The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1849-02-19

DV uFItIk. DUt lie WdS III reality, good H6aTteC
| fellow and like his rough father had undevelopet
! germs of deep tenderness within him. His father
life was bound mp within his his mother loved hin
with all the energy of which her sluggish nature
was capable and notwithstanding the nequaiiie:
of his violent and caprlciOus temper, the neghbor:
! loved him also.
What them was their CONSERVATION when it was
rumored that on his twenty-fourth birthday ne had
| been arrested for murder, And alas il was too
true that his passions had thus far mastered
! his He wished TO please a young girl in
the vicinity, and she treated him coolIy because
rival had Informed her that he seen intoxicated
and in that state spoke over boldly of being sure OF
| her love. lie drank again to drown his vexaton,
and while the excitement of the draught was on
| him he met the man who informed against him.
Unfortunately an axe was at hand, and, in the
double fury of drink and rage, he struck with it
again and again. One hour after, he would have
given all he hoped to possess, nay, would
gladly have died, could he have restored the life he
had so wantonly destroyed.
Thus, Mr.. Barker was again brought into court
of justice, affair of life and death. How DIFF
ferently all questions connected with the subject
presented themselves now As he sat beside that
darling son, the pride of his life, his only hope on
EARTH oh, how he onged for words of fire, TO plead
that his young existence might be spared for repent
anCe and amendment How well he remembered
the juryman's plea for youth and intoxication! anu
with what agony of sef-reproach he recalled his
own hard answer With intense anxiety he watch
ed the counenances of the jury for some CLEANS of
compassion. But, ever and anon, pale young
face doomed up between him and them, and gazed
at him with fixed despair. The vision of other
years returned to him and Joseph, his best beloved,
his only one, stood beside it, pale and handcuffed
as he had been. The voice that pronounced his
son guilty sounded like an awful echo Of his own
and he seemed TO hear Mary Williams whisper
" And ma also was very young
That vigorous shoot from his own existence,
so full of life and feeling, and, alas, of passion,
which msgudes us all-he must die, No earthly
power can him May the ALL MERcIFUL
sustain that poor father, he watches the heavy
sumber Of his only son in that dark prison; and
while he clasps the cold hand, remembers so well
the dimpled fingers he used to hold in his, when
little Joe sat upon his knee and pratted childish
love.
And the ALL MERCIFUL was with him, and sent
influences to sustain him through that terrible
agony. 1t did not break his heart; it melted and
subdued him. The CONCEALED sympathies of his
nature flowed under this ordeal of fire; and, for the
first time, he had a realizing sense that every hu
man being is. or has been somebody's little Joe.
. How kind you are to me, - said the prisoner,
in answer 10 his soothing words and at1ectionate at
tenOns
He replied meekly, "Would had always been
so - Then turning his face away, and earnestly
pressing JOseph's hand, he said, i'll agitated
voice, Tell me truly, my son, does II ever occur
to you, that ! may have been to blame for this
great misfortune that has befallen You"
. lOu, dear father ~ he exclaimed. | do not
understand what you mean
Still keeping his face turned away, and speaking
with effort, Mr. Barker said :: Do you remember
once, when | was beating my horse cruelty (you
Were boy of twelve them neighbor Goodwin re-
marked to me, that was giving bad lesson Omy
son! was angry with him at The time; and per-
haps that resentment helped to make me hard
toward poor young fellow who is dead and gone;
but his words keep ringing in my now. May
in mo / ba We pIp
said anything to lead you into this great sin.
Tell me, Joseph, do you ever think it might have
happened otherwise, if you had had less violent
father ~
NV poor .father!;' exclaimed the prisoner,
pressing his hand convulsvely, it almost breaks
my heart to hear you thus humble yourself before
me, who little deserve it at your hands. Only
forgive me ma violent outbreaks, dear father! for
in the midst of them all, always loved you. You
have always sought to do me good, and would
rather have died than have led me into any harm.
But since | have been here in prison, have
thought of many things that never occurred to me
before. The world and all things in it are placed
before me in different light Ii seems to me men
all wrong in their habits and teachings. ! see
now that retaliation and hatred are murder have
read often, of late, the exhoraion of Jesus TO for
give brother his Offences not only seven times,
but twenty times seven; and ] feel that thus 1t
ought TO be with human beings IN all their relations
with each other. What have done cannot be I'M
done but if it will be any satisfaction to you rest
assured that | did not intend to kill him. | was
wretched and was fool enough to drink, and then
! knew not what did. Violent as my temper has
been, | never conceived the thought OF taking
his life.'
~ know it. nv son, | know it, he said, " and
that reflection consoles me in some degree. While
| have a loaf of bread ] will share it with the
mother and sister of him you -" he hesitated,
shuddered, and added, in low, deep tone" you
murdered
81 was going to ask that of you" replied the pri
soner; and one thing more, dear father; try to
bear up bravely under this terrible blow, for the
sake Of my poor patient mother"
Il will, WILL he answered; " and now my
dear misguided boy, say you forgive your poor
father for the teachings of his violent words and
actions | did not foresee the consequences, my
child did it in my ignorance. But 1t was wrong,
wrong, all wrong
The young man threw himself on his fathers
bosom, and they had no other utterance but tears.
After his only strong link to life was broken by
the violent arm of the law, Mr.. Barker was
changed man silent and melancholy, patient, gen
tie and forgiving to ALL He never complained OF
the great that wasted away his lie but the
neighbors saw how thin and sad he looked, ana the
toughest natures felt compassion Tor hln
Every year, she who had been Mary Williams.
received hundred dollar note. He never wins
pered TO any mortal that it WIS sent by the jury
man who helped to condemn her son to death but
when he died, legacy of a thousand dollars to her
showed that he never forgot the pale, despairDg
face, that for years had haunted his Dreams
Once upon time argument
Between two ladies. ttoO cOHOqHiGt foes.
How rapidly! for breath she almost painted;
To irony at length they both resored
And thus quite sharply with each other sported
SAID c., One must be wrapped in mental blindness,
Not to perceive you are the milk Of kindness"
Indeed" cries J., " one must be rHHk and mater,