Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-05-30

lib cell, Ills idce Dufleu III Ills udHuSs anu HIS
broken spirit wrapped in gloomy thoughts.
The door was slowly opened, and stranger
stood looking upon the prisoner. The stran
ger was Of noble form and mien, hisfeatures
swarthv but handsome, and his apparel Of
the richest material Milton stirred not,
supposing the jailer stood before III.
William MiItopP
The prisoner started at the sou1d of the
strange voice, and looked vacantIy Tpon the
visitor.
You haze forgotten me, Mitoni
1 know you not mechanically answered
Milton.
With aquick movement. lbAstrangerstep.
pgA forward and kneeled ugoN tic : = 81. ans
ciasped the prisoners hands, kissing them
again and again.
Don't know me and yetfor fifteen years
no waking hour has passed that | have not
thought of you as my earthly savior. From
this same cell you once led me forth, and
gave me money and your blessing. | have
come long journey to see and bless my
savior and weep upon his neck. Z am rich I
William Milton-do you hear that9 I AM
RICH AS you helped the orphan, and open
ed his prison doors, so shall the orphan now
do by you. | am, Ugly Mark-Mark
DouglaSs!' =
Milton's eyes were streaming with tears,
for such gratitude and such words had been
strangers to him for many year. Hope,
faith, ambition, again sprung up in the des
paidng debtors heart, and he bowed his
head upon the broad shoulder Of the orphan,
and sobbed like a child Awhile the two
fingered and talked in the begrimmed cell,
and then passed out arm-in.arm.
There was astonishment in the village
when they recognized the forgotten William
Milton leaning upon the arm of the distin-
guished-looking stranger. The prisoners
hair had grown gray in the last years of his
Imprisonment, and his manly form had lost
some of its vigor and funess.
Mark Douglass and Milton entered Will
} sons store, and the former pulled his purse
from his pocket, and threw the sum, as agreed
upon before he entered the Jail, contemptu.
) ously upon the counter. Then bending his
black eye upon the merchant, he slowly said
You once sent an orphan to Jail when he
was guiltless Of wrong or of crime. Again
you sent an old neighbor to Jail forno crime
but poverty. They both stand before you
And should misfortune ever come upon you
James Wilson, may you find others more
! humane and forgiving than you have been
This is a world of changes, and disease anc
bad luck may waste you and yours III such
G an hour as YOU know not
prsrsss crert cv9 Wills, Wilson's ST face sG.i'n an'
0 before he could reply, Rou9'"SS ana N'l'o'
had passed from his storeA e A. H..
Ten years later, and t 10 baE, oa 'Ie cnarat az
t tiers Of our story, are again\ OlIueu' I .uge'l
= er A change has been wroN9utI ~ tne d
It fairs of James Wilson, the ricS VLllage L me n,
h chant. Disease has been in his AouSGnoi: !, I:
1t and his store and dwelling have beer> ialc :
P ashes. Financial reverses followed in 1ulC
N succession, until all his property was sWel
IS away, and he found himself several th2
Ie sand dollars in debt. Driven to desper
g ton, and struggling TO save his falling 70
d, tunes, he attempted to secrete portion
n, his means by the aid of friend. III
I'd scheme was detected, and he arrested
ap charge of swindling, and sent to prison.
in Twas then the ruined man learned the b
lg terness Of poverty and desertion. Not
on friend would be his bail. The tickle pop
ed lace turned against him as quickly as th
had against William Milton years before
ou He complained of this bitterly-he cou
sr- not see why all his old friends should dest
ur him because he was unfortunate-sure
that was no crime. So reasoned the m
Us, who sent Milton TO the debtors cell. T
en- integrity had not passed the ordeal as |
nd tarnshod as did that of his early friend.
'rd Dark and gloomy were the days betwe
the arrest and the trial. Wilson had lit
nst to hope from the magnanimity of the pro
he cutting attorney, as that official had been
lth iected by one of his daughters on account
-, the attorneys poverty. From the prisone
Ill box, Wilson looked in vain for friends in
cy. sea of faces. He had lost his property q
on had no friends
lad To the inquiry of the Court who wo
ess defend him, Wilson answered that be
dy, retained none, his face burning as he
the swered, for he had no means to emE
Ved counsel. One and another of the lawy
res in the bar, plead prior engagements
ord begged to be excused from acting as
d sons counsel at the request of the Co
the This marked reluctance to defend him, st
cen the prisoner keen;y, and he bit his lip U
wife it bled. Any one of the brood, mt
and before, would have most eagerly perforl
CELL any service for the wealthy merchant.
the AT this juncture, tall and muscular
d to tlamon stroda nm n tho har and fond
Win his service as counsel for the prisoner at
bar. The strangers head was grey, bu
OF presence was singularly noble and comm
Inter ding, and his eye full and lustrous.
hrSt finely chiseled mouth told it's own stor
'ken daring, frmness, and iron will. The p
look cutting attorney looked little blank a
he distinguished looking gentleman tool
bis seat within the bar. and answ cred fol
ne client. The interest in the audience be-
Ia intense for they expected something FRI
Spect fine looking man. And the presen
Glenn that personage-his lofty bearing and
great eye-was already making interest fc
astonished client
Ilage, The trial proceeded. The counse
q, ,tor' the defence asked few questions of th,
n the nesses, contenting himself with playing
'ld to his pen-knife, now and then looking
was those who swore swift There was
IN ma ror in his very eye, and the swift witt
more quailed as they read its scornful glance.
money District Attorney indulged in frequent
r to and aggravating remarks as the test