Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1858-10-02

once, heard her call call gently, ~ on
: waiting for you'll"
Gracious Godl who spoke? Do tn
loved that ure forever lost cry to MS ont q
paradIseF II am waiting for youI'--noate,
down through the prison bars from be
whom the Father had just numbered will
the saints.
\ stood up and wandered back. more
dreaming than awake, to the SPOT wber,
George Markhams daughter still stait
plating volets. She turned to me with j
smile aud said, 81 did not mean to hurry
you, Sir, but my father is very unweH. and
| ought to be at home. viii you please
tell me how late it isl"
FOR the first time after those fifteen prison
years, III which knowing toll and darknes,
only, | had asked no other measurement Of
time | mechanically put my hand to INV
breast and drew out my restored watch
! Was sane? The second hand s,opppd at
the last kiss Of agony given by my beloved.
whether 10y miracle or the agitation of NV
grasp, | know not, suddenly moved on.
Lake lightning flash rushed on me the
memory Of my Yow--"T'ill We meet, this
watch shall never couut time again"
es, we had net-met in that voice Of
quiet waiting-met in this wondrous omen
of the wateh-met when / knew uot--wben
she was by none but God and her sister an
gels The wratbfu embers went out in the
breast of John Markham, and, viewlessly
hoYcrlng over him, the long cherished dead
smiled blissfully as she saw that in that mo-
ment there had entered into him new soul.
l.clasped the little one in my arms. told
her that her father was my only brother
and then waited humbly to sec her reeoil
from the loathsome convict. But with child
IKE JOY she hugged me closer around the
neck, aud cried, "Oh am so gladl / am
SO gladl Poor papa has been talking about
you these four days, and saying-but oh.
ne must die!-I cannot die till j John comes
home'0 4ai 985.l n
Not so, my brotherp I answered. sol
EMMY, Il from my soul forgive you. How
much more shall He WHO pitieth bis chill
dFen? For me, He hath this day wiped out
the past like tablet; and looking up to
Him as both of us condemed ia His sight.
let US join hearts, making no difference -
My brotherw
heId nm on my breast through thewax-
ing and the waning of that strange night
my first night ofliberty-my FIRST night with
the new soul And he sorrowed with the
5orrowlng that needeth no repentance
Wllh kiss which brought back the davs of
our childhood, at dawn his spirit departed
from me. Then, beside the little girl who
lad fallen asleep from weariness. | laid him
who slept the calmer sleep-the sleep of
;almness and peace. The day came for the
'eadlng of the will. Relatives, friends,
leighbors, were all collected in the parlor
where my dead brother used to sit. pininr
emorseIy through the long evenings with |
lis motherlesS child. Yet they all sat apart
rom the returned convict, looking at me |
'lth at evil eye. But L bore it meekly. |
'ith little Rose, in her morning dress, nest,
ed against my breast, as if / were the last
lImS she had on earth to cling to
The lawyer opened the will and began.
In the name Of God. Amen. I, George
Markham, banker of Hartford, being of fee |
DE body, but of sound and diSposing mind !
md memory, do hereby constitute this nv
aSt will and testament.
Il bequeath my soul to the infinite mer-
~ OF God, if it be possible | beuueath nv
name to the oblivion of all true men who
shall know the truth That bequeatb to
ny brother, John Markham, not Of bounty
but of immeasurable Indebtedness, in nv
that | alone, and unaided, am
The author of that damnable sin which bro't
he shadow of a prison, the loss of all things
On his innocent head. And finally | give
md demise to John Markham all nv estate.
10Th real and personal, to have and to hold,
o him, his heirs and assigns, forever, con
ident that he will SO far have mercy on my
quilt as to be in all things a father TO my
,nly child"
Then, like the friends of job, my
came back to me, be-
loldng how l was prospered. A gain |
tood an upright man in the face of the
,arth as well as heaven, and none uttered
IN i'll whisper of me-
Now l live alone with Rose, who has fill
ID the place of the daughter might have
lad but for the fifteen years She is my
;hild, my companion, my comforter, my pu-
)il. And never on earth will bring any
'ther love between us; for at night, when /
ook up into the stars, hear low voice
aging
81 am waiting for John Markham"