Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1854-08-16
MARTINsBURe. Va, WEDNESDAY MORNING August 1e ISL

FkSAS a1s get upt anu 5ufS1i1- oFct tae CVaios
Ia demanded food, but she bnrstei into tears
nd told me there was none. ] Gercely or
aered her to get some. She turned her eyes
badly upon me, and tears falling fast over her
Ipale cheek A. this moment the child in the
cfadle awoke aud sent up a furnishing wall.
fstarting the despairing mother ike a serpent's
Isting.
We have no food. Charles--I have had
none for several days, ! have nothing for the
\ babe. Ny once KIDD husband. must We
starye9
| That sad, pleading face, and those steam
ing eyes, aud the feeble wall Of the child, mad
dcnel me. and l--ycs, struck Der fierce
blow in the face, and she fell forward upon
the hearth. The furies Of hell boiled in my
bosom. and with deeper intensity as felt !
bad committed a wrong ! had never struck
Ellen before, but now some terrible impulse
bore me on. and stopped as well as / could
I in my drunken state, and cenehed both hands
in her hair.
/ God of mercy, Charles exclaimed my
wife, as she looked up 10 my fendish counter
ance you will DO. kill us--you will not harm
t Willie r and she sprans to the cradle, and
4 graspea him IN her embrace. caught her
gain BY the hair and dragged Der to the door,
and as lifted the latch, the wind burst in
with cloud of snow. With the yell Of
iend, ] still dragged her on, and hurled her
out into the darkness and storm. With a
Wild ha la closed the door and turned
the button. the plea ding means mingled with
the vail Of the blast, aud sharp cry OF the
babe. But my work was not complete,
/ i turned to the little bed where lay my el
der son, and snatchng him from bis siumhers;
and against his half awakened struggles
opened the door and thurs! him out. IN the
agony Of fear, he called to me by name was
no longer fit to bear, and locked lis fingers
into my side pocket. l could not wrench
that freuzicd grasp away, and With the cool,
ness Of a devil as was, shut the door upon
bis arm, and with my kkife served it at the
wrist.
The speaker ceased moment and buried
lis face in bis hands, as if to shut cut some
fearful dream, aud bis deep chest heaved ike
storm swept sea. Ny father had arisen
from his seat, and was leaning forward, bis
eounteusnee bloodless, aud the large drops
standing cut upon bis brow Chills crept
J back TO my young heart, and wished was
at home. ghc old man lookcdup and new
p! er have since beheld such mortal agony pic
tured upon human face as there was on his,
1t was morning when l awoke, and the
: storm had ceased, but the cold was intense.
first secured drink Of water. and then look-
cd the accustomed place for Ellen. As
= missed her, for the first time, shadowy sense
: Of some horrible nightmare began 10 dawn
/ upon my wandering mind. ! thought had
hada fearful dream, but Individually opened
$ the outside door with shudderlng dread -
As the door opened the snow burst in, fol
lowed by the fall Of something across the
t threshold, scattering the snow and striking the
: floor with sharp, bad sound. My blood
shot like red-hot arrows through nay veins,
and rubbed my eyes to shut out tue sight
t It was-O God, how borrble.--it was my
own injured Ellen and her babe frozen to ice
The ever true mother had bowed herself over
the child to shield it, her own person stark
: and bare to the storm.
She bad placed her hair over the face OF
: the child, aud the sleet had frozen it to the
white cheek. The frost was white it its half
: opened eyes and upon its tiny fingers. know
not what become ofmy brave boy
Again the old man bowed lis head and
wept, and all that were 10 the house wept with
him Ny father sobbed Ike q child. In
tones of low and heart broken patbos the old
man concluded:
: Il was arrested. and for long months raved
in dclirium awoke, was sentenced to pris-
on for ten years, but no tortnres could have
D been like those ! endured within my own
. bosom. o sod. mol am not a fanatic.
Wish to injure no one. Bot while live, let
; mo strive to warn others not to enter the
path which has been SO dark and fearful a one
to me-
The old man sat down. but spell as deep
} and strOug as that wrought by some wizard S
breath rested upon the audience. Hearts
could have been heard in their beating, and
tears TO fall The old man then asked the
people to sign the pledge. ply father leaped
from bis seat, and snatched at it eagerly
had followed him, and as he hesisated mo
ment with the pen in the ink, a tear fell from
the old mans eye on the paper
Sign it. sign it, young man. Angels would
N sion H. I would write my name there ten