Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1850-05-02

The sands of life are running fast. In few
moments you will be in the presence of your
Judge, and repentance then will be of no avail
1t will not avail me now, said the criminal
Think of your past life--think Of the punish
ment that is to follow y
The answer to this was a frantic roar of laugh
ter, that made even the jailers blood tingle with
alarm.
i will not remain said Mr. H---sternly,
and hear this awful mockery. ! warn you now
beware !!
Well listen, then-dont you know me 2
The clergyman held the candle to the convict's
face, and started with astonishment.
oh ! you know me, do you! You remember
the night we tossed W---overboard- he
prayed Oh oh look to yourselfr
i did my duty
All, ha you did, did you. You did your duty
in drowning poor fellow for murder he never
committed! !!
A tremor like an ague ran through the listeners
frame, and there he stood as one dismayed.
He never did the deed. | murdered Mile
Woods-I chased her to the garret and killed her.
was there robbing the house when W
came. heard him speak cheerly to the child,
give her the squirrel, and then leave A minute
after, she was dead baby, and W--had the
blame
Lord. have mercy upon me!' groaned the Di-
vine. IN an agony Of spirit.
Il slipped the gold pieces in his pocket. How
he prayed and begged for mercy It's our turn
now! l don't beg-I won't--I'll die as l have
lived--but you can howl! He had ,cido1ced
mother. We all went under--but you and |, par
son. came up together-now we GO downtown
down.
The voice ceased--a shudder ran through his
iron frame, and the wietched criminal was no
more.
In time, the village of S-grew to city.
Many of its old citizens had emigrated, were
dead and, among the remaining, the events have
narrated had faded almost into an uncertain le-
gend when one sunny afternoon, an elderly gen.
tleman of said, respectable appearance, accom-
panied by his wife and children, made his way from
the evening steamer to one of the principal hotels.
After securing rooms, he walked into the street,
He earnestly scanned the signs as lie passed. He
stopped before one that read, Attorney at law )
ne paused, and then, with start, as il the deter
mination had spice of the desperate in it, he
cended the stairs and entered the office An eld-
ely man, with bald head end wrinkled face, was
seated at table surrounded by books and papers.
Inviting the new conner to be seated, he peered at
him through his spectacles, and inquired his bus-
ness
Mr.. B-you do not remember me =
$ cannot say that do,' answered the attorney,
slowly, as if in doubt.
DO you not remember pleading in behalf of
poor fellow about being lynced for murder, some
thirty years since =
MIR M-W-' exclaimed the law
yer, joyfully. Can it be possible! | never for
got face, and yours saw in frame work that
night that ought to impress it upon my memory
for ever. But thought you dead years ago
Sit down--sit down, and tell me ALL
After was thrown from the vessel that night
said W, seating himself, was so frighen-
ed that for some time had no consciousness of
what occurred. On becoming more collected,
found my little boat half filled with water, riding
the short heavy waves, and every second / ex-
pec,ed to go under, or be capsized and so drown
This not occurring, began 10 look about me.
found the cord by which | was tied passed over
my shoulder | managed to get it in my mouth,
and soon knawed it apart. This loosened my
hands, so that in few moments freed myself
and sat up. With an old cup that found in the
boat, baled out the water, and, then breaking up
one of the seats, managed the little affair so as
to ship no more Of the waves, and in this way rode
out the storm and the night.
By morning the wind had somewhat subsided, |
but so exhausted was by fear and fatigue that |
was forced TO lie down, and soon was sound asleep
When awakened the sun was setting as far as
could see on every side, was dreary waste DIVA
tiers. Strange as il may sound, was greatly re-
lieved. feared nothing so much as again falling
into the hands of that terrible mob
The full moon came out, making the scene
light almost as day, and, gentle breeze spring
ing up. took my coat, fastened 1t on the broken
seat, aud with this for sail, drited as near as
could make out by the stars IN north-easterly dl-
rection | knew sooner or later must strike
the Canada shore, but how far had been carried
in the storm, could not of course determine -
Through that long night hoated on. | saw the
gray light of morning. and then the sun came up
with the clear, calm day, but land could be seen
nothing but glltterlng water | imagined at one
time seeing in the dim distance sail, but II one,
il immediately disappeared
About noon | noticed something floating near
me. and on padding my boat along side, found 1t