Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1853-12-21

40 Sood.
II am an old man, standing at the end of
fife's journey. There is q deep sorrow III my
heart, and tears in my eyes. Journeyed over
dark and beaconless ocean, and all lItes hopes
have been wrecked. am without friends, home
or kindred on earth, and look with longing to the
rest of the night OF death. Without friends,
| Kindred or home! 1t was not once SO ~
| No one could withstand the touching palhos
of the old man. / noticed 4 tear trembling on
the lid of my fathers eye and no more felt
ashamed Of my own.
"No, my friends, it was not 40 once-Away
over the dark waves, which have wrecked my
hopes, there is the blessed light of happiness aud
! home. reach again convusivey for the shrines
| of the household idols that once were mine, now
no more"
| The old man seemed looking away through
fancy upon some brgh: vision his lips apart and
his finger extended. invountarily turned in
the direction where it was pointed dreading 10
see some shadow invoked by its magic movc-
mcnts.
al once had mother, who with her old heart
crushed with sorrow, went down into the grave.
once had wife, a fair, angel creature, as ever
smiled in an earthly home. Her eye rs mild rs
summer sky and her heart as faithful and true
rs ever guarded and cherished 4 husbands love.
Her blue eyes grew dim as the Hoods of sorrow
washed away their brightness, and the living
heart .wrnng until every fibre was broken. |
once had noble, brave and beautiful by, but
he was driven out from the ruins of his home,
and my old heart yearns to know ii he yet lives.
once had babe, Il sweet, tender blossom, but
these hands destroyed it and it lives with one
who luveth children.
{" Do not be startled my frendS-I am not
murderer in the common acceptaion ofthe term.
Yet there is light in my evening sky. A spirit
mother rcjoices over the return of her prodigal
son. The wife smiles upon him who again turns
back to virtue and honor. The chd-angcl Wis
its me at night-f.ll and feel the halluwing
touch of tiny palm upon my feSerish check.
Ny brave boy, if he yet lives, would forgive the
sorrowing old man for The blow that manned
him for life, and The treatment that drove him
into the world.-God forgive me- for the ruin
that have brought on me and mine.
81 was once fanatic, and mad'y followed
the malign light which led me 20 ruin. was
fanatic. when sacrificed wife, children, happi.
ness, and home TO The accurscd demon of the
bowl ! once adorcd the gentle being whom ]
injured so deeply.
81 was once drunkard. From responsibility
and affucnce: plunged Into degradation and
poverty dragged my family down with me.
For years saw her cheek pale, and her step
grow weary. left her alone amid the wreck of
i, r home and her home idols and roed ut the
tavern. She never complained, yet she ana the
| children were hungry for bread.
zone New Years night, went late to the hut
where charity had given us roof-Shc WAS ycl
up and shivering over the Goals. demanded
food but she burst into tears and said there WIS
mons. fiercely ordered her to get some. She
turned her ewes sadly upon me, the tears falling
fast over her pale checks. But this moment the
child in the cradle awokc and sent mp i iamishcd
wall, startling the despariny mother like ser
pcnt's sting.
awe have no food, James-have had none
| for several DAYS. | have had nothing for The
babe. NV once kind husband, must We
starvc.
"That sad pleading face and those streaming
eyes, and the feeble vail Of the child. maddened
me, and I-yes, struck her 4 fierce blow in the
| face and she fell forward upon the hearth. Th"
! furics of hell bued in my bosom, and with
greater intensity, as felt / had committed
wrong had never struck Mary before but now
some terrible impulse bore me on, and stopped
down us well as could in my drunken state,
and clenched both hands in her hair.
"God of mercy, James, exclaimed my wife,
rs she looked up in my fcndish counlcndnce.
"you will not kill us-you will not harm Will
lie !" and she sprang 10 the cradle and graspcd
him in her embrace. | caught her again by tie
hair and dragged her 10 the door, and as lifted
the latch the wind burst in with Il cloud of snow.
With the yell of ticnd, dragged her on, aud
hurled her out into the darkness and storm.
With n wild ha ha closed The door and
turned the button, her pleading moans mingled
with the vail of the blast, aud the sharp cry Of
the babe. But my work was not complete.
81 turned 10 the little bed where lay my elder
son, and snatched him from his slumbrrs, OPEN
ed the door and thrust him out in agony of fear,
he called NE by name ! was no longer fit 10
bear, and locked his fingers into my side pocket.
could not wrench the frenced grasp away, and
with the GOODNESS of the devil, as was, shut the
door upon the arm, and with my knife, severed
it ut the wrist"
Tie speaker ceased moment, and buried his
face in his hands, if 10 shut out some fearful
dream, and his deep chest heavcd like storm
ut sea- My father had arisen from his seat, the
large drops standing upon his forehead. Chills
crept back to my young heart, aud wished |
was at home. The old man looked up, and
never have since beheld such mortal agony pic
tured on human face rs there was on his.
1T was morning when awokc, and the storm
had ceased, but the cold WAS intense. first sc.
cured drink of water, and then looked in the
accustomed place for Mary.--As ! missed her,
! for the first time shadowy sense Of some hor-
ri5le nightmare began to dawn upon my wander
ing mind thought had a terrible dream, but
involuntariy opened the outside door with
shuldering dread. AS the door opened, tic
snow burst in, followed by the fall Of something
across the Threshold, scattering the SNOW, and
striking the floor with sharp, bad sound.
"My blood shot like red-hot arrows lhro' my
veins, and rubbed my eyes to shut ont the
sight. 1t was-it--Oh! God how horrible! it
was my own injured Mary and her babe frozen
to ice The ever true mother had bowed herself
over the child to shield it, wrapped nil her cloth
ing around it, leaving her own person naked to
to the storm. She had placed her hair over the
face of the child, and the sIcc had frozen i: to the
white cheek. The frost was white on lis half
opened eyes, and upon its tiny fingers. knew
not what became of my brave boy"
Again the old man bowed his head and wept.
Nv father sobbed like child. In tones of low
aud heart-brokcn pathos, the old man concluded:
81 was arrested, and for long months raved in
delirium. woke, was sentenced to prison for
! ten years, but no tortures could have been like
those endured within my own bosom. Oh, God,
no. am not Il fanatic. wish 10 nure no
one. But while live let me strive TO warn others
not TO enter the path which has been so dark
and fearful 4 one to me. | would see my wife
md rhildran hpyond ,hic vale of fears