Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1858-01-28

ing eyes, and tee feeble vail Of the child
maddsnsd me, aud 1--yes, I struck her a
nsree blow IN the face aud she fell forward
upon the hearth. The fsriss Of hell BOILED
IN my bosom, aud With deeper lot. p.i,y AL
fet bad eommiited wrong had never
struck Mary before, bat sov some ts,,ibl.
impulse bore me on, and I stopped down .s
well .s could in my drunken state, .ud
eienehsd both hands 10 her hair.
God OF mercy, James lexclaimed my wife,
a' sbe iooksd up 10 my hsodi,b eouatssance,
you viif'not kill Us, you will NO. harm
wine, and she sprang 10 the cradle and
grasped bin in her embrace caught her
..gsin BY the hair and dragged her 70 abe
door and as lif,sd the latch, the wind
burst IN With cloud Of snow. With the
yell Of {. fend l still dragged her on aud
buried her out 10 the dsrkness aud storm
With . vld BIS I be I closed the door.
and turned the button, her pls.ding moans
mingled with the vail Of she blast, and the
sharp cry Of the babe. But ny work was
not complete
Il turned to the little bed where Law INV
older son, snatohed him from his slumb.rs.
and against his bslfavaksned struggled,
opened the door and thrust him Qua In
the agony Of fear be called ne By = name I
vas no longer ft to bear, and locked bis
nnger into my side pocket l could not
wrench that frenEied grasp away, aud with
the eoolness Of devil, that was, shu, the
door upon the arm, aad With my kuife,
severed il At the wrist"
The speaker ceased . moment, and buried
his lace in his hands AS IL 10 shut out .ome
fearful dream, aud bis deep chest heayod liks q
stormsrept sea. Ny father had arisen
from bis scat aud was leaning forward, his
eountenanoe bleodlsss, aud the large drops
standing upon bis brow. Chills crspt bach
to my young heart, aud 1 wished 1 was At
home The old nan looked up, and never
have l since behsld such mortal agony mic.
tused upon human face as there was on the
face Of the old man.
IL was morning when suoke, and III.
storm had ceased, but the cold was iptsnse
hrst secured drink Of water, and then
looked into the accustomed place for Msry.
As II missed her, for the frat time a aha.
douJ sense Of horrible nightmare began 10
dawn upon my wandering mind. thought
bad fearful dream, but Enthusiastically
opened the outside door with q shuddsriuS
dread; As the door opened the snow burst
IN followed By the falling Of something a.
cross The threshhold scattering the snow,
and striking The aoOr With q sharp, hard
sound. My blood shot like red hot arrows
through my veins, and 1 rubbed M; sc.
and shut ous the sight Il uas-Oi God.
how horrible it Vas my own Injured MARY
aud her babe, froEsn 70 ice The ever true
mother bad bowed herself over ,hs child 40
shield il, leaving her own person bare aud
stark 10 the storm. She had plseed her hair
over the face Of the child, and the alec, had
frozen it 10 the white neck. The frost vas
white IN its bslf opened eyes and upon its
tiny hngers- / knew not uhat becans Of
my brave boy
Again the old man bowed his head and
Wept, aud all that we're in the house vent
With him. Ny father wepl like child. In
tones 0floW and bsartbroksR pathos. the
cid man eoneladed:
Il was arrested, aud for long months raw.
ed in delirizm. aWoke, was sentenced 70
PRISON Tor ten years, but no tortarss could
have been like those I endured within nv
own bosom. Oh, God, mol lam not fan.
ate l wish to injaTe no one. But while
live, let me strive 70 warn oiheTs not 70
enter the path which has been 90 dsrk and
fearful one to me- IWould see N wife and
ebildrsd beyond this vale Of tears'
The old nan at down, but 9 spell a. deep
and strong as that wrought By some uii.
IaTds treatb, rested upon the audienes. -
Hearts could have been heard in their beat
iog, aud tears TO fall The old man then
aaksd the people 20 sign the pledge. NV
fathsI lsaped fTCm bic scat and sRGtehsd Il
ssgerlJ bad followed him, aud a. he hes
Itated . moment With the pen 10 the ink, q
tear fell from the cid mans eye upon the
paper.
's'gu i', sign u, yourg nAn Ausels
would 'ign it l would write ny name there
ten thousand times in blood lis uould bring
back my Lost sed loved ones
VI father WTots, Mortimer IIudsou
The old man looked, wiped his fearful
eyes, AID looked AgaiB, bis eount.psnes Al.
ternatsly flushed With red and deathliks
Palensss
1t is--Bo, it cannot be-ysI how strauRe. =
nutisFsd the old msb. Pardon me. AR bu,
that vas the name Of my brave boy
~ y father tremblod, aud held no Ii, I,f,
arm from which the band bad bsoa severed
They looked for 4 nomsnt 10 each other,
eyes, both rsslsd aud Easpsd-
'My oun isjsFsl boy
ny father
They fell upon each othsr's sssts ua,il /.
seemed that their souls would sfov ana
niogls into one. There vas weeping in that
church, sbd | tusasd bsuilasrsd upon the
streaming faces sround ne
Let ns thank God for this great blsssisR
Which has glsadsusd NJ Euilt bardsnsd
soul,' sHolAimed tbs old msn, aud knsoiioR z
doSs, Peufs3 oat bis bszfi IL obs % Ihs mosi
nsliisg prayers I ever beard The spell
sas thea broker, snd al eagerly sigssd shs
pledge, slowly gOiss 10 tktir homes, and
loih 70 leave ihs fPot Tbo oli man is dead
bat he lsssoa he tasgbt bis graudcAild On
his kaso a. ihs evsni5g sun uebt douu sith.
out cloud, val bcveF bo forgotion his
fsua'icism has lost sons d iis sro 10 my
manb0od
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