The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1853-02-08
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countless herd as wretchcd as maself.
A cloud passed over us; our souls
sank within ns, it shut US out for\ey
er from even the glimerings Of hope
I thought we fell, deeper, and yet
deeper, and yet deeper, gathering
in numbers as we fell! Groans and
blashphemies we're in my ear; impen.
Ietrable darkness above and hell be-
! low2 shrieked madly2 Z was an.
/ swered but by. shricks? a thons:
land times Z graspedat objects to stay
my fall: Z clutched them, but they
/ yielded, and helped me not! Hope
LESS and eternal perdition was be-
fore me? One plunge more, and a
Lake whose waves were fire fire in
49,! ~: guishable, would cngulph me for
/ sser? Myraid beleld it Zoo; and
one universal scream Of horror, G..
nough to rend twenty worlds, burst
upon me:?'
Here the old man was so excited
with the recital of these imaginary
horrors, that Z could with difficulty
hold him in my arms. His frame
quiyered, his eye glared with unnat-
ural power and brightness. Tspoke
and soothcd him.
'The sound is now in my earse'
he exclaimed wildly. Almost in
stantly after, he added, as calmly,
tI awoket Z aazn awake?' and clasping
his withcred hands together, and rails
ing his eyes to heaven, he said fer
yently,N thank thee God! it vas a
dream2'
Almost Immediately afterwards he
fell back on his pillow, perfectly ex-
haustea. ANXIOUS as was TO speak
to him once more, to ask him but one
question-to satisfy my more than
surmises, ! could not dared not do it,
as ne then was, watched, oh how
eagerly, to see his eyes open, his lips
move, that | might address myself to
him, but he lay in Q state of complete
stupor: | tremblsd as ] gazed, lest he
might never move again. After some
II i 'tt ss.3gsSs153ss%d s5ss III
turning CONSCIOUSNESS, grew more
alarmed, lest when he did recoser it
might be but fora moment, as ! knew
to be not uutiequent case, and that
might have no time to enquire into
the striking coincidence, to say the
least of it, that hadIso extraordinarily
presented itself to me. With this
fear upon my mind, determined at
once upon hurrying down stairs and
satisfying myself in a more direct way
than ! had at first intended,
Wh.n | entered the room in which
had left the widow and her child,
found the former sitting on the sofa,
her face buried in her hands-thc boy
was at her feet. AS approached she
looked up: Immediately on percieying
me she exclaimed, and her voice trem-
blcd with grief and agitation, 'For
Gods sake, Sir! where am q Whose
house is this?' then seized book
from the table, she continued, this
book was my fathers it was his own
Bible! Here is his name. written
years past by my own hanl.' And
turning to the first page, on which was
inscribed adam jackson, New York.
she held it to my eyes, standing mo
tionlcss as 4 statue
Confirmed thus SUDDENLY in the sus-
piciou that had crossed my mind on
first hearing her history and name, |
was so bcwildered, that | knew NOT
what reply to make. | feared to tell
her at once that she was under her
fathers roof; that the same walls inclos-
cd them, lest, in her dcbilitatcd state,
it might prove too much; could not
be evasive, for her whole being seem
cd to hang on the explanation she
waited for.
Tortured by my silence, she seized
my wrist violently and repeated in q
loud and menacing tone, while her
wild and haggard look betokened Incl
picnt madness, Whose house is this p
1T is the house said I mildly, of
Adam Jackson
My father ! she s,lrieked hysteri-
ca'ly, and fell senselcssa Mt my feet.
After considerable difficulty | re-
stored her to comparative calmncss;
was then compelled to explain to her
the situation of her parent without
disguise, for at first. she imparativcly
insisted on seeing him. After this,
she assured me she would be govern
cd by my wishes. lied her to the
sick chamber. AS we entered poin-
ted to chair by the bedside, aud
she turned towards it. The slight noise
we made disturbed the old man, and
in faint voice he called me by name.
carefully placed myself between him
and his child.
My dear, dear fricud!' he began, q
/ have been some time dying, but feel
the struggle is nearly oyer
| at the sound of licr fathers voice,