Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1851-06-09

our slipping feet. How noisesome anc
how dark--now look around you, see the
green slime upon the walls-the fostering
rotteness of everything around-no light,
no fire, no sound. Yes, there is a sound
listen! it is moan, it comes from that
poor pallet Of straw upon which, now that
our eyes are used 10 the darkness, we per-
ceive miseruble form reclined. Her
sunken cheeks and hollow eyes proclaim
that Death had laid his hand upon her, and
that her life Of misery in this world is
nearly over. :. ~,
I'm lying, John; come near me because
| cnnno. see you, for my sight is going
| fast.' She addresses this to yen figure
crouched there upon that old table. It is
q man, but what q man. He sits with his
knees drawn up to the chin, his hands
pressed against his forehead and his eyes
fixed with a demoniacal look upon the
ground. He is clothed in rags, and his
unshorn beard, his haggard look, his with
cred form and the horrible expression Of
his face make him a picture of despair,
grim, ruthless, ,unutterable, hopeless despair,
Us the sound Of her voice breaks upon the
ful dream-gnzes at us for moment but
says nothing; then MS he recollec,s, rushes
with single bound beside the form OF her
who lies there dying-dying of whatl
Starvation! He takes her hand-the
rough and desperate man-as tenderly as
when he took it first, in years gone by,
and printed On it the kiss that thrilled his
heart, and made her bosom bound with
hope and Joy. ~ .-.--.~....
'Mury! Mary!' II is 100 late. AS he
released the hand the arm drops nerveless
by her side, He places his hand upon her
heart-nll is over. He bursts into on
agony of grief and throws himself beside
her. They have fought the battle of, life
together both have been worsted--both
were outcas's; one is dead--ihe other had
!. Let US leave this place and cross the
street. The 'Tomm is opposite, and as
luck will have it, we are just in time. A
crowd Of men and ragged boys are follow.
ing those two police officers who have in
charge aa old man; he walks listlessly up
the steps, needless of the crowd around him,
and stands now before the justice.
'Whot is the charge against this man?'
irqnires the magistrate. s-- sf7 +s I
A Dutch grocer steps forward to reply.
He stole piece Of pork from my store.'
sWho saw hing 1855
q mineshelf, your honor. He wash
standing on te corner, and ven | wash
meshuring some coal he shipped in and
took te pork; and ketch him nit te pork
in his hand % -
snake your aff1davi,.' An oath is soon
made and the man is about to be sent to
Jail. '..is'' 5. q .-.5 -" ~ .-i-
why did you steal this porkp inquiries
the magistrate as he is making out the
commitment. ,'" - ,,'.-
Listen to the prisoner: 4" 80
4 did take the pork, your honor, but |
was hungry. | had spent all the money
had at his Store, and for two days past
have had nothing 10 eat. j asked him TO
trust me this morning, and he refused.
was starving-i as desperate--aud ltook
it, 20 rf54+s 2-@ R-a a-=
4, was q theft, and you must go to Jail;
take him away officer
Shall we follow him TO prison; shall we
see that old grey headed man locked in
filthy, loathsome cell, with the worst Of lel.
ons, for obeying an instinct of his natureY
No, we have no time. Here is another
'case,' but how different. The culprit is
we'll dressed-as. neat and unwrinkled as
though be Lad just emerged from the hands
OF q careful valet. How he swnggers in
--how obsequious the officers are-how
polite The magistrate. "a private room?
'Oh! certninly' Mr.. G. is too respec-
table man TO be examined before the gap
ing, vulgar crowd---a private examination
certainly! Not SO private, however, but
we can hear it. Oh. IFS nothing! Mr.
G--- is only q delaulter 10 the umount Of
some ninety thousand dollars; he says it
will be sall right and SO it will. Look at
the papers in the morning and see il it is
not. He is of such good family; so rich;
so respectable; such clever fellow that
it is impossible thn: he should be sent to
Jail. No, he is allowed to depart on his
spnrole of honor to appear and answer
the charge. A fuss will be made for time,
but it will soon die out and be forgotten.--l
But the trial?' you ask. Pshaw, man! it
will never cometo a trial. ! The rich mans
writ, the hateas corpus, will prevent nny
such disngreeable risk. 81 1t would be dis.
grace 10 the whole circle Of the upper ten
10 put such man on his trial like a COM
mon criminal. If he were like the other,
now some poor starving wretch that nobody
cares aught about, and that stole a morsel
TO keep him from death, and enable him to
fight the Battle of Life q little longer, it
would be different matter, but hesis SO re.
spectacle, and 'looks so fair and smells so
sweet that it would be a living disgrace to
his 'family connections TO send him to
Sing Sing.
You are amazed. We will show you
some more scenes in the Battle of Life, as
fought here in New York, that will aston
ish you more. We have rambled long
enough to-day. '3 z7 60 81
.rFDeal gently with those who stray.
Draw them back by love and persuasion.-
A kiss is worth a thousand kicks. A kind