About once a month I shod that horse, little thinking that he was to carry me over my three years’ imprisonment in just half that time.  Yet so it was.  For talking now almost daily, in the hospital or in the yard, with the Warden, he became interested in me, and in answer to his inquiries I told him the whole story of my persecution, as I considered it, my trial and my unjust and severe sentence.  When he had heard all he said: 

“You ought not to be here another day; you ought to go out.”

The good chaplain also interested himself in my case, and after hearing the story, he and the Warden took a lawyer named Bemis, into their counsel, laid the whole matter before him and asked his opinion.  Mr. Bemis, after hearing all the circumstances, expressed the belief that I might get a pardon.  He entered into the matter with his whole heart.  He sent for my son Henry and my first wife, and they came and corroborated my statement about the mutual agreement for separation, and told how long we had been parted.  Mr. Bemis and they then went to Governor Briggs, and told him the story, and that I had served out half of my severe sentence, and pressed for a pardon.  The Governor after due deliberation consented to their request.  They came back to Charlestown with the joyful intelligence.  Warden Robinson advised my son, that considering my present mental and physical condition, he had better break the intelligence gradually to me, and so Henry came to me and said, simply, that he thought he would soon have “good news” for me.  The next day I was told that my pardon was certain.  The day following, at 12 o’clock, I walked out, after eighteen months’ imprisonment, a free man.  I was in the streets of Charlestown with my own clothes on and five dollars, given to me by the Warden, in my pocket, I was poor, truly, but I was at liberty, and that for the day was enough.

CHAPTER III.

The Scheimer sensation.

The Scheimer family-in love with Sarah-attempt to elope-how it was prevented-the second attempt-A midnight expedition-the alarm-A frightful beating-escape-flogging the devil out of Sarah-winter in new Hampshire-return to new Jersey-"Boston Yankee"-Plans to secure Sarah.

I went at once to the Prisoners Home, where I was kindly received, and I stayed there two days.  The superintendent then paid my passage to Pittsfield where I wished to go and meet my son.  From Pittsfield I went to Albany, then New York, and from there to Newtown N. J. Here I went into practice, meeting with almost immediate success, and staid there two months.  It was my habit to go from town to town to attend to cases of a certain class and to sell my vegetable preparations; and from Newtown I went to Belvidere, stopping at intermediate towns on the way, and from Belvidere I went to Harmony, a short distance below, to attend a case of white swelling, which I cured.