Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1858-09-23
Jutnfstiup Storg.
THE FOUR-FOLD DREAM

THE FoUR-FOLD DREAM.
If there be no city called Hippesford
among the north western towns Of Eng
land, let it he there, whittier ] went Eve
years ago to see the Italian hung. The
name under which he suffered was sup
posed to be a feigned ole ; the crime
whi.h he expatiated was that Of murder;
the Staying of his master and his benefac.
tor as he slept, for the taking of a sum OF
money which in all probability he might
have had for asking. One of those afro
cities, to give a reason for which battles
the student of human nature. The de.
fence set up for M~ayoraner was that of
insanity, there being no doubt whatever
as to his having committed the deed; but
this plea was in M opinion, very proper
ly set aside. His advocate happened to
be an intimate friend of mine, and it was
through the interest, morbid and repre-,
hensible, / am we'll aware-with which he
had inspired me in the unhappy criminal,
that | found myself among that crowd in
front of Hippesford gaol. l heard some
thing going on near me, a little too jocose
for the occasion.
You are q cruellhearted %rufian, if you
dare to mock thefpoor wretch like that
again. cried a deep voice. I'll save Mr..
Calcraft some trouble in your case.
The speaker was a ine powerfully built
sailor, towering by half a head above the
throng, and under his flashing eyes and
threatening brows, the fellow who had
provoked his wrath subsid d at once into
muttering, and presently into sullen 81.
leuce. He alone amidst the hum and
pReaiMaso of the crowd maintained an inyiola.
( in mainfasssM9,Sss nd strained his eyes upon
Tthe Soeaano6fd above, as though he would
have numbered every nail l.. It.: The
extreme anxiety of his face was remarka.
BILE even amongst those thousand eager
and expectant co~untenances. Notcaring
to look upon the dreadful sight directly,
| watched the face when the death knell
began to toll, as though it were q mirror,
feeling sure that should see reflected in
it whatever was happening. 1t was burn
ing and ~quivering with excitement, when
the wretched criminal was carried up by
three or four into view. immediately
after he came in sight, this fixed express.
sion vanished as completely as though a
curtain had been drawn over some pic
ture; and, as the sailor cast his looks upon
the ground, | heard him mutter, I'M a SOL
emn whisper, his thanks to Heaven.
As the sailor and were borne along
together by the resistless tide, / said to
him, secure Of sympathy, This is a sad
sight, my friend, is it not?'
Yes sir said he, "a terrible sight in
deed; but 1t might have been worse
How sou said /.
Well, it's a long story be replied, but
if you like to listen to it, and to take a
cup of tea with me (of which / feel the
needy at my lodgings, ] shall be pleased
enough. 1t will be a relief TO me, feel,
t. tell it even to stranger.
So we two went up iuto q little room
overlooking the scene, and which had
been let (as apartment) throughout that
morning to- party of FIVE gentlemen and
alady, who had only just evacuated it.
And there he told me this story: =
You must excuse me if / am q little
slow, at first, for yon throng has fairly
dazzled and dumbfounded me. Iamlquite
new to sights of this sort, thank God, nor
have | eve seeu SO great a crowd before.
[ live upon the South east coast, where
the folks are not SO many as in these
parts, and my own employment lisa pa
Eicufarly soliiaryone | am a lighthouse
man. ! sometimes pass whole weeks
without seeing any other face than that
Of my mate, without hearing any other
voice save it, andthat of the sea-gull, and
of the bafled wave which beats forever
against our rack. Even my holiday time
is spent among people who pass almost as
lonely lives as | do. My friends dwell
at a coast guard station, far away from
any town, aad indeed from me, only they
can see every night our lantern burning
steadily u t sea, which my mother and
sister says is a great comfort to them
when father is from home. 1t is lone
some, you see, for them to know that there
is no human being save themselves within
miles of them, the next post being a long
distance beyond the headland, whittier
often on the darkest nights, my father has
to go feeling for the white chalk heaps
that are laidldoYn to mark the road be-
twwixt the stations, the direction of which
in old times. they say, the smugglers
used to alter, 80 that the poor revenue
men were guided oyer the precipice. into
the arms of death below. Twelve years
ago q vessel was cast ashore, and went
to pieces one wintry night at the e~lif!foot,
beneath our guard house, and all the crew
save ono, we're thrown by the seornful sea
upou the shore, dead men; ave one
The sailor gave an involuntary look to-
wards the thing that hung upon the high
goal wall there, ~motionless, wlthits ghast
~ cowl drawn oyer it, and that man
was an Italian foreigner. My people
took him in, and acted towards him as
Christian people should do, and he was
grateful, and stayed with us, making him.