Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1850-10-07

@Thisis weakness g he ssid. TO himself
Il have merely done my dufy.''t But stil
the pale, young face locked at him. . sItIJ j
to He feared to touch 4 newspaper, for h.
wished not to know when the day of exc
cution would arrive. But officious neish.
bors, ignora Mt of his state Of mind, were
eager to- talk upon the subject; and when
drawn into such disconFse, he, stroye to for.
tify his waafeelings by dwelling on all the
worst circumstances in the case. Notwith.
standing all his efforts, ,sthe night preceding
the execution, be had troubled dreams, in
which that ghastly young face was always
conspicuous. When be woke, he saw it in
the air. Itswalked beside him as he plow-
ed the fields; it stood before him on the
threshold Of his own door. aAH that, the
merciful jurymau had suggested, same be-
fore him with painful distinctness. Could
there be a doubt that the condemned had
really committed murdsr?i Was he intox-
icated? Might be have happened to be in
toxicated for the first time in his life ?.And
he SO young! Buthe drove those thoughts
away, saying even to himself, @The law re-
quired it. Imerely did my. duty" Still
everything looked gloomy to him.. y The
clouds seemed like funeral pals, and pale
despairing face gazed at him forever. s. -te
For the first time in his manhood he
craved companionsin the darkness. Neigh.
bers came in, and described the, execution !;
and while they talked, the agitated jury
man beat the frebrands into thousand
pieces, and spoke never. word. They told
how the youth had written long letter to
his mother, and had died calm and resign
ed. BY the way, perhaps you knew his
mother, Mr.. Barker" said one : they tell
me me she used to live in this neighborhood.
Do you remember girl by the name Of
Mary Williams?" -., r--a
The tongs dropped from Mr.. Barker's
hand as he gasped out, @Mary Williams!
Wa. he her son? God forgive me! Was
he her son?" And the strong man laid his
head on the table and wept .--1. ..t-
There was a silence in the room. At
last the loquacious neighbor said in a SUBJ
duee tone, q; am sorry hurt your feelings
l didn't know she was friend of yours"
The troubled juryman rose hastily, walk
ed to the window, looked at the stars and
clearing his choked voice, said "it is good
many years since L knew her. But she
was good tempered, pretty girl, and it
seems but yesterday that we used to go to-
gether to gather our baskets full of berries.
And 80 she was his mother! I remember
now there was something in his eye that
ssmed familiar to me-" ....-.f o.. ~.
Perhaps the mention Of Mary's beauty,
or the melting mood so unusual with her
husband, might have excited vague feel
ing Of jealousy in Mrs. Barker. Whatev-
er might have been the motive, she said,
in her demure way, without raising her
eyes from the knitting, swell, it was nstu-
raj enough to suppose the young man had
a mother, and other mothers are likely to
have hearts that can feel as well as this
Mary Williams. .i.t ,,s-.5 e,.
He only answered by shakeing his head
slowly. and repeating to himself, "Poor
Mary, and so he was her son."
Joseph came in, and the details of the
dreadful scene were repeated and dwell,
upon, as human beings are prone to dwell
on all that exci,es strong emotion. Te
him the name of Mary Williams conjured
up on smiling visions Of juvenile love !;
and hestrove to fortify his fathers relent-
ing feelings by placing in strong light
ali the arguments in fopor ofthe prisoners
guilt. The ioryman was glad to be thus
fortified. and replied in q firm, treasured
voice. AT all events, | did my duty"
Yet for months after, the pale young face
locked at him despairingly from the even.
ing air, and came between him an ] the sun
shine. But time which; softens all things,
drifted that dreary spectre into dim distance
and Mr.. Bakers faculties were completely
absorbed,in making money for his son.
Joseph was called fine promising
young man, but his conduct was not alto
gether satisfactory TO bis parents. He
was fond Of dress and company, and
his impetuous temperament not unfre.
quently involved him 10 quarrels. On two
OF three Of these occasions they feared he
had been excited by drink. But he was
in reality, good hearted fellow, and like
bis rough falher, had undeyeloped germs
Of tenderness within him. His fathers
iifewas bound up within his; his mother
loved him with all the energy Of which
her sluggish nature was capable !; and
notwithstanding the inequality Of his vio-
lent and capricious temper, the neighbors
loved him also. Ii <''1' '7'''D s''''.'5 7''' -
p What, then, was their consternation,
when it was rumored that on his twenty.
fourth birth day, be bad been arrested 70,
murder! And alas! it was to true ulat his
passions had thus far over mastered his
reason. He wished to please young
girl in the vicinity, and she treuted hin
ceolly because rival had informed fhel
that he was seen intoxicated, and in iha
state spoke over boldly Of being sure o
her love. He drank again to drown hi
vexation, and while the exci,emen: Of th'
Edraugbt was on him, he met the man wit
informed against him. unfortunately, al
axe was at hand, and in the double fury O
drink and rage, he struck with 1t asgail
and again. .One hour after, he woul
have given all he ever hoped to possess
nay would gladly have died, could he hay
restored the life he had so wantonly des
'ftroyed. s..s !. ~ . = o =. ;, 'S