Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1847-07-09


~ tell YOU, sir, I never was learnt to pray"
cried st. Giles, moodily 'and what's the
use Of prayingF"
"You would find it open your heart, St.
Giles; and though you see nothing now, if
You were only to pray long and truly, you
would find the darkness go away from your
eyes, and you'd see such bright and beauti-
rnl things about you, and you'd feel as light
and happy as if you had wings at your back
You would, indeed. Then you'd feel That
ali we are doing for you is for the best; then,
my poor boy" said the ordinary with grow
ing ~frrvor, ''Ihen you'd feel what Christian
love S."
"Robert's been reading TO me about that"
said St. Giles, but | can't make il ont no
how. lie says that Christian love means
that we shouldn't do to nobody what we
wouldn't like nobody TO do to ourselves"
"a good boy said the ordinary, ''that is
the meaning, though not the words. I'm
Glad you've so improved"
'And for all that, you tell me that | must
think o. dying; think Of another world and
all that; think of going 10 Tyburn, and, and"
here the boy fell hoarse; his fhce turned
ash color, and reeling, he was about TO tall,
when the ordinary caught him in his arms,
and again placed him on the seat. ITS
no,hin'-nothin' at ALL" cried St. Giles,
struggling with himself-'l'm all right; I'm
game"
Don't say that, child | can't hear you
say that | would rather see you in tears
and pain than trying to be game, as you call
it. That, my boy, is only adding crime to
wickedness. Come, we were talking of
Christian love- said the ordinary.
81 knows noihin' about it," said St. Giles;
'all | know is this,-lt isn't true; it can't
be true"
"Tel| me; why not! Come, let me hear
all you'd say" urged the clergyman tender
ly.
cause if it means that nobody should do
to nobody what nobody would like 10 have
done to themselves, why does anybody keep
me locked up here ? Why did the judge say
| was to %be-you know, Mister :"
"That was for doing wrong, my boy that
was for your first want of Christian love-
You were no Christian when you stole the
HORSE said the ordinary. "Had the horse
been yours, you would have felt wronged
and injured had it been stolen from you 3
You see that, eh, my boy ?"
didn't think o. that" said St. Giles
gloomily "But | didn't steal ii: twas all
O. Tom Blast; and now he's got of;
and I'm here in the Jug. You don't call
justice, no how, do you? But don't
they may do what they like with me
III be game"
''No, my dear boy, you must know better;
you must, indeed-you must give all ytur
TO prayer. and"
ats O. no use, Mister; | tell you | never
was learnt to play, and | don't know how to
go about it. More than that, ! feel somehow
ashamed 10 it. And besides, for all your
Talk, Mister, and you talk very kind to me, |
must say. | can't feel like a Christian, as
you call it; for | can't see why Christians
want TO kill me if Christians are such
good people as you talk about"
"But then, my poor boy" said the ordin-
airy, though young, you must remember,
you're an old sinner. You've lone much
w~ickedness.
81 never done nothing but what I was
taught; and if you say-and Bob there's
been reading it TO me-that the true Chris
tan forgives every body-well then, in
course, the Judge and all the nobs are no
Christians. else wouldn't they forgive me 2
Wouldn't they like it so, 10 teach mt better,
and not TO kill mel But | don't mind !;
I'll be game see if ! don't be game-pre-
cious !"
The ordinary, with a perplexed look, sigh
ed deeply. The sad condition of the boy,
the horrid death awaiting him, the natural
shrewdness with which he combalted the ar
guments employed for his conversion, aflec-
ted the worthy clergyman beyond all past
experience. miserable little wretch !" he
thought, sit will be the worst of murders, if
he dies thus" And then, again, he essayed
to soften the child Gelon, who seemed deter
miued to stand at issue with his spiritual
counsellor; TO recede no step, but to the gal
lows foot to defy him. 1t would be his am
hilton, his glory, if he must die, to die game.
He had heard the praises bestowed upon
such a death-had known the contemptuuus
jeering flung upon the repentant craven-and
he would he the theme Of euIogy in Hog
Lane-he would not be laughed, sneered at,
for dying dunghilI." And this temper so
grew and strengthened 10 st. Giles, that, at
length, the ordinary, wearied and hopeless,
left his folorn charge, promising soon to re-
turn, and hoping, in his own words, to find
the prisoner "a kinder, better, and more
Christian boy"
Its no use your reading that stuff 10 me-
said St. Giles, as the turnkey was about TO
iVShiiO hiS pOON 4 uOH l UNDERSTAND nOln-
In of it; and IFS too late to learn. But !
say, can't you tell us somethin' of Turpin
and Jack Sheppard, eh? Something prime,
to give us pluck"
Come, come" answered the man, "it's
no use going on in this way. You must be
quiet and listen to me; it's all for your good,
l tell you; all for your good"
"My good Well, that's pretty cannon,
that is. should like to know what can be
for my good if I'm to be hanged Ha! ha
See if ] don't kick my shoes Of, that's all
And st. Giles would not listen; but sat or
; the STOOL swinging his legs backwards and
; forwards, and singing one of the melodies
known in Hog Lane-poor wretch it hac
been a cradle melody to him-whilst tn,
turnkey vainly endeavored to soothe and in
terest him. At length the man discontinued
! his hopeless task; and, in sheer lis,lessness
! leaning his back against the wall, fell asleep
And now St. Giles was left alone. Ant
now, relieved of importantly, did he foreg