Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1851-09-23

, SI0otiIS al lne poor leH0H. 1neI
/ rifles we're taken and loaded by
third party, two of them with moth
ling but powder, that it should not b
, known who shot him.
We walked along with the prisoner
to the spot that had been CHOSEN. 7
was high plain just back Of th'
J, store. l asked Morgan if lie va.
ready?
!. Cat these confounded cords, an6
take my jacket off, so that | may
stalld up like a man, he answered.
] united his hands, and &C m
mel.ced removing his jacket, when
something fell to the ground. ]
STOPPED to pick it up, and found
that it was miniature. 1t repre-
sented young and beautiful femd lie,
holding in her arms young .ba be
apparently only a few months old
The mother was looking at the child
with such look, as only mother
can give, while the child appeared to
be making playful effort to reach a
ringlet of the hair which fell in long
curls. about her neck. l looked hp
and asked Morgan, whose portrait is
this?'
lie then for the first time obsery ed
that 1 had it.
That is the portrait Of my wife
and child, whom I left in New York, !
he said and burst into tears. Bury
it with me, for it is all that I hake
now.' N
I felt as though a good crying
spell would do me good about that
time. And if drop fell upon the
beautiful face, that was gazing So
isweetly at her child, let me hope
that 1t. did not tarnish the bright
eolor$ Of the picture.
In the meantime a large crowd
had assembled and were gazing over
my shoulder at the picture with eFi-
dent delight. l passed it around to
them and every one of those rough
men appeared to have spark of hu-
man feeling in their breasts that only
needed to be touched to produce
good results. ! had never made a
speech in my life, but new feeling
seemed to flow through my veins
upon a large log, | com
menced rambling address. | allu-
ded to his poor wife and infant child,.I
their dependence on him for support;
and the anxiety and sorrow they |
must feel should they never hear
from him again. Before | had fin
ished, I heard the voice of old Jones, |
exclalming: |
ID i'm it all, boys, let the fellow 60. !
| have got an oldiwoman myself and |
half a dozen children, and I kinder
guess how they'd feel if Ishould pop
off, /
Let the fellow CO. said some h3lfi
dozen Of the men who came down.
the river. /
Let US decide the matter by putt
ting tito a vote, exclaimed our old
friend Jones. /
TO vote it is then,' said I, over
joyed at my success. 'All those in
avor of letting Morgan go will sig
Nifty il by saying yes /
'Yesl yes.' roared nearly every
voice in the crowd.
| now turned to look at Morgan.
he had sunk On his knees when the |
'esult of the v pte had been declared,
md sincerely believe that he made a
hort acknowledgment to heaven
or his wonderful preservation. He
rose from his knees and taking my
land, he thanked me with tears in
lis eyes for the interest l had taken
4 his trial, | walked along wi tn Ii
i'm towards my tent, and observed Ii
hat it would be best for him to leave III
nd go TO some other mines at once. b
4 Shall leave tonight he replied, i
put there is one thing should like k
. obtain from you, and that is your b
'ible.' i
HWillingly,'1I replied, and may it c
0 you as much good as it has me. (
i gave him some supper, and when !
e arose to go, | put the Bible in bis t
and. He squeezed my fingers, and t
hen taking his wife's miniature out :
e fbreed it upon me, saying keep il
nat to remember me by and was +
one, before ! could reply. 4
] have the miniature now. And Il
ach day when ] gaze at it, q sweet d
! aH