The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1853-02-08

Oe 10 ule IS happiness! Lomc closer,
he continued, 'and ( will tell you all.
I thought that I saw my long depar-
ted wife; she came to me in sorrow,
for our lost, discarded daughter was
on her arm. Sho strove to speak,
but could not: again and again she
strove but bitter grief cloked her
utterance. She took our child by
| the hand, and led her towards me;
but I turned from them The ratient
fell at nay feet, I spurned her away.
[ steeled my heart; but could not
close my ears to her supplicatioils.
They were the outponrings Of a
contrite heart; but they touched ntc
not. She spoke in anguish of he.
| little oncs--her helpless little ones!
and I laughed, at her misery. Still
she prayed on; she bathed my feet
with tears; she lifted her hands, and
would have touched me, but I shrnnk
from her advances, and heartlessly
commanded her to be gone! Her
voice was suddenly stilled: | heard
no sob, no sigh! I listened; but
could not even detect the heavy
breathings of sorrow. For an in.
slant I remained wrapped in gloomy
and unrclcnting anger. I turned to
crafty once more the devil that was
in me: but she was gone! 1 sought
for and called alound upon my wife;
but she too had departcd;'
There the old man paused; then
placing his hand upon my shoulder,
so as to bring my half avasted face
towards him, 'You trcmble;, said he,
'you tremble and turn pail?'
1t was so; in spite Of every effort
to appear composed 1 could not COM
mand my feelings. I was about to
speak. He put his finger on his lips
| as enjoining silence, and continued.
You are already affected; you
will shudder when you havesheard
me out. I thought that immediate.
ly on being left alone 1 was seized
With an icysehillncss, whierlBsssSsssssassaI,;
ns de...i la
around for help; but could find
| none ! PRAYED for some hand to
assist, some. voice to comfort me in
my dying hour; but l prayed in vain.
heard but the echo of my own la.
mentations; and was left to 90 down
to the grave UNDECIDED and alone
Again he paused; and go great
were his excitement and agitation,
| that I little expected he had strength
to resume; but, after some minutes
he did SO, and i'll these words
4 awoke; but in another world or
rather, when this world h. passed
away. AS I rose from the tomb,
but one thought, one feeling posses.
| scd me; I aras going to bejudged.
Every thought, word, and action of
my life had shared my resurrection,
and stood palpable embodied before
me=-a living picture. My last in.
tcrvcw with my child was the dar.
kest spot there. / shuddered as I
bchcld it. I strovc, but oh! how
vainly, to blot it out! An all con-
suming fire was already lighted up
within me, in the horrible conviction
that this, even in its naked self,
would cndanger my salvation for ey-
er! Suddenly sound such
as mortal ear had never heard be-
fore, burst on the trembling myriads
around. 1t was q sound that filed
all creation, calling all those who had
ever been to be again, and to wait
the word that should bless, or sweep
them into endless perdition. Mil
lions upon millions had passed on in
judgement; and thought that trem-
bling ! approached the throne of
| grace! Mercy smiled upon me! and
| looked with staring eyes after
those forgiven spirits who had gone
before. l was about to follow, when
q witness camc against me, at whose
presence, conscience stricken, l fell
prostratc in despair! My daughter
my spurned and prosecuted daugh.
ter? No voice Of ACQUISITION was
hcard2 No look of rcrroach from
her? Yet silent and motionlcss, de-
jected and wan, as when l had last
bcheld her. she told of the early or
nhanage into which she was strikcn
by my unnatural descrtion! the des
titution which my savage ycngcnco
had cntailcd! trcmbled under the
weight of these awful charges. I
tried to lift my eyes to my child to
win her intercession; but / had no
power to move them from myself.
| tried to speak; my tongue Glove to
my mouth. IIow-how could /
plead for mercy who had yielded
none? Pressed on by thronging
crowds yet behind, | advanced as if
to enter that blessed path wuich tho
happy trod; but suddenly it was bar,