Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-04-26
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POETRY.
Fer The Spectator.
The Murderer.


Within his lonely bosom turks the pang
That mans arch enemy inflics. The thought
THAT Youthful innocence which once was prone
TO spread her spolless robe upon his every
Act, has now been turned to heIllsh gullt,-and
The recollection Of that saifted voice,
Which supplant Mother raised to Heavens
Tod. in favor of favOrite son.
Seem now to TEEN with all the crushing weight
OF crime. and rack his soul with woes unknown
To innocence.
The light that CLEANS forth from
Inspiration'S holy page, to mark mans
Pathway through Virtues deeds up to Virtues
God. shines not for him-6dt in it's stead the
Dismal rays of Deaths dark lantern glimmer
Awhile across his downward course, and dart
Back to their accustomed haents, leaving him
In a more melancholy gloom, TO blood
O'er the untold ills that await him in
The Future.
All most miserable man
What seer can pierce the veil that hides his soul
From view and tell US OF it's misery?
Behind it stands the unwavefing proof, that
Ifa hell exists on earth tits made for
Him, whose memory can lead him far back
Der bFe-son hours and make him now again
BEHOLD the scene in which his fellow man.
Gods own created image, fell by his
Misguided har d to rise no more.-Yea, 'ts
Made for him who on his brow doth wear the
Traces of a sorrow, to ell unknown,
Except to him whose conscience day by day,
And night by night, doth make Him know that he
Is doomed through darklihg ages to endure
A righteous Heavens aiost damning curse.
Ev'n time
That all the sorrows Incident TO iiie
Can suften, comes with no relief To him.
As it's passing seconds aid in bringing
On the Judgment. it's uniumbered minutes
Aid in filling up mis- cup with awiti
Untold agony.
Ths haad Of earthly
Justice may ne'er be laid upon him--the
knowledge of his guilt may be had only
By himself and him whom he hath made 4
Tenant of Eternity. get withia
His nmOst sOul there siares .ke enceasing
Fire of Remorse, that burns and only burns.
To make the man more miserable than
The fend.
Yea. the knowledge Of his guilt ~ill
Go with him to Earth's remoteSt parts, aud
Never for an Instant fail TO Iueck, 70
Sheer, to scof.-E'en at midHighpS solemn hour,
When all his fellows give to nature her
Demanded rest-when the pale mooRbeam kind
ly w..
Visit his mother, Earth. to mingla with nights
Thick darkness and melt it's gloom to a sea
Ofmelow lght-when Heavens l@in&ling tear
drops
BRIGHT as if rejecting the attributes
of their great original, light up oar go.
Pathway in the march of worlds,-E'en then,
He sumbers not but writhes beneath the stamp
"rhe burning, soaring, hateful stamp, that mark d
The murderuuS Cain.
The mornings dawn relieves
Him not-Let him spend it's hours in stroiling
By the placid stream, and it's mild murmurs
Wili Seem as spirits voices, whispering
4.rhou art the man !''-EaGh twig that breaks
beneath
His tfeaG makes him start, and from that feecy
Cloud that now passes on to mingle with
The mysteries 0s Heaven, there seems to
Look an angry spirit, saying "thou art
The man"-and the tAunder'S tone, the solemn
Voice Of Omnipotences-ioins in the charge,
.Srhou surely art the maa." The warbling birds
Resound his guilt, and 8ee away, as if
an search of saiety-the instnctlve butte
sShrinks from his fellowship, ara each child of
.Nat,ue tesijfes agGiAs! him.
Thus till
The insatate archer challenges to
Combat. They meet on the plain of eeath-th'
Bow is drawn the arrow fies--the victor
Becomes the victim-the conqueror is
Gonquered-the soul weary of it's earth-bonEt
State. eaget 10 confess, e'en to IT'S Cod
Passes the portals of EterGity,-
And on that scene, Oh! Mercy, draw thy veil