The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1845-10-16

an interest for which he could not &C
couat
81 was born OF reputable parents, nay
distinguished parents,' said the man
@and oae at least was an angel. Butsh
died early, and my Mther, immersed II
ambitious schemes quite forgot me,so tha
i was LIFT to form my IVA associations
which therefore, were not all Of the mos
unexceptionabIe Kind. by and by, my IT.
Irregularities began to attract my father
rotice. He reproved me too harshly
RecoIlect, [ was epoiIt by indulgence,
soon committed another youthful folly
My Punishment, this time, was more Sc
we're and quite as i'll advised as before
/ was a creature Of impuIse, pliAbIe eitheI
for good or bad--aad my only surviving
parent fell into the error OF attempting &c
drive me, when he should have persUad'
ed me with kindness. The fact is, neither
Of Us understood each other. Well, mat
ters went or thus for two years and more;
[ was extrava9ant, rebellious, dissipated
my parent was hard aud unforgiving.
At Icngth,' continued the speaker, tUrn
ing fall ou the Judge unltl their eyes met,
"at lehgth, n evening, my pareRt seat
for me into the study. 4 had been guilty
Of some youthful folly, and having threat
ened NE about fortnight before with dis
il Inheritance if / again ve&ed HINT he aow
told ne thai henceloth / was to be 40
child Of his, but &a oUtcast and a beggar.
He said, too, that he thanked God my
mother had moi lived to see that day. Thai
touched me.-Ead he then spoken kindly
had he given me a chance, might have
reformed but be irritated nae with hard
words, checked my rising ~promptings of
coed By c0ndemning me unheard, and sent
me forth aIone iato the world. From
that hour" continued the prisoner, speak,
ing rapidly and with great emotion, II
was desperate. | went oot from his doors
a homeless, penalties, friendIess boy. My
former associates would have sbrunk from
me. ever il | had not been too proud to
seek them. All decent society was shut
against me. | soon became almost starv-
ed fer waut OF money. But what needs it
to tell the shifts / was driven to? SLEPT
in miserable novels i cOnsorted with the
lowest and Viies,--i gambIed, [ cheated,
and yet [ could scarcely get my bread,
You, who sit ia luxurious homes, know
not the means 10 which the miserable out
cast must resort for a iigelihoodi But
enough. FROM Que step [ passed to an
ill I an here. From the moment
| was cast cut Of my fathers house, my
fate was Inevitable, leading me by cou-
descending steps, emil / became
The feion ! nowam. And [ stand here 10
day. ready to eudQre the utmost penalty
OF your laws, careless Of the future, as 1
have been reckless Of the past"
He ceased aad now released from the
Of his passionate eIoqVence, whjch
had chained their eyes to hIm, the specla-
.ors tanned toward The Judge, TO see what
Eject the prisoners words had produced.
Well was It, that 90 one had looked there
else that proud maa had sank COW
erjng from his seat. They would have
3een how his eye gradually quailed before
hat Of The sBcaKer-how he turned sshy
his whole face, at length, be-
cGnvQIsed With agony. Ay old
nan, remorse was now fully awake, 10
he crimjusI be had recognized his own
sonl He thought then Of the words he
2ad once aged, els goa sow, 50 shoU y0u
But by 2 mighty effort he vas
enabled TO hear the prisoner 10 The ead,aud
hea feeling as Il every eye was upon hIm,
penetrating this terrible secret in his looks,
lie sank, with Il groln, senseIess to the
Tor,
The confusion that occurred in the court
louse, when it was found that the judge
lad been taLen suddenly iii, rs The pbysi.
ian eajd, by q stroke Of apopIcxy, led to
poslpouement of the prisoners sentence :
I'D before he mex! sessioa Of the court
he cuIFrit had received a conditional par.
on, The rc8olt, it was said, Of The NIT
circumstances which he had
.rged SO clog ueotIy at his trial. The
OF which 4 large portion Of citizens
'eritioned for his pardon required that he
houId forever after reside abroad. 1t was
aid that the Judge, although scarcely re-
overed, had taken such an interest IN the
'gisoner, as to visit him in Il long aud Sc
let interview, the night before he sailed
or Europe.
About a year after these events, Judge
larcourt resigned his ofice on the plea
# iI!-heaIyh, and having settled his affairs,
Embarked for many years. Tie never re-
urned to America, Put travellers said that
Ye was residing ia a secluded valley Of
,alv, with a man in the prime Of life, who
,assed fer his adopted son, a smiling
amiIy of gfaad chjIdren surrounded him
The happy father could say, ia the Ian
of Scripture, '4his my son WIS
.ead and is alive again, he was lost and
S found-'
TMTE the subscribers, being appoints
Wv ed by the Hon. Probate Court
49,. q En--L-.l --.