles was through a decent country, bearing a luxuriant growth of stunted pine trees; the road, however, was richly lined with bushes, and here and there a few red and green blackberries.
Our path now lay up the side of a young mountain, the top of which looked as high as the clouds. The sun shone brightly, imparting much warmth. And the old horse showed evident signs that his pores were not in the least obstructed, and in order to relieve the poor brute, we both got out and walked behind, pushing the team ahead with all our might. We soon discovered that going to Athens was altogether up-hill work, and after four hour's drag, we reached the summit and stopped to rest, for we had actually pushed the horse most of the way up. I sat down and began to sentimentalize. I cast my eyes around to catch a sight of Athens, either of Mars Hill or the Acropolis, crowned with the majestic Parthenon, but saw nothing before me but one vast desert of white rocks.