Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1852-02-26
TGt&cGJJ&MD.
TIE RIGTT ARN.

iHt kidI.t AIN,
Fifty years ago, a terrible storm shook
the city Of London. At the dead of night.
when the storm was at its highest. an aged
minister living near one Of the darkest sub
urbS of the city. was aroused By an ear
nest cry for help. Looking from his
window, he beheld a rude man. clad in the
coarse attire Of sweeper Of the public
streets In few moments while the rain
came down in torrents and the storm
growled above, the preacher. leaning on
the arm of the scavenger, threaded his way
to the dark suburb. listening meanwhile
to the story of the dying man.
That very day, a strange old man had
fallen speechless in front of the scaven-
gers rude home The good hearted street
sweeper had taken him in and laid him on
his bed, he had not once spoken, and now
he was dying This was the story of that
rough man
And now through dark alleys. among
miserable tenements. that seemed about
to topple down upon their heads into the
loneliest and dreariest suburb Of the citv.
they passed, that white-h haired minister and
his guide. At last into narrow court,
and up dark stairs, that cracked beneath
their tread, and then into the death room
1t was in truth miserable place
A glimmering light stood on broken
chair There were the rough walls, there
the solitary garret window, with the rain
beating in. through the rags and straw,
which stuffed the broken panes, and there
amid heap of coal ashes, the small val
Ise, which It seems the stranger had y7jth
him In one corner, on the coarse straw
of the ragged bed lay the dying man. He
was but half dressed his legs were CON
cealed in military boots.
The aged preacher drew near him. and
looked upon him. And as he looked,
throb, throb, throb, you might hear the
death watch ticking in the shattered wall
1t was the form Of a strong man. grown
old with care more than age There was
face, that you might look upon but once.
and yet wear it In your memory forever
Let Us bend over the bed, and look up
on that face. 4 bold forehead, scanned by
one deep wrinkle between the brows, long
locks of dark hair. sprinkled with grey,
lips firmly set, yet quiyering as though
they had life, separate from the life #
the man, and then two large eyes. vivid.
burning. unnatural in their steady glare
All, there was something 80 terrible in
that face, something so full Of unuttera-
bic loneliness, unspeakable despair ,hat
the aged minister started back In horror
Bu. lookl Those strong arms arc clinch-
ing at the vacant air, the death sweat
starts in drops upon that boij brow, the
man Is dying. Throb, throb, beats the
death watch IN the shattered wall
Would you die in the faith of the
Christian z" faltered the preacher, as he
knelt there, on the damp floor
The lips of the death-stricken man
trembled but made no sound. Then with
the strong agony Of death upon him, he
rose into q sitting posture. For the first
time be spoke
Christian I" he echoed in that deep
tone which thrilled the preacher TO the
heart, "Will that faith give me back my
honor} Come with me old man, come
with me, far over the waters. Hah we
are there This is my native town
Yonder is the church in which l knelt in
childhood, yonder the green on which /
sported when boy But another flag
waves yonder in place Of the flag that wa
we'd when | was child And listen, old
man, were / to pass along the street. as |
passed when child, the very babies in
their cradles would raise their tiny hands
and curse me The graves Ia yorder
graveyard would shrink from my foot
steps, and yonder flag, would rain bap-
tism Of blood upon nay head
That was an awful death bed The
minister watched the last night" with 4
hundred conyicts in their cells, and yet
never beheld a scene 50 terrible as this
Suddenly the dying man arose He
tottered along the floor With those white
fingers. whose nails are blue with the
death chill, he threw open the vslise -
He drew from thence faded coat of blue,
faced with silver. an old parchment
piece of damp cloth, that looked like the
wreck Of battle fac.
Look We; priest, this faded coat Is
spotted with my blood p he cried. as old
memories seemed stirring at his heart
This coat | wore, when | first heard the
news of Lexington; this coat I wore when
/ planted the banner Of the stars on tt /
That bullet-bole was pier
ced in the fight of Quebec; aud now / am
let me whisper IN your ear i"-- He
hissed that single burning word into the
ministers ear.
Now help me, priest" be said, IN &
voice grown suddenly tremul0us .'celP
me TO put on this coat of blus aud silver.
For yoU see and ehas.ly smile came
over his fs"e-.-t1ere IS 100 cuF here 60
vrra Ere cold Irr-s E-.-r s.,.. l--.r ra