The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1858-11-12

the youth WIS laid upon his bed, and she
heard him calling for his sister, Lucy Da-
Wis wept, anl said to him,-"poor Young
man, your sister is far distant, but | will be
to you sister" Well did this dark eyed
maiden keep her promise. Day and nigh,
she watched over him, except during the
short intervals when she yielded her post at
his side to her father.
| at length the crisis of the disorder arriv-
ed-the day that was to decide the uues-
ton Of life or death. Lucy bent over him
intense anxiety, Watching every expression
OF his features hardly during to breathe, ST.
/ fearful w;:s she of awaking him i."in the
only sound sleep hc had enjoyed for nine
/ long days and nights. At iruoth he awolic
an'l 9 ,zc,l MP into the face Of Lucy Davis,
and family inquired, "Wi,cre am !" There
WAS an intelligence in that look Youth
and Il gpo! constitution had obtained the
na>cry. Lucy felt that lie WA, spared, and
hu, sim" into ilood Of tears, rushed OF. OF
: the room.
Ii WAS two weeks more before hc con!,!
sit up even for Il shor! time. lie had al
ready acquainted them with his uanc and
residence, but they had 80 curiosity to learn
anything further, and forbade him c:vin"
his story until he h..camc stronger. lis
name was Charles Wilson. ana his patern.l
home Boston.
y few days afterwards, when Mr.. Davis
WAS absent from home, and I.u"v cnra"..l
about her household "i!:,i,s, Wilson saw
CLOSE bcS!e his head his pack, ain! rvcollcc,-
/ ing something that he wal,eI, urrn,d i.
! The first thing he SAW WIS the ilcn,ical
p"rkcthooH whose loss la! excited so many
regrets. lie rccolcctrd having placed it
there the morning before hc reached brant's
; l'r;Gric, but IN The Confusion Of the mo
incni the circumstances WIS forgotten. H..
examined it, and found everything rs he
left it.
The discovery nealv restored him t,
! ncaiti!, but he resolved at present TO coniiuc
the secret TO his own bosom. 1t was graft
tying to HIM /" witncsa the entire confidence.
they rrlo<cd in the honor and integrity of
Il stranger, ANA the pleasure with which
. they bestowed tavols upon one whom they
, supposed could make up returns but thanks.
Mig ht came, and Mr. Davis dill not re-
turn. Lucy passed Il slrcprss night. In
the morniuS She watched hour after hour
! tor his coming, and when >u''sc. approached
lie was still absent lcrliii ii At his lonr and
unusual stay, she WAS setting out to procure
:; hclghtor to 20 i'll search of him, when
: her parent came in sight. She ran to meet
linn, anu WAS bcstowin@ ulon him II thnus-
add endcarng expressions oi affection. wl,cl.
his haggard, Voc bc:5onc coun>tr,lancc start
led her.
lie uttered not :, word, and went into his
house and seated himself in silence. 1t wa,
III VAIN that she attempted to cheer him
.\iter great pause, during which there was
Il long struggle going Oh in his :; elu"s. h.
rose and took his daughter by ti,e hand,
aud led Ecr INTO the room where Wilson
Was seated. You must know ALL" he said,
Il ain ruined; | am a bcgyar. In few
days | must quit this house ; the farm which
have 50 highly improved, and though, INV
own" lie proceeded to state, that Il few
days before, Crosby, in ;, fit of ungnvcruabic
malice, taunted him with being Il bcryar,
and told him that he was now in his power,
aud he would crush linn under his feet.
Mecn Mr.. Davis smiled at what he rr-atd-
ed rs only al impotcnt threat. Crosby, 10
convince linn; told him That the patent Of
his farm was a forged one, and that he,
Crosby, knew the real owner of the land :;
had written to purchase it and expected a
deed in few days. Davis Immediately
went home for his patcnt, and during his
: long absence bad visited the land ollicc.
! Crosby WAS right. The patent, beyond all
dispute, was forged one, and the claim o.!
! Davis to the farm WIS not worth Il iarthil.r.
! II may be proper to observe that counter
fei,inS soldiers patents, WAS u regular Lusi-
ness III some Of ll.c eastern cities, and hun
drc'lS had Lccu duped.
! sit is no. for myself" said the old man
"that gricvc ut this MISFORTUNE am a,i.
vanced i'll life, and it matters not where or
how ! pass the remainder OF nv existence
| have little home bcyund the stars
where your mother has gone before ,ue, and
where | would have loved to protect he,
child, my own ailcctionatc Lucy" I'll,
weeping girl threw her arms around the
neck OF her father, and poured her tears up.
on his bosom, I'VE can be happy Still
said she, "for am young and can easily
support us both"
\ new scene followed, in which anoihc,
individual was the principal actor. shal
leave The reader to form his own opinion o.
it, and barely rcrnak that at the close, the
old man took the hands Of Lucy and Young
Wilson, and then joining them, said :-'My
children, | chccrfuIly consent to your union
Thoug! poo,, with Il good conscience vo,
can te happy. | know, Charles, you will
be kind to my daughter. for few nights
ago, when YOU thought that 10 human ca,
could hear you ferventIy implore the blcs
sings OF heaven upon my gray hairs, and
that God would reward my child for al
her Kindness to you. Taking down hi:
f1miiy Bible, the venerable old MAN added
-"lt is season Of afilic,ion, but are not
forsakcn. Let us look FOR support to Him
who has promised to sustain us. lie then
opened the boek and read {:
although the fig tree shall not blossom
neither shall fruit be in tho vines. the labors
Of the olive shall fail, and the fields yield nc
meat; the hocks shall be cut of from the
fold, and there shall he no herb il the stall
yet will joy in the God Of my salvation
Charles and Lucy kneIt beside the vener
able old man, and while lie prayed, the,
, | went tears of Orateful anot;nn 7, ,,s