Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1822-09-21

less aud wandering eyes, and they looks
| ed like men recovering from a long and
painful sickness. / a!niost thought I
saw something like fsintsmile ofhope.
"God has been mercitul unto US !" SAID
| the father with acalm voice. Isl must
not think that he has forgiven my sins,
but he has enabled me to look on my
poor sons face--to kiss him--to fold
HMM My arms--to pray for him--to
fall asleep with him in my bosom. as
used often to doin the days Of his boy
hood, when during the heat Of mid, day
rested from labour below the treSs of
my own farm We have found resigna-
ton ut last, and are prepared TO die
There were no transports OF deluded
enthusiasm in the souls OF these unhappy
men. They had never doubted the truth
of revealed religion, although they had
fatally disregarded its precepls; and nov
that remorse bad given way to penitence,
and nature had become reconciled to the
thought of inevitable death, the light that
had been darkened, but never extinguish-
ed in their hearts, rose up anew; aud
knowing that their souls were immortal,
they humbly put their faith in the mercy
of their Creator and their Redeemer.
1T was during that resigned and serene
hour, that the old man venlured to ask
for the mother of his poor unhappy boy.
! told him the truth calmly, anc calmly
be heard it all. On The day of his con-
demnation, she had been deprived Of her
reason; and in the house of a kind friend,
whose name he blessed. now remained
in merciful ignorance Of all that had be-
fallen, believing he rselt, indeed, to be
mo'herless widow, but one who had long
ago lost her husband, and all her children,
in the ordinary course OF nature At this
recital bis soul was satisfied. The son
said nothing, but wept long and bitterly.
1.-The day of execution came al last
the great city lay still as on the morning
of the Sabbath day; and all the ordinary
business of life seemed, by one consent
Of the many thousand hearts beating there
TO be suspended. But as the hours advan
ced, the frequent tread Of feet was heard
in every avenue; The streets began 10 fill
with pale, anxious, and impatient faces;
and many eyes were turned TO the dials on
the steepIes, watching the silent progress
OF the finger of time, till il should reach
the point at which the curtain:was 10 be
drawn up from before most mournfu' ira
ge!dyr; ,, -, .,.,,
the thick prison walls by US, who were TO-
gether for The last time in the condemned
cell. had administered to them the most
awful ute Of our religion, and father and
son sat together as silent as death The
door of the dungeon opened, and several
persons came in. One o. them, who had.a
shriveIled bloodless face, and small red
fiery eyes, an old man, feeble and totter-
ing but cruel III his decreptlude, laic
hold OF the son with cord. No resist
ance was offered; but, straight and untrem-
bling stood that tall and beautiful youth,
while the 6end bound him for execution.
At this mournful sight, how could bear to
look on bis fathers face? Yet thither were
nine eyes impelled by the agony that al
flicted my COMMUNICATING soul: During
that hideous gaze, he was inseasble OF The
executloners approach towards himself;
and all the time that the cords were encI.
cling his own arms, he felt them not-he
saw nothing but bis son standing at last
before him, ready for the scaffold.
81 dimly recollecta long dark vaulted
passage, and the echoing tread OF footsteps,
till all at once we stood in crowded hall
with thousand eyes fixed TN these two
miserable men. How unlike were they TO
all beside They sat down together with
in the shadow of death Prayers were
said, and psalm was sung, in which their
voices were heard to join with tones that
wrung out tears from the hardest or the
most careless heart. Often had heard
those voices singing IN my own peaceful
church, before evil had disturbed, or mise
ry broken them but the last words OF the
psalm was sung, and the hour OF their de-
parture was come.
They stood a. last upon the scafold.
That long street, that seemed 10 stretch a.
way Unfortunately from the old Prison
house, was paved with uncovered heaos
for the moment these ghosts appeared,
that mighty crowd felt reverence Tor nu
man nature SO terribly tried, and prayers
and blessings, passionately CALCULATED, or
convusiveiy stihed, went lowering over all
the multitude, as if they feared some great
calamity TO themselves, and telt standing
on the first tremour OF an earthquake.
cit was most beautiful summers day
on which they were led out TO die; 4 as the
old man raised his eyes, for the last time,
20 the sky, the clouds lay motionless on
that blue translucent arch, and the sun
shone joyously over the magnificent hea-
vens II seemed day made tor happi-
ness or for mercy. But no pardon dropt
down from these smiling skies, and the
vast multitude were not to be denied tne
troubled feast oil death. Many who now
stood there wished they bad beeo IN the