The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-04-10

gantle friends and fellows. WHOM 10 iodNe
4 onv bitter to me, only dying
a., with me- like COOS angels, TO NINE emo,
And when the long divorce of death fais on me,
Make 81 your prayers one most SWEEP sa sci,
Aud ift my soul To heaven "AP'''
The news of the arrest of Valentine spread
rap;ily over the city and surrounding country,
creating everywhere an intense excitement, ana
rayiviug all the deep interest that had been feit
two years before, at the epoch OF the crime.
This excitement prevailed all around Fannie,
vat she knew nothing of it, or at least OF Its
,ocse There was no one found willing to carry
,b;s sorrovful intelligence to her, whom it most
coneerued: and she remained in total igno-
r.,oa If the arrest of her husband until the
next day. which being Saturday, she was look
mo forward. as usual, to en- early closing Of the
sbop and walk out into the country, to spend
,ba night and the Sabbath with her old mother,
and 10 comfort Valentine, when, unexpectedly,
moor Phelra, recovered in some degree from
the shock she had received, and accompanied
he Elisha. arrived at her daughters humble
little home. With all possible consideration
and gentleness, the old negro preacher broke
the intelligence Vi
T. Fannie. Bat, alas if all fateful sntecedents
hal not led her to anticipate this consequence,
what further possible preparation could fit her
70 receive such intelligence? And, indeed, in
any event. what preparation would soften such
calamity? Poor little Fannie's frame was very
delicate, and her heart by many heavy blows
had become physically feeble, and was, at best,
very imperfect instrument Of her will. Had
il not been so, the poor girl might have better
borne up; as it was, she succumbed to the new
blow, and a night of dangerous illness followed.
} Yet, the next morning Fannie, insisted on
leaving her bed, and though apparently more
dead than alive, and having to be supported
between Phedra and old Elisha, she went to
the prison to see Valentine. All prisons are, of
course, wretched places; but the jail Of M
vas one OF the most wretched Of its kind. Com
parstively small, shamefully overcrowded, close,
iventilated, and pestilential, it insured nothing
bat the safe custody of the bodies of its miser-
able inmates. Evidently, reform had not even
looked upon its outer walls, far less opened one
Of its doors or windows. For greater security,
Valentine had been confined in the condemned
cell A slight irregularity that, but one of
which the "powers" approved, and of which,
therefore, no one else had the right to complain.
Although, under circumstances less tragic, it
must have seemed ludicrous to associate the
graceful and almost girlish delicacy of poor
Valentines figure with danger to the security
Of bolts and bars and prison walls. Howbeit,
in the condemned cell Valentine was placed,
and there Fannie and her companions found
hun. Valentine received them with great COM
posture, that was only slightly disturbed when
Fannie, upon first seeing him, threw herself,
With cry Of passionate sorrow, upon his bosom.
When the turnkey had left the cell, and locked
them al in together, Valentine addressed him.
self 10 soothing Fannie. And after while,
favored by the exhaustion that followed her
vehement emotion, he succeeded in quoting
her.
After little conversation, the old preacher
invited all to join him in prayer, and, kneeling
do~n, offered up fervent petition for the
divine mercy on the prisoner. Through the
Sh0le Of the interview, all were impressed by
The perfect composure and cheerfulness of Val
entiae. lie seemed like a man who had cast
treat weight from his breast, or in some
other way had been relieved from a heavy bur-
den. Though his manner was perfectly free
from any charge of reprehensible levity, there
was certainly an elasticity of spirit in all he
sand or did, that was as strange as it was en-
drely sincere and unaffected. Was this because
he lelt that he had nothing farther to hope or
iear, and trouble had ceased with uncertainty
Whatever was the cause, his mood happily in
flence'l others, and they grew quiet and cheer
iul in his company.
dearest friend" Valentine said, afterw ards,
10 Elisha, these things that have occurred
we're Obliged to happen; no power on earth
could have prevented them; and the power of
Heaven never intervenes to perform miracles,
or to avert evil at the expense of moral free
agency. | am not a professionalism, Brother
Elisha but / know that certain causes must
produce certain effects, as surely as given
lsures produce known results. AS | told you
tore, ! always knew that this was to be my
late. From the first moment that was pro-
yoked to strike Oswald Waring, have seen
ilis crime and this fate before me. like horri.
ole cloud. would try to close my eyes to it
Try to forget It. In vain-for even in my bright.
raj pail around ne, blackening all the light OF
hie When poor Oswald Waring lay dead be-
lore me, did not realize the crime more in.
itnsely than had by presentiment an hundred
lines before. And when l shall stand, as
shall very soon do, upon the scafold's fatal
crop, with the cord around my neck, and the
cap that is about to shut out the last glimpse
d us worlds sunshine from my eyes, descend
'ng over my face-even in that supreme mo-
ment, know ] cannot feel the situation more
aea'ely than have done thousand times be
fore!
lHis prophetic feeling was the secret horror
o. my whole life. | dared not eonfide il to any
ouei therefore 1t preyed upon my spirits, driving
NE at times almost to insanity. Yet, friends
Mf'e was nothing occult in this presentiment
\ Sas but the swift and sure inference of Ger
@n ELECTS from certain causes. 1t was rather
helpless foresight, than second sight Well
We SorSt has comet / am calmer and happie
q9" than have been for many long, sad years
ms tate is not nearly so horrible in reality al
II seemed in anticipation. The only earthl,
trouble that have is in the thought of my it'll.
ISaulLy Comfort them, Brother Elisha! He'll
luem to bring all the power of religion to thei
support. Time and religion cures the worst o
eoffoSs; ii will cure theirs. Only, in the meal
I'ne-in the hour of their greatest trial, ant
NIe hrst dark days that follow it-watch owe
.I Itm' sustain and comfort them, and lift ~
N'er hands to God, Elisha"
will will, indeed, Brudder Valley,
promised the old preacher
r, 'alentine was not left alone in his triGs
ne friends of the Methodist church Aocket
around, and one or another was always witt
UNI. The clergymen of every denomination
"ok great interest in his situation and char
ster. And the better Valentine was known
NE deeper this interest grew. In advance o
ny trial, the press took up bis case, and tn
ptaPers were filled with accounts Of visits tina
s sa.s or that gentleman had made him; eonyer
s ~I one or another clergyman had hei'
Is; sn MIN in his cell and with descriptions o
~ good looks, graceful manners, intelligence
onoSedge, conversational powers, and eic
f-ehce-ah so remarkable in one of his rae
1au station" 1t would seem, indeed, as If, ur
apply, the good points of the unhappy youn