Indiana American., 1857-01-16
BROOKvILLE FRANKLIN COUNTY. INDIANA FRIDAY JANUARY

Her pleading means mlngling with the
wall Of blast and sharp cry Of her babe.
But my work was not complete.
III turned TO tho little bed where lay my
elder son, and snatohod him from his
slumbcrs; and against HE half-wakened
struggles, opened tho door and thrust him
out. In tho agony OF fear he called TO
me by name was no longer fit to bear,
and locked his fingers into my side pock-
ct. / could not wrench that frcnzied
grasp away, and with the GOODNESS OF dew
il as was, shut the door upon his arm,
and with my knife severed 1t at tho wrist"
The speaker ceased n moment and
buried his face in his hands, rs If to shut
out some fearful dream, and bis deep
chest heaved likea storm-swept sea. My
father had arisen from his scat, and was
leaning forward, his countenance bloodless,
and the large drops standing out upon his
brow. Chills crept back to my young
heart, and wished / was at home. The
old man looked up, and | never have
since beheld such mortal agony pictured
upon human face as there was on his.
ait was morning when ] awoke, and the
storm had ceased, but the cold was in
tense. | first secured drink Of water,
and then looked in the accustomed place
for Mary. AS missed her for the first
time, shadowy sense of some horrible
nightmare began to dawn upon my wan
dering mind. thought. had fearful
dream, but / involun tarily opened the
outside door with a shuddering dread
AS the door opened, the snow burst in,
followed by the fall Of sometime across
the threshold, scattering the snow and
striking the floor with sharp, bad sound.
Ny blood shot like red hot arrows through
my veins, and rubbed my eyes to keep
out the sight. 1t was-O God, how hor-
rible it was my own injured Mary 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 had placed her hair over the face
Of the child, and the sleet had frozen II to
the white cheek. The frost was white in
its half.opened eyes and upon its tiny fin.
gers. know not what became of my
brave boy.
Again the old man bowed his head
and wept and all that were in the house
wept with him. My father sobbed like
a child. In tones Of low and heart-bro.
ken pathos, the old man concluded
"I was arrested, and for long months
raved in delirium. / awokc, was senten
ced to prison for ten years, but no torturel
could have been like those endured with
in my bosom. o God, no,-I am not
fanatic. Iwish to injurc no one. Blu
while live, let me strive to warn other
not to enter the path which has been S,
dark one to me-"
/ The old man sat down, but a spell a
deep and strong as that wrought by SOM
wizards breath, rested upon the audience
Hearts could have boen heard in thei
, beating, and tears to fall. The old maj
then asked the people to sign the pledge
Ny father lcaped from his seat, and snatch
ed at it eagerly. had followed hin
and as he hesitatcd moment with pen il
the ink, tear fell from the old man
eye on the paper
, "Sign it, sign It, young man. Angel
+ would sign it; i would write my nam
there ten thousand times in blood if i
would bring back my loved and lost ones
Ny father wrote Mortimer Hudson
The old man looked, wiped his tearfu
, eyes, and looked again, his countenanc
alternately flushed with a red. and death
: like paleness.
, ut is-no, it cannot be; yet no,
strange" muttered the old man. "Par
don me, sir, but that was the name Of m
bravo boy"
My father trcmbled, and held up tn
left arm, from which the hand had bee
severed.
: They looked for q moment in eac
Y others eyes, both reeled and gasped:
( any own injured son ''
r my father !"
|, They fell upon each others neck an
: wept, until it seemed that their soul
t would grow and mingle into one. Ther
was weeping in that church, and sad face
g around me.
q "Let me thank God for this great bic.
r sing which has gladdened my gult-bul
G dened soul !'' exclaimed the man; an
s keeling down, he poured out his heart j
}. one of the most melting prayers eve
Q heard. The spell was then broken, an
t all eagerly signed the pledge, slowly &C
Q ing to their homes, as il 10th to leave tn
o spot
The old man is dead, but the lesson h
d taught his grand-child on his knee, as h
g evening sun, went down without clou,
!, will never be forgotten. His fanaticisl
has lost none of its fury in my manhood
Q heart.
!. A Dampcr.
II A young gentleman lately offered h
# services to young lady for party. Q
: their way he cudgeled his brain for SON
time to start an interesting topic of COZ
versation to amuse her with; he could h
q upon nothing until they met several COW
> Here was topic which the swain instan
i ly laid hold Of, and with much simplici
remarked:
"Now, amt 1t strange what mother
y appearance q COW has ?''
To which the young lady pertly r