The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1853-11-11
KALlDA, COUNTY OHIO, FRIDAY IL,


allowed her TO escape-of the insanity Of
the widowed bride, and yet there is still
another leafto be turned before we part
with Anuie Clayvile. ,.... ....
An old man, and q gray-baired woman
9at brooding amid the shadow that even
ing was Ainging around their humble dom
icle. 1t was the birthday of their only
child, and that child was an outcaSt. No
wonder their hearts lay in shadow. No
wonder their spirits were shroudcd in
gloom. A deep sob broke their silence
and the child of their sorrow was before
'hem-changed, worn, wild, but still
there.
Don't, don't touch me y she exclaimed,
shrinking from Their eoatstretched arms.
"Don't touch me- mother! lie, me die
here--here at your feet, reading forgive-
ness in your dear face as I do now but
not there-not in your arms--not on the
bosom that pillowed me in innocense.'
"Annie, my beautiful child! Mine even
in your sin! 1t is not for mother TO
forsake YOU"
dan dying mother-dying! My heart
is broken, bleeding TO dea,h-bu, |
couldn', die away from you, couldn't
bear 10 be laid in the ground by strange
hands. No tenrs for me, no prayers in
my behalf, no blessing on my head. Oh,
mother you will hear fearful story
something of wrong and murder! No not
murder! he was mine. What claim had
she to my husband Could she love him
rs / did? Would sho suffer fol him as |
haze? No, no! He would have frozen to
lcaih in her arms, so IL killed him
lway from her,"
Her brain was wandering, and with ev-
,ry word her voice grew weaker 1t was
olain that relase was near, SO they gath
cred her Up, and laid her upon the bed
where she had SO often slept in innocen,
childhood.
"Don't cry mother" sho murmured,
lller moments pause, "and yet some,
ne should weep for my misery. Father,
'ou used 10 pray for me when | was II IT.
le child-why did ever forget it. Pray
or me now!" ...
And the old man did pray for her
Never had those beautiful words, ".Veith. !
r do l condemn Mee," been given with a
,ronger faith than there at that bed of
eath, Oh, that deep abiding failh which
;he soul in hours Of widest
.rief TO lay hold Of the promises Of
iod. Give me the religion Of faith,
whose attendants are charity and mercy,
nd renounce all claim to creed in ia.
or Of those who choose 10 grope their
7ay to heaven through the door of doubt
nd dependency. Ii treason and philos>
phy must needs deprive me of the trust
have in the will and power of God, le,
ne be ever in The dark, FOR my weak mind
ould never comprehend the sophistry Of
eligion. l do not defend crime-God
orbd! but | do believe tina. true repen,-
nee never comes too late!
She was dead! and the law which de-
handed ''blood for blood" was satiated.
n fiji of madness, she had destroyed him
pho had murdered her name and happi>
ess. There Was no law for thai, no com.
lseration for wrong which never could
% redressed, but had she lived, the gal
ows Of the sunny south would have
roaned above a 'ooman's corpse, and an
ther victim have swollen the list Of legal
,urders.
There are many living, who will rec
gnize the incidents but as have learned,
o near relatives to be annoyed or panied
its recital, and ifin their perusal, one
cart has felt the truth that guilt is its
wn avenger, then is the author more
ian repaid for her efforts.
w rpo 4. N,> Mo,.r, uo., cl;cLt