The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1857-10-14


d glad to be thus fortified; and replied
o firm, re-assured voice, cat all events
s did my duty" Yet, for months after
+ the pale young face looked at him des
r pairingly from the evening air, an
r came between him and the sunshine
e But time, which softens all things, drift
e ed the dreary spectre into dim distance
: and Mr. Barker's faculties were agair
5 completely absorbed in making money
for his son.
Joseph was called fine, promising
young man: but his conduct was not
, altogether satisfactory to his parents
F He was fond of dress and company, and
his impetuous temperament often involv.
ed him in quarrels. On two or three OF
these occasions, they feared he had been
excited by drink. But he was, in reality,
good hearted fellow, and like his rough
father had undeveloped germs of real
tenderness within him. His fathers
life was bound 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 ca. ticiou6 temper, his neigh
bors loved him also.
What, then, was their CONSERVATION,
when it was rumored that on his twenty
fourth birth day, he had been arrested
for murder And, alas it was too true
that his passions had thus far oyermas-
tered his reason. He wished to please
a young girl in the vicinity, and she
treated him coolly, because rival had
Informed her that he was seen intoxica-
ted, and in that state had spoken over.
boldly 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 informed
against him. Unfortunately an axe was
at hand, and, in the double fury of drink
and rage, he struck with it again and
again. One hour after, he would have
given all he ever hoped to possess, nay,
would gladly have died, could he have
restored the life he had SO wantonly de-
stroyed.
Thus Mr.. Barker was again brought
into court of justice on an affair of life
and death. How differently all ques-
tions connected with the subject pre-
sented themselves now! AS he sat be.
side that darling son, :he pride of his
life, his only hope on earth, oh how he
longed for words of fire, to plead that
his young existence might be spared for
repentance and amendment How well
he remembered the juryman's plea fer
youth and intoxication and with what
an agony of selfreproach he recalled his
own hard answer With intense anxiety
he watched the countenances of the jury
for some CLEANS of compassion. But
ever and anon, pale young face loomed
up between him ard them, and gazed at
him with fixed despair. The vision of
this best beloved, his only one, stood
beside it, pale and handcuffed, as he had
beer: The voice that pronounced his
son guilty sounded like an awful coho
of his own-and he seemed to hear Mary
Williams whisper, "And my son also
was very young"
That vigorous ofshoot from his own
existence, so full of life and feeling, and,
alas, of passion which misguides US all
be must die No earthly power can
save him. May the ALL MERclFUL sus-
tain that poor father, as he watches be-
side the heavy slumber of his only son
in that dark prison; and while he clasps
the cold hand, remembers SO we'll the
dimpled fingers he used to hold in his,
when little Joe ate upon his knee, and
prattled childish love.
And the ALL MER ciFUL icas with
him, and sent influence to sustain him
through that terrible agony. 1t did not
break his heart: it melted and subdued
him. The CONCEALED sympathy of his
nature flowed under this ordeal of fire
and, for the first time, he had a realizing
sense that every human being is, or has
been, somebody's littls Joe.
How kind you are to me-" said the
prisoner, in answer to his soothing words
and affectionate attentions.
He replied meekly. Would I had
always been sol" Then turning his face
away, and earnestly pressing Joseph's
baud, he said in an agitated voice, "Tell
me truly, my son, does it ever occur to
you, that may have been to blame for
this great misfortune that has befallen |
you?"
"You, dear father ?" be exclaimed.
"T do not understand what you mean"
Still keeping his face turned away
and Speaking with effort, Mr. Barker,
said, "Do you remember once, when
was beating my horse crnelly (you were
a boy of twelve then,) neighbor Good
win remarked to me that I was giving
bad lesson to my son? [ was angry
with him at the time; and perhaps that
resentment helped to make me hard to-
ward poor young fellow who is dead
and gone; but his words keep ringing in
my ears now. May God, in His mercy,
forgive me: I have ever done or said any
thing to lead you into this sin. Tell