Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1853-08-20

Hdu ueVer StTuCk Ntdry OeIOTe, OUT now
some terrible impulse bore me on, and
stopped down as well as l could in my
drunken state and clenched both hands in
her hair.
"'God OF mercy, James y exclaimed my
wife, as she looked up in my fendsh coun-
tenance, "you will not kill us-you will
not harm Willie,' and she sprang to the
cradle and grasped him in her embrace.
caught her again by the hair and dragged
her to the door, and as lifted the latch, the
wind burst in with a cloud OF snow. With
a yell of fiend, l still dragged her on and
hurled her out into the darkness aud storm.
With wild ha ha l closed the door aud
turned the button, her pleading means min
gled with the wall of the blast, and sharp
cry Of her babe. But my work was not
yet complete.
81 turned on the little bed where lay
my older son, and snatched him fiom his
slumbers, and against his half awakened
struggles, opened the door and thrust him
out. In the agony of fear, he called me
by name was no longer fit TO bear, and
locked his fingers in my side pocket. /
could not wrench that frenzied grasp away,
and with the coolness Of devil, as was,
shut the door upon the arm, and with my
knife severed it at the wrist"
The speaker ceased moment and buried
his face in his hands as if to shut out some
fearful dream, and his chest heaved like
s,oam-swept sea. My father had arisen
from his seat, and was leaning forward, his
conrtenance bloodless, and the large drops
standing out upon his brow. Chills crept
back 10 my young heart, and / wished l
was at home. The old man looked up, and
never have since behelG such mortal ago.
ny pictured upon human face as there
was on his.
at was morning when awoke, and
the storm had ceased. l first secured
drink Of water, and then looked in the ac-
customed place for Mary. AS missed
her, for the first time shadowy scene of
some horrible nightmare began to dawn
upon my wandering mind. thought l
had fearful dream, but involuntarily
opened the outside door with shuddering
dread. AS the door opened, the snow
burst in, followed by the fall Of something
across the thresh-hold, scattering the snow,
and striking the floor with sharp, bad
sound. My blood shot like red hot arrows
through my veins, and l rubbed my eyes
to shut out the sight. 1t vast o God,
how horrible it was my own injured Ma
ry and her babe, frozen to ice The ever
true mother had bowed herself over the
child TO shield it, and wrapped all her clo-
thing around it, leaving her own person
stark and bare to the storm. She had pla-
ced her hair over the face OF the child, and
the seet had frozen it 10 the white cheek.
The frost was white in its haf-opened
eyes and upon his tiny fingers. know
not what became of my brave boy"
Again the old man bowed his head and
wept, and all that were in the house wept
with him. My father sobbed like a child.
In tones of low and hear,-broken pathos,
the old man concluded.
81 was arrested and for long months |
raved in deirum. | awoke, was senten-
, ced TO prison for ten years, but no tortures
5 could have been like those endured with
in my own bosom Oh, God, no. am
not fanatic. l wish to iujure no ONE
But while live, let me strive to warn
, others not to enter the path which has been
| SO dark and fearful a one to me. | would
see my wife and children beyond this vale
of tears.
The old man sat down, but spell as
! deep and strong as that wrought by some
wizaid's breath, rested upon the audience
Hearts could have been heard in their beat
f ing, and tears TO fall The old man then
asked the people to sign the pledge. My
father leaped from his seat and snatched al
$ it eagerly. had followed him, and as he
, hesi,ated a moment with the pen in the
| ink, tear fell from the old mans eye or
, the paper.
, "Sign it, sign it, young man. Angel
, would sign it. would write my name
! there ten thousand times in blood il i
would bring back my loved and lost ones
D My father wrote "MoRTIMER HUDsoN.'
The old man looked, wiped his teariu
= eyes, and looked, again, his countenanct
: alternately flushed with red and death
E like paleness.
sit is-no, il canno, be--yet how
: strange" muttered the old man. "Pardor
b. me, sir, but that was the name OF my brav,
), boy"
: My father trembled and held up his lef
] arm from which the hand had been severed
:. They looked for moment in each 9th
y er's eyes, but reeled and gasped-
n "My own injured boy I"
n "My father"
!, They fell upon each others necks unit
il seemed that their souls would grow anC
: mingle into one. There was weeping il
J, that church, and turned bewildered upol
Y the streaming faces around me.
"Let me thank God for the great blessinl
: which has gaddened my guilt-burdene'
;, SOUL" exclaimed the old man, and kneele,
down, pouring out his heart in one of tn
most melting prayers | ever heard. Th
spell was then broken, and all eagerl
. signed the pledge, slowly. going to thei
E homes, as il 10th to leave the spot.
D The old man is dead, but The lesson b
o taught his grandchld on the knee, as h
evening sun went down without clouC
d will never be forgotten. His fanaticisT
Dr. has lost none of its fire in my manhood
ST heart.
Sc The FRANKLIN RAILROAD Books OF sui