Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1848-05-24
sPARDONED.'
A Fragment from Real Life.
nY mrs. EMMA c. ENQUIRY,

" i
Since the earliest dawn of morning had
the unhappy wife been waiting at the gate
of that doleful prison until the hour APP
pointed for admission. By the beatings Of
her own heavy heart she had had counted
the dreary minutes, as they slowly Jagged
along; and yet she listened with shud-
der to the clock whose iron tongue was
numbering her husbands last hours on
earth. At length the door Enclosed, and
taking her child by the hand, she followed
the turnkey into the condemned CELL
Alas she had trod that darksome way
many times before but she was never again
to follow its windings after this fearful.
morning. In the emaciated form Of that
lonely prisoner,--in that pallid face,
ploughed with the burrows Of mortal ago.
ny,-she beheld the husband of her youth,
the father Of her child, ay, and the con-
demned felon. In vain had she sought for
mercy from those who sat in the high pla-
ces, of judgement. She had found kind
ness, compassion, sympathy but no promise
of comfort. He must die.-innocent Of
this last great crime, but with life time
Of sin yet unrepented OF, he must die the
death Of murderer! Yet not alone had
he been left to encounter the horrors Of
that Inst night upon earth. One, whose
duty had taught him to administer the balm
of spiritual healing, who had knelt beside
him during those frightful hours Of dark
ness, and his prayers had thus scared the
evil demons from their prey.
"Listen to me, Mary, said the misera-
BILE man; s'listen to me as to dying man:
l am no murderer! A gambler and a
drunkard l have been: deserving of the
heaviest punishment for sins committed
against you, Mary,-against the oracles
Of God within my own soul; but never
have my hands been stained with blood
1t is true was among the rioters saw
the tavern brawl in which young Rivers
lost his life; but as hope to gain from
Heaven the mercy denied on earth, my
hand was not raised in the afray. The
witness who lied my life away, struck the
bow for which am unjustly condemned
and had not been rendered powerless by
strong drink, l would have stepped be-
tween those who were drunk with wrath
Do you not believe me, Nary"
81 DOL do,-and oh thank God fol-
this one drop of consolation in my cup Of
bitterness"
The convict took his child upon his
knee, and looked sadly and fxedly in his
face. Take him far from hence, he
gasped, ''give him another name: let him
never be known to others as a felon's son
But tell him of his fathers fate that you
may guard him from fathers vices
Let him never forget, that had | taken
heed to the beginnings of evil, / should
not now be the wretch am.'
At this moment sound Of footsteps
was heard; the keys ratified in the heavy
lock, and the form of the jailor appeared
in the doorway. Pale, cold, and hall
fainting, the unhappy woman sank on hel
knees, with her hand clasping as if in ;
death grasp; the cold finger ofthe convict
"Has the hour come ?" asked the prise.
ner. "Well, l am ready" and, taking
one last fond look at his uncons cious child
he endeavored to extricate himself from
the boys embrace. What means that sud.
pen pause? The light of a lantern CLEANS
far along the vaulted passage, but shines
full upon paper in the hands Of the Jail
er. The kindly official knows every WORD
of its contents, but he holds it closer te
the light as if coming it more carefully
in order that the group within the cell may
be prepared forh tidings.
Vain caution. "Pardoned! PARDoSEp!'
The shock is too great; the spirit that wa.
nerved to wrestle with agony, cannot en-.
dure the quick revulsion Of feeling. Will
a checked and gurgling cry, Mary falls
heavily forward: and the heart which ha:
been overtasked by sorrow is broken BY
the sudden stroke of joy.