CHANCELLOR KENT CAUGHT IN AN EQUIVOCAL SITUATION.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2177, 27 December 1875, Page 2

CHANCELLOR KENT CAUGHT IN AN EQUIVOCAL SITUATION.

L. B. Proctor, author of " The Bench and Bar," contributes to the, Buffalo Courier an amusing incident in the his* tory of the great jurist. Early in June, 1815, Chancellor Kent and his wife, in a private carriage, left their home in the city of New York on a tour to the "county of Genesse," as western New York was then called. At that time, though the distance did not exceed 370 miles, the journey was moje toilsome, protracted, and dangerous tbair a trip from New' York to Oregon now is. On the fifth day out the couple lost their way, and night coming on, believed themselves doomed to spend it in the open forest, exposed to all its horrors and dangers* But just as Kent brought the horses to a halt, a light suddenly gleaned put of the interstices between the trees a khort distance ahead. Pushing, once more,'they found, themselves in a few moments'in front of a comfortable log-house standing near'the roadside. - A woman, apparently 30 years of age, with a lighted candle in her hand, cornea to the door. j ,;''■'' ". My good woman,' myself and my wife, the lady in the carriage with me, are travelling on our way to Canandiagua, but we have lost the way; night is upon .us, and we can go no'further. Can you-give us shelter for the night, some supper,'and something for our horses ?*' askecuKent. "We are jioor folks," saW the woman, " and I'm alone.' •My man ;is chopping over in the Billings settlement, three miles off, and he won't be home for an hour. You are strangers and I don't—but you look like respectable people, and I guess you can stay here. I'll give, you some' thing to eat if it ain't quite so good, and I'll fodderyour. horses, too. Your woman there had better get out and conw^in, while I put the horses in the stable." '< I Mrs Kent obeyed. The horses-were i unharnessed, led to the stable and fed. In a short time the woman prepared a homely, but acceptable supper for her guests. When the meal was finished she 'wid '■■' ' ■'-'' ••■-' ' V l';, 1 "I s'pose you're tired and want rogo Ito bed. That's our bed in the corner 1 there, but you can sleep in it to-night. I land my man can sleep overhead. I'll

jest set his supper oMha table, when he cornea in he'll eat it, but it.FonJ disturb yeu. Then he'll come up to bed where 1 am." , So saying, she placed her man s eyening repast on the tablei lit another candle, then ascended a ladder leading to _a sort of scuttle hole, through which she orawled. In a few moments she was m bed lost in sleep. . ■'■ ' ' The travellers also retired to rest. " Tired nature" hurried them swiftly on to the land* of dreams. Suddenly the chancellor started up, exclaiming : " Bessiei that outside rdoor is not: fastened. Presently the man of the" I house will return, and seeing me here in ted Tpith!you;he will of course think you '• are his wife, and Bessie, he won't relish that. Being a wood chopper, he will have his axe with him, and before I can explain matters the chancellor of this state will stand a good chance to be chopped to rpieces^iiot a pleasant thing .to think of Bessie^"' '■':: ■'- ?^-^-V-''\,- -\ '_ l; y, "It is a bad matter. While he is chopping you up he may includi me m^the Exercise. ; What pan you doP" said Mrs " I tell you, Bessie,, what I'll: do.. J'H push that table against the dopr. When the man comes it will take him some .time tp remove it.- Whilehe isrdoing so I can explain matters with him," said the chancellor. ..^Accordingly he arose) took hold of the taVle to push it against the door. While in-the act he heard heavy footsteps approaching ; ■ the next instant a;. man of gigantic sizej in his shirt sleeves, wearing a bear-skin cap on his head, pushed the door open ana entered "the room. The first object that greeted his sjght was #ie chtfhceilor; with 1 no: elbthing' on him but his shirt. Glancing at the bed, he saw, as he sttpposedj his wife there, and the 'situation became painfully apparent to hiift' Furious with jealousy; he exclaimed: '""'.. \' '• :.,/: „; ■■.-.. ■, ■ ■:.- ---"; 'f Who the mischief are you, in my house iii your shirlf tail this time of night ? you! I've caught you, whoever you ■tat. I*--*.. -,' ■■••=.. '„-, .■.vr::«<r-!vv"X "It is all right, my good sir," said Kent trying to explain matters. "It s all right; lam--~#" -: -;::"" r:' '■. " All right! All right! You be Wowed! thundered the man. "I see—didn't expect me home, -f Thought you'd fasten me out when I did come—was going to have things all your own way here, hey ? But I caught you—happened around in the nick :of time." **Pray let me explain, sir," said the biiaticellor. ''Myself and my wife there Your wife! Your wife! Good heavens! what a bold cuss you are. I know who you are now. You're Sam Flickner, that - used 'to court my wife, as I heard tell, ; Now, Flickner, what have you gotto say for yourself, you cuss?", -^My name is riot Flickner; 'it is James Kent. lam the Chancellor of the State of New York. That is my wife Bessie^- that 3iP in the be#' there! 5? our wife is Up-stairsi all fight.; There is your gupjper on the table, eat'it, for gracious lake;!" cried Kent in a hurried manner. ■■■■ -•»*• Chancelior of the Stateof New York, Key ?' ; What: the dickens is the Chan-. cellpr 1.,0|. the 'State doing in : my house this time of night in his shirt tailP-r^ pretty way to get out of a scrape—lay it to-the Ghanqellpr, of ,the State; hey ?If he s!no»U,9atchfybu. in^jthe house as I have caughtfyou he'd chancel you. I say you 1 are Sam; Flickner, and I'll dick life but of ypu,'4 said the man, advancing toward' Kent, with .a fist that looked like a-sledce hammer. At this critical moment.his wife ;put/her head down the hatchway; exclaiming, " Hold on, <fim! I'm up here, all right. They have lost their way: I guess they arei good folks and I've given 'em our bed; eat your supper and come uptd!bedj ddn?t make such.a bear of yourself. If I hadn't been sound asleep when you came all this fuss wouldn't happened." This address brought matters to a proper understanding.,., The man apologised for his hastiness. Said he didn't beUeye his wife was that kind of a woman; althpugh at first things looked awfully against her; besides that he kiiowed Sam Flickner was a cuss. The chancellor went to bed. The man sat down to his supper, and when it was finished retired quietly to his bed upstairs; and soon all the inmates of the house were wrapped in slumber. The next: morning the hostess prepared her guests a comfortable breakfast. Herman repeated his apologies of the last night, gave them careful directions regarding their road, and with many good wishes bade them adieu.