The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1857-11-07

:yaoraut of his state OF mind, were ca
gr to talk upon the subject and wnen
drawn into such discoures, be strove to
for:ify his own feelings By not dwelling
on al the worst circumstances Of the
case. Notwithstanding eli his efforts,
the nigh. preceding the execution, he
had troubled dreams in which that
CHASTITY young face was always consplc-
uous. When he woke, he saw it in the
air. Il walked best ie him as he plowed
the fields, it stood before him on the
threshold of his own door. All that the
ncrciful jurymsn had suggested came
before him with painful distinctness.
Could there be doubt that the con-
denned had rerlly committed murder !!
Might he have happened to have been
intoxicated for the Erst time in his life !?
And he so youngs But he drove those
thoughts away saying to himself, THE
law required it. / merely did my duty"
Still every thing looked gloomy to him.
The evening clouds looked like funeral
pals, and pale despairing face gazed at
him forever.
For the first time in his manhood. he
craved a companion in the darkness.
Neighbors came in aud described the
the execution and while they talked
the agitatcd juryman beat the frebrands
into thousand pieces, and spoke never
word. They told how the youth had
written long letter to his mother, and
had died calm and resigned. BY
the way perhaps You knew his mother,
Mr.. Barker" said one /; "they tell me she
used to live in this neighborhood. Dc
you remember a girl by the name Of
Mary Williams ?" :,
The tongs dropped from Mr.. Barker
hand, as he gasped out, "Mary Williams
Was he her son ? God forgive me -
Was he her son ?" And the strong man
laid his head upon the table and wcpt.
There was silence in the room. Al
last the loquacious neighbor said in a
subiued tone, 81 am sorry l hurt your
feelings. l didn't know she was friend
of yours"
The troubled juryman rose hastily,
walked to the window, looked out at the
stars, and. clearing his choked voice,
said, 1t is many years since | knew
her but she was good tempered, pref
ty girl, and it seems but yesterday that
we used to 90 to pick our baskets full OF
berries And so she was his mother
/ remember now there was something
in his eye that seemed familiar to me. "
Perhaps the mention of Mary's beauty,
or the melting mood, SO unusual with her
husband, might have exercised vague
feelings Of jealousy in Mrs. Baker
Whatever might have been the motive,
she said, in her demure way, without
raising her eyes from her knitting. "Well,
i. was natural enough to suppose the
Young man had a mother and other
mothers are likely to have hearts that
can feel, as well as Mary Williams. y
He only answered by shaking his head
slowly, and repeating, as if to himself,
Poor Mary . and SO he was her son.
Joseph came in, and the details Of the
dreadful scene were repeated and dwelt
upon. as human beings are erene todwelI
on all that excitcs strong emotion. To
lin the name Of Mary Williams conjured
tip no smiling visions of juvenile love ;
and he strove to fortify his father re'en-
ting feelings, by placing in strong light
all the arguments in favor of the prise,
ner's guilt. The juryman was glad to
be thus fortified, aud replied in frsa,
resumed voice, "At all events, did my
duty" Yet, for months after, the pale
young ace looked at him despalringly
from the evening air, and came between
him aud the sunshine. But time which
softens all things, drifted the dreary
spectre into dim distance and Mr. Bar,
kers faculties we're again completely alb
sorbed in making money for his son.
Joseph was called a fine, promising
youas man but his conduct was not
altogether satisfactory to his parents
He was fond of dress and company
and his impetuous temperament, on two
or three occasions, having brought upon
him somewhat serious trouble, they feared
he he'd been little excited By drink
But h was in reality, good hearted
fellow. and Ike his rough father, had
undeveloped germs of deep tenderness
within him his mother loved him with
all the energy Of which her sluggish ma
,nre was capable and notwithstanding
the inequalities of his violent and capri
cious temper, the neighbors loved him
also.
What, then. was their CONSERVATION
when ii was rumored that on his twenty,
fourth birth day, he had been arrested
for murder And, alas it was too true
that his passion had thus far oyermastered
his reason. He wished to please young
girl in the vicinity, and she treated him
coldly because a rival had informed her
that he had been seen intoxicated, and
in that state spoke overboldly Of being
sure of her love He drank again to
drown his vexation, and while the excite
ment of the draucht was upon him he
met the man who informed him. Unfor-
tanately an axe was at hand, and IN the
double fury Of drink and rage, he struck
with it again and again. One hour after,
Ire would have given all he ever hoped to
possess, nay, he would have gladly died,
could be have restored the life he had SO
santonly destroyed.
Thus, Mr. Barker was again brought into
court of justice, on the affair Of life
and death. How differently all questions
connected with the subject presented
Themselves now , As he sat beside that
darling son, that pride of his life. his
only hope On earth, how he longed for
words Of IRE, - plead that his young ex-
istence might Be spared for repentance
and amendment How well he remem-
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