Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1854-06-21

Willie's father started for the city, to cheer
him by bis presence. and to render him all the
assistance in bis power.
Mary was not long in solving the mystery
of Willie's arrest and confinement. She
knew Smiths vile nature would not shrink
from the performance Of any crime his evil
heart might conceive, aud that it had been
effected by him, shs bad nos o shadow Of a
doubt. She felt confident Of bis innocence,
and the hope that be would be able fully to
establish it, and thus leave bis character
without spot or ~~blemish, cheered her spirits
which otherwise would have been extremely
depressed, during the interval she had to
wait before she could learn the result of the
trial. Not so With Willie. At the moment
he entered the prison bis presentment recur-
red to him and every ray Of hope fed from
bis breast, and he fell into a state Of hopeless
despair. He was conscious ofbis innocence.
but felt that be would not be able to extr;-
cate bimself from the tangled web the willy
Smith had woven around him.
The day of trial at length arrived, and
Willie was conducted To the Court House
His case having been called. the indictment
was read, and be was commanded to arise
and answer to the charge. Guilty or not
guilty." He arose to his full height. and
fixing bis large wild eye upon the jury,
exclaimed in a loud voice, " Innocent -
His eye turned, be made q bound, and be
was in the arms of his father.
II was well there was a sustaining arm
there, else Willie bad fallen. His constitu.
ton was q frail one, and the intense excite
ment of the moment caused him to rupture
q blood vessel. The fact being known, put
a finale to all further Court proceedings, and
it being the opinion of the physician that be
could not possibly recover, be was given in
charge Of bis heart stricken father. He sur
vived a few hours and expired in his fathers
arms. His dying words were, " father am
going to beaven-tell Mary | was innocent
and to meet me there. Bury me beside the
arbor in the flower garden where last we met"
A letter bearing the mournful intelligence
reached Mary and it fell upon her like q
death blow. She did not, however, fully re-
alize her loss until she stood by bis grave
side and gazed upon the coffin containing bis
precious dust while it was being lowered into
the damp grave. She did not weep. .be fOun-
tain of HER tears had been dried up.
One morning about three weeks after VIII
lies death, just as the sun was gliding the
rosy east, a suffering patient called to Der bed
side two weary watchers. "See," said she,
"tbe long night has been ended by the dawn
ing of the sun, and my night is about to end
by a brighter dawniug. Mother-fasher-l
90 to Willie 10 heaven, meet US there, aud
we will form a happy group around Gods
throne" Extending her arms, she turnedlher
~lustrous eye towards heaven, and said Willie
come." Her arms fell, her eye glazed, the
spirit took its fight, and death laid upon her
"like an untimely frost
Upon the sweetest flower of all the field"
AS the moon CLEANS through the tree in
the flower garden it reveals the outline Of
two graves, at the head of which stands a
monument of white marble bearing the sim
pie inscription q Mary and Willie
After Willie's death, Smiths crime was
discovered, and be fed to escape the ven
geance of the law, but be cannot escape the
remorse of a guilty conscience.