Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1857-09-22

10 be thus fortified, and repued IN a Hlfn ,
treasured voice: AT all events, | did
my duty" Yet, for months after, the
pale young face looked al him despairing-
Iy from the evening air, and came be-
tween him an the sunshine. But time
which softens all things, drifted the dresry
spectre into dim distance; and Mr.. Bar
kers feelings were again completely alb
sorbed III making money for his son.
Joseph was called a fine, promising
young man; but his conduct was not alto
gether satisfactory to his paren,s. He was
fond of dress and company, and his I'M
petuous temperament not anfrequently in
solved HIM ia quarrels. On two ar three
OF these occasions they feared he hal
been li1lle excited by drink. But Ia
was in reality q good hearted fellow, and
like his rough father, bad uaderrloped
germs of deep tenderness within hun. =
His fathers life was bound Up within his;
his mother loved him with all the energy
of which her sluggish nature was capable; /;
and Notwithstanding the inequalities Of his
violent and caprlcious temper, the neigh
bors loved him also.
What then was their CONSERVATION,
when II was rumored that on his twenty
fourth birthday he had been arrested for
murder And alas ii was too true that
his passions had thus far overuastered
his reason. He wished to please young
girl in the vicinity, and she treated HIM
coldlY, because a rival had informed her
that he was seen intoxicated, and in that
state spoke over-boidiy of being sure of
her love. He drank again TO drown his
veXation; and while the excitement of the
draught was on him, he met The man who
had Informed against him. Unfortunately
an axe was at hand. and, in the double
fury of drink and rage, be struck with i
again and again. One hour after, he
would have given all he ever hoped 10
possess - nay, would have gladly died,
could he hove restored the life be had 50
wantonly destroyed.
Thus, Mr.. Barker was again brough,
into a court of Justice, on an affair of life
and death. How differently all questions
connected with the subject presented lhem-
selves nowi As he sat beside that dar-
ling son, the pride of his life, his only
hope on earth; oh, how he longed for
words of fire to plead that this young e1-
istence might be spared for repentance
and amendment How well be rememb-
cred the Jurylnan's plea for youth and IN
toXiCation! And with an agony OF self
rcproach he recalled his own hard answer.
With intense anxiety he watched the couu-
tenance of the jury for some CLEANS Of
cOmpassion; but ever and anon, pale
young face loOmed up between HIM aud
them, and gazed at him with fixed despair.
The vision Of other years returned to
haunt him; and Joseph, his best beloved,
his only one. stood beside ii, pale aud
handCufed, as he had been. The voice
that pronounced his son GUILTY sounded
like an awful echo of his own = and he
seemed to hear Mary Williams whisper
"And my son also WAS very young"
That vigorous of-shoot of his own e1-
istence, SO full os life and ceiling. and
alas, of passion, which misguides Us all.
he must die! No earthly power can save
him. May the All Merciful sustain the
poor father, as he watches the heavy
sIumber of his only son in that dark
prison; and while he clasps the cold hand
remembers so we'll the lIltIe dinped fin
gers he used to hold in his, when lIue
Joe sat upon his knee, and Prauled child
/ ish love.
And the All Merciful was with him,
and sent influences to sustain him through
that terrible agony. It did not breaL his
heart; it melted and subdued him. The
/ concealed sympathies of his nature flowed
under this ordeal of fire; and, for the
/ first time, he had a realizing sense that
/ every human beng IS, or has been some
body's little joe
+ How kind you are to me-" said the
/ prisoner, in answer to his soothing words
and aflectionate attentions.
He replied meekIy, "Would had al
ways been so - Then turning his face
away, and earnestly pressing Joseph 5
hand, "Iell me truly, my son, did 1t ever
occur to yoa that | may have been to
blame for this misfortune that has befal-
len you ?"
''YoU, dear fatherr' he exclaimed. 'I
do not understand what you mean
Still keeping his face turned away, and
speaking with an effort, Mr. Barker said,
do you remember once, when | was
beating my horse cruelty, (you were a
boy of twelve then,) neighbor Goodwin
remarked TO me, that | Was giving a bad
+ example to nv son L was angry with
him at the time and perhaps that resent
ment helped to make me hard agains, a
poor young fellow who IS dead and gone;
but his words keep ringing in my ears
now. May God in His mercy forgive me
if / have ever done or said anything 10
lead you into this great sin. Tell IhT
Joseph, do you ever think it might have
happened otherwise, if you had had ess
violent father !''
My poor faiherr' exclaimed the pris-
oner, pressing his hand convulsiyeiy, "i;
almost breaks my heart 10 hear you thus
humble yourself before me, who so linl.
deserve 1t at your hands. Only forgive
me my violent outbreaks, dear father, for
in the midst of them all | always loved
you. You always sought to do me good,
and would rather have died than have led
me into any harm. But since have been
here IN prison, | have thought of many
things that never occurred 20 me before.
The world and all things in il are placed
before me in a different light. Il seems