go upon the best terms I could get. The
result was a loss of about one hundred dollars. However, I had a
very pleasant visit in Cincinnati with my brother Lampson, who was
connected with the "Cincinnati Gazette." He was a member of the
family of Mr. Charles Hammond, his daughter, and son-in-law Mr.
L'Hommedieu. Mr. Hammond had been a warm friend of my father's
and was certainly one of the ablest writers of his day and generation,
as well as an accomplished lawyer. He was much pleased at my
adventure and especially with my rough shoes and warm Kentucky
jeans. He told me not to be discouraged, and flattered me with
the statement that a young fellow who could, at fifteen years of
age, do what I had done would make his way in the world.

At that time I saw Judge Burnett at his residence. He had been a
colleague of my father on the supreme bench, and during all his
manhood had been distinguished as a lawyer and a man of marked
ability. He wore a long queue, preserved the habits of the gentleman
of the old school, and was proud of being a Federalist. His book
called "Burnett's Notes" is perhaps the most valuable collection
of historical data pertaining to the early history of Ohio now
extant.

At this time I visited what was called Powers' "Hell." My brother
Lampson and I took the boatmen with us, and "Lamp," who was fond
of playing practical jokes, and knew the place better than I did,
took care to warn one of the roughest of my boatmen to seize hold
of a bar which was before him, and which "Lamp" knew would be
charged later with electricity, and to hold on to it for dear life.
We heard a rumbling sound inside, and finally saw flashes resembling
lightning, and we naturally seized on whatever was before us to
await the opening of "Hell." After more sheet lightning the veil
was drawn aside and there were before us representations of human
beings in every attitude of agony. At the same moment the electric
current was passed through certain bars before us, on one of which
the boatman held a firm grip, but no sooner was he charged with
electricity than his hair flew on end, he looked the picture of
terror, shouted in a loud voice, "O, hell!" and broke for the door.
Soon after we followed also, and that, to us, was the end of a
scene that ought never to have been exhibited.

I returned to Beverly in a steamboat and soon settled all the bills
of the salt speculation, but had to call upon Mr. McComb and my
brother,