The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1858-07-17

of n bad dreau,-to ;,e Nn,linr tb,,, fnil,.
by nv bedside, where thew lad lain onI,
| since last niobt.
had come in with The ma iestv Of tho lov
ii guard On either sl. ,,s,,t on. .Io,n
no danger was anprehrndcd of no osca,;no
from the other priscn-the world. traving
the bial graywalIs behind me struck ;nto
the road for Uorfnrd Had ma az, G,.o
years before, | might have bce;, incynrnss;hlv
softened by the lonr, uuwontea mns;c of The
birds, that from trees and orchard. walls
made the air fun Of their low. Now had
lived past the time when surh thing could
touch me, and walked still in the lock-stpn
| booking neither about nor forward. Init ever
modify on the ground ,nl aus. late IN thn
afternoon, came whittier the commencement
of my recital finds me, and GOOD in market
! place of the town which | had last seen fade
out behind me- as went awov in scorn
! No wonder that hy all the ,aSsGrs was
stared at as an udtlity something to BE sus-
pccted and shfunk from; for my rrizZlcd
hair was of he prison cut, my cothinn had
gone out Of fashion when the fathers in the
street were children, and not from fear but
from long use. looked no man in the face.
And here and there in knots. the pcople
whispered about me-somcthi, 9 with an cyi.
dent carelcsSncss as 70 how loud. But
| only nurScd Il deeper and more quiet wrath.
There came along that way a thronc of
children, just from school. Stepping up to
! one Of them | asked "Does George Mark
ham still live in this place" The little girl
turned up n sunny spring morning face, and
answered 4" | am his daugh ,er. sir.--do you
want to see him?"
hc!lsh thought suggested itself to me.
said ] s, you may show me the way to
his house. knew we should takca cross
path over the fields, and pass long reach
OF lonely woc dS. In the most solitary part
of that path might wrcai upon the guilty
head of George Markham, the most terrible
vengeance which could wipe out his bitter
wrong to me. | would Kill his child. and
bring her home to him, con Tossing that did
it, and glolying i'll the end of that horrd
game OF Quils. on whose tirst throw lie had
| started my heaven and lost it,
The little maiden took my hand, confdiag.
~. That might unnerve me; so loosed
1t, Willie L followed. She tossed back
her cuIls. and went bounding ahead at rate
my Studies were hardly equal to. Still kept
my eyes on her. After 4 while we came i'll
to low brook course between two hills :.
over the foremost one of which | could lust
see the chimney Of my bio;hcr's house.
looked about me no one was in sight -res
cue was impossible. The Devil whispered
---' Now len called TO the child to
stop saying That must look for something
| had dropped. She obeyed and stood anus.
ing herself with making wreatl,cs of the vo-
lets which grew by the walcrcourse, while |
stopped to find heavy stone which might do
my bidding Of vengeance surely and silently.
All around me in the bed of the brook were
nothing but pebbles. walked few steps
! further down in my quest, and went out of
sight around a clump of aldvrs. The little
girl must have thought me leaving her, for all
at once heard her call gently, II am wait
| ing for YOU !"
Gracious God Who spoke? Do the
loved that are forever lost cry to MS out of
Paradise Il am waiting ror YOU !''-the
very message that, five wears aro, 0oa.cd
down through my prison bars from her whom
the Father had Just Numbered with his saints.
stood up and wandered, back, more
dreaming than awake. to the spot where
George Marilman's daughter still stand plait.
ing violcts. - did not mean to hurry YOU,
sir, but my father is very unwcl, and ought
to be at home. Will you please tell me how
la lie it is?'
For the first time after those fifteen prison
years, in which. knowing toll and darkness
only, had asked no other measurement of
time, mechanically nut my hand to nv
breast and drew out my restored watch.
Was | sane The second hand, STONED at
| the last kiss oragony given me by my beloved
whether by miracle, or the agitation oc my
grasp, | know not, 1t suddenly moved on.
Like a lightning flash rushed on me the mem
DRY Of my vow. Til we meet this watch
shall never count time again.
Yes, we had mct--met in that voice of
! quiet walting-mct in tins wondrous omen
of the watch-mct when | knew it not
when she was seen by none but God and her
sister angels. And the wrathful e,nbers
went out in the breast of John Markham
and viewles,ly lowering over him. the long
cherished dead smiled hliSsfLlly as she saw
that in that moment there had entered into
him new soul.
| claspcd the little one in my arms, told
her that her father was my only brother, and
then waited humhIy to see her ,ecoil from the
loathsomc convict. But with childlikc JOY
she Rugged me closer around the neck and
cried, " On, am so glad ! Poor papa has
been talking you these four days, and saying
but oh, he must not die Il cannot di,
til John comes home = "
With reverent step. and bowling low, |
came into the room Of my dying brother. -
His pale face flushed and pa.ed again as he
saw me, and then hiding 1t in the pillow
he cried, :" Look not on me. God is wrcah