Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1853-12-21

noTe troublesome TO attack sober man
han to put drunken one into the street.
You deserve to be kicked into the street.
murderer, indeed" " muttered the land
ord of the Home as he trembled with rage.
Mr. Hermon, there are ways of CON-
hitting murder without coming within
each of human laws, but Gods laws are
lain. You could not sell arsenic to a man
Who you knew would use it for self-destruc-
ion. You cannot dig pit that neigh
,or may fall therein, or let an unruly OK
un at large
But, sir, how did 1 ever touch the
Kicks familyY
Touched them with the most cruel tor
urc. You knew that every sixpence Ricks
brought you was needed by his tanilly
and yet you took it to the last one, and sent
there that which you knew was destroying
them by inches. You laid the train to
their door, liable at any moment to pro-
duce just such results as you have witness
ed. But for this tavern, Ricks would now
be an innocent, wealthy and an honora.
bic man. If, as in olden time, the blood of
the murdered man should be traced to the
nearest threshold, your own would be GRIM
soned with the blood Of Kicks and his fam
ily.'
False as h-ll = thundered Hermon.-
l have license to sell, you abusive scoun-
drcl, and am not accountable for other
mems doings | tend to my own business,
and wish others would mind theirs
BE sure you take your license to your
grave and to God; and may you find that
and your own hand guiltless of others
blood Good morning, Mr.. Hermon,'
bowed Howard, slowly turning on his heel
and going out.
please remefif member, beF gentlemen, g what that
man said. I'll sweeten him for slander, or
my name amt Hermon, Kissed the exas-
perated landlord, as he turned into his bar.
: FWe (hic)-we will, and more too,'
suffered poor sot who was reeling in the
corner.
Yes, for the murderers are not all hung
yet added the sailor as he sat with his
chin in his palms.
Take that, you devil shouted the gor-
ed landlord, bringing the poker which he
: still held in his hand, down fercely upon
the speaker nead.
With the spring of cat, the latter
: writhcd out from under the blow, and fas-
r tened upon the throat of his assailant.
: Playing poker, Ell? Think to train
tarpaulin because he's crazy, eh? Not so
easy killing sober men Stick to your bot
ties and let iron alone, and murder in safe
C ty-ha, ha, ha? That half-maniac laugh
fairly burned upon Hermon's cheek, so near
Z was the face of the sailor, as he looked down
with his fendish glee upon him. That iron
grip would have proved fatal in a moment
l. more, for the eyes of the landlord were roll.
d cd back in her head, and the tongue, black
: and swollen, protruded from his mouth.
# Stick to your bottles, Mr. Hermon .
" there is more blood to shed and men tc
h hang !! Kissed the sailor as he released Her
mon, and again emitted that peculiar chuc
,r kle. When Hermon recovered his voice
4 the sailor had gone,
? Walter Brayton had just completed tht
l. study of the law, and returned to Oakval
l. on the evening preceding the trial of Kicks
His generous and noble nature was indig
n nant, when he learned that the prisoner
counsel had deserted him just on the ev
Y of his trial Walters resolution was take
h. and he Immediately took his way to tn
Jail, tho late in the evening, for the pul
n, pose of offering his services in the case.
th 1t was with the utmost difficulty tina
Walter obtained admittance to the prison
p Had not the jailer been a personal friend
the doors would have been closed agains
,ir him; for the Sheriff, landlord Hermor
ID had that day forbidden such privileges
the prisoner. Il have already violated tn
I Injunction said the kind-hearted man, F.;
he put the key in the lock.
he As they entered the passage leading
ice the cell, female figure deeply muffled, stoc
lad at the grated door awaiting the coming
IN the jailer As the ponderous engine swuu
ho grating back, the figure, drawing the hoe
his still more closely over the features, passt
lightly and swiftly out.
ST. That said the jailor, lis the only pc
,he son, lawyer Skillott excepted, who has ev
lad visited Kicks since his confinement
he Il was not aware said Brayton, 'Th
rm the unfortunate man had any kindred le
Who can she be ? he continued, in a to
un- of surprise.
nan Il am not at liberty to tell her nan
is even to you ; but she is one of the ang
G is of the earth, and never fails, in any weat
er, to visit the prisoner. Athousand co
forts, sir, and what is more, kind and f
ter giving words, have come from her. l hs
ner been blamed for it all, but she comes a
- goes in the night, aud could not help
not Her voice would open the doors themselv
p it seems to me, it is so soft and kind, a
one her face is so sad. Poor girl, she is seei
Ices sorrow and the kind-hearted man bru
de- ed away a tear with his sleeve.
- Brayton found Kicks bowed over
Bible and in tears, but the latter WELDON
nee. his young visitor with smile. To "
han ters proposition, however, he maintaine
determined opposition for long time.
But said Walter, earnestly, laying
mad hand upon the prisoner arm, you are
owed entirely Indifferent to the opinion of
world. You are looked upon as one of
for most cold bloodcd of --.
own 'Murdcrer5 you would say broke
Kicks, with a shuddcr, as Walter hesita
IRE to But continued the latter, you
icks, not. You were maddencd with rum.
luor, loved your wife and children as we'll as
ty of man. BY their memories, and for J
own name, it is your duty as well as r
Her ileee to make a defence. To be sure
dish case is a dark one, but we can hope for