The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1858-10-20

nothing but pebbles. l walked few
steps further down in my quest. The
little girl must have thought me leaving
her, for, all at once, heard her cal,gent
ly, Il am waiting for voup
Gracious God! Who spoke? Do the
loved that are forever lost cry to us out
of Paradise2 i am waiting for you p
ioated down through the prison bars from
her whom the Father had just numbered
with the saints.
| stood up and wandered back, more
dreaming than awake, to the spot where
George Markham's daughter still staiL
plating violets. She turned TO me with
a smile and said, y do not mean TO hur-
ry you, Sir, but my father is very unwel
and | ought TO be at home. Will you
please tell me how late it isl
For the first time after those fifteen
prison years, in which knowing toll and
darkness only, had asked no other
measurement Of time, l mechanically put
my hand on my breast and drew out nv
restored watch. Was | sane2 The sec.
ond hand, stopped at the last kiss of ago
sy given me by my beloved, whether by
miracle or the agitation Of my grasp, 1
know not, suddenly moved on. Like
lightning flash rushed on me the memory
OF my vow--'Till we meet, this watch
shall never count time again
Yes we had mell-met in that voice of
quiet waiting-met in this wondrous
omen OF the watch-met when I knew
no'-wiien she was seen bv none but
God and her sister angels. And the
wrathful embers went out in the breast of
John Markham, and, vewlessly lowering
over him, the long cherished dead smiled
5lissfully as she saw that in that moment
there had entered into him new soul.
clasped the little one in my arms.
told her that her father was my only
brother, and then waited hurnbly to see
her recoil from the oathsome convict
But with childI:ke JOY she hugged me
closer around the neck, and cried, oh
am SO glad am so glad! Poor papa
has been talking aLou. you these four
days, and saying-but oh, he must not
die!-'l canno: die ill John comes home
With reverent step, and bowing low,
| came into the room Of my dying broth.
err Ills pale face flushed and psled
again as he saw me, and then hiding il
IN the pillow he cried, Look no, then on
me! God is wreaking his. wrath on the
devil who wasted your life y
Not so, my BROTHER ] answered, sol.
emnly;i from my soul forgive you.-
How much more shall He who pitieth
his children For me, lie hath this dav
nt lta
ing up to Him rs both Of us condemned
in his sight, let us join hearts, making no
difference. NY brolhern
held him on my breast through the
waxing and the waning OF that strange
night-my first night of Iiber,y-my first
night with the new soul. And he sor.
rowed with the sorrowing that needeth
no repentance. With kiss which
brought back The days OF our childhood,
at dawn his spirit departed from me-
Then, beside the little girl who bad fall
len asleep from WEAKNESS, laid him who
slept the calmer sleep-the sleep Of calm.
ness and peace. The day came for the
reading Of the will Relatives, friends,
neigbbors, were all collected in :he par.
lor, where my dead brother used to sit,
pining remorsefuIly through the long eve.
hings with his molherless child. Yet
they all sat apart from the returned con-
vicl, looking at me with an evil eye
But bore it meekIy, with little Rose in
her mourning dress, nestled against my
breast, as if | were the las. thing she had
on earth to cling to.
The lawyer opened the will and began:
In the name Of God. Amen. /
George Markham, banker o. Hartford,
being Of feeble body. but Of sound and
disposing mind and memory, do here
by constitute tl,is my last will and testa
ment. a.--,a
Il bequeath my soul to the infinite mer
cy Of God, If 1t be possible. / beaueath
my name to the oblivion Of all true men
who shall know the truth, That / be-
queath to my brother, Jobh Markham.
not Of bounty, but Of immeasurable in.
debtedness, in my confession that alone
and unaided, am the author of IL at dam
nable sin which brought the shadow OF
prison, .he loss of all things on his limo
cent head. And finally, give and de
wise to John Markham all my estate, both
real and personal, 10 have and TO hold, to
him, heirs and assigns, forever, confident
that he will so far have mercy on nv
guilt as to be iu all things father to my
only child
Then, like the friends OF Job, my ac.
9uaintance came back 10 me, beholding
how was prospered. Again stood an
upright man in the face of earth as well
as heaven, aud none uttered sn i'll whis
per Of me.
Now l live alone with Rose, who has
filed the place Of the daughter I might
have had but for the fifteen years. She
is my child, my companion, my comforter
my pupil Aud never on earth will
bring any other love between us; for at
night, when / look up into the stars,
hear a low voice saying.
lam waiting for John Markham