Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1848-03-23

: tempt, but TO do il AZ prudently and as early a
!, might be, through old Ayliie, or the chaplain
or governor of the gaol. lie was just abou
d to leave, and was considering in what terms b.
, could the most eflectualy address himself I
= AyhfIo. when, without any summons havinI
issued from within, the door was unlocked
\ and the turnkey, shrusting in his head, said
e 80 say, my man, here's the woman com
: with thy child, that thou'st been asking for
n They'll come in when the gentleman goes
5 AylifIe started up from his seat with ~
: eager motion towards the door, but was sud
denly ierked down again, having forgotten il
: his momcntary ecs.acy that his irons were at
tached 10 staple in the floor.
'Come. come my man, said the turnkey
sternly, thou must be bit quieter, can tel
thee, if this child is TO come to thee"
80 Give me the lad give me the lad give
, me the lad = said Aylifle, in hoarse whisper
5 his eyes straining towards the approaching
5 figure of the good woman, who, with a very
sorrowful and apprehensi We look, now came
in sight Of the condemned man.
"s Lord bless thee, Adam Ayliffe she
) began, bursting into tears, Lord love thee ant
protect thee, Adam =
"'Give me the lad show me the lad !.
he continued, gazing intently at her, while she
trembling pushed aside her cloak and behold
there lay, simply and decen,ly clad his little
boy awake, and gazing, apparently apprehen
sively, at the strange wild figure whose arm.
were extended to receive it
"' Adam, father of this thy dear child, saiC
Mr.. llylton, interposiDg for n moment between
Aylfie and the child, not without some alarm
wilt thou handle it tenderly, remembering
how feeble and small i. is .
"On this, poor Aylilfe gazed at Mr.. Ilytor
with face of unspeakable agony, weeping Ia.
mentally and still extending his arms, the
passive child, gazing at him in tmid silence
was placed within them. He sat down gently
gazing at his child for some moments with a
face never to be forgotten by those who saw it
II Then he brought it near to his face, and kiss
ed necessarily, but with unspeakablc tender
ness, its tiny features, which were quickly
bcdewed with his tears.
"' His mother his mother his mother
he exclaimed, in heart-rending tones, still gaz-
| ing intently at his face, which was directed
towards his own with evident apprehension.
! Its little hand for moment ciasped one of the
irons that bound his father, but removed it i'm
mediately, probably from the coldness of the
metal. The father saw this, and seemed
dreadfully agitaied for some moments and
Mr.. IIylton, who also had observed the little
circumstance, was greatly affected and turned
aside his head After while,-
| "' How easily, my little lad, could dash
out thy little brains against these irons,' said
Ayifie, in low desperate tone of voice, star
ing into the child's face, and save thee from
ever coming to this unjust fate that thy father
hath
"Mr. Hylton was excessively alarmed, bat
concealed his feelings, preparing, however, for
some perllous and insane action, endangering
the safety of the child The gathering cloud
however, passed away, and the manacled IA
thcr kissed his unconscious child with all his
former tenderness.
"They II tell thee, poor lad, that was a
murderer, though it be false as hell They II
| shout after thee, there goes the murderer s
son. lie paused, and then with sudden
start said There will be no grave for thee or
| thy mother to come and cry overl
80 Adam, said Mr.. Hylton, very anxiously,
weary not yourself thus-aarm not this poor
child, by thus yielding TO fear and despair !;
but rather, if il can hereafter remember what
| passeth here this day, may its thoughts bo of
| thy love and ofthy gentlencss Ifit be the will
of God that thou must die, and that unjustly,
as far as men are concerned, He will watch
over and provide for this little soul, whom lie,
forseeing its fate, sent into the world
II "Ayli1e lifted the child with trembling
arms, and pressed its cheeks to his lips. The
little creature did not cry, nor appear likely
to do so, but seemed the image of mute appre-
hension. The whole scene was so painful,
that Mr.. Hylton was not sorry when the Gov
crnor of the goal approached, to intimate that
the interview must cease. The prisoner ex-
hausted with violent excitement, quietly sur
rendered his child to his attendant, and then
silently grasped the hand of Mr.. lIylton.
Il Mr.. Hylton writes letter to the King, and
his sentence is commuted TO perpetual exile
20 years have elapsed, when dying man con-
fesscs that he is the murderer-,he Earl of
| Milverstoke visits old Adam Aylfic.
/ Mr.. Hylton was moved almost to tears at
the spectacle which was before his mind s eye,
of these two old men meeting for the first, and
il might be for the only, time upon earth and
his offer TO accompany his Lordship at once
to the cottage, the Earl eagerly accepted, and
they both took their departure. AS the car
riagc approached, the Earl showed no little
agitation at the prospect of the coming inter-
| view.
/ "'Yonder, said Mr.. Hylton exulingly, ,'yon-
der is the humble place where dwcils STILL and
but a little longer, one whom angels there have
mnstcred to (; with whom God there hath ever
communion; and it is hallowed spott'
"The Earl spoke not and in few minutes
time he was to be seen, supported by Mr.. Hyl-
ton and a servant, closely approaching the cot
tage door, another preceding him to announce
his arrival, and standing uncovered outside the
door as the Earl entered it his lordly master
himself uncoyering, and bowing low as he
stepped within, accompanied by Mr. Hylton.
who led him up to old Ayliffe, saying Adam,
here comes one to speak with you-my Lord
Milverstoke-who saith that he hath long, in
heart, done 10 you and yours injustice and
hath come hther to tell you so.'
The Earl trembed on Mr.. HyTon's arm
while he said this, and stood uncovered, gazing
with an air of Difference at the old man, who,
when they entered, was sitting beside the fire,
leaning on a staff beside table, on which stood
his old Bible, open, with his spcctacles lying
upon it, as though he had just laid them there.
He rose slowly as Mr.. Hylton finished speak
ing.
-" MY Lord said he solcmnly. and stand
ing more erectly than he had stood for years,
we be now both very old men, and God has
not spared us thus long for nothing.