Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1859-04-27
From the Home Journal.
Tales of the Sout h.
BY A SOUTHERN MAN.
THE AVENGER.
Continued from last Week.l

The sun was sinking low in the west
when he arose. On descending to the
eentleman's parlor, he had the unspeaka-
Bic pleasure of meeting with an old and
valued friend, just arrived, on his return
route to Alabama, for an exploring tour
through the interior of Texas. The meet
ing was peculiarly fortunate for A. M,
who was determined to press matters to
an immediate issue with Orme, before he
had time to draw friends and influence
around him by association with The gamb-
ling portion of the community. They
stood at present upon terms OF perfect
equality so far, at least, as the want OF
counsel and aid TO be derived from others
could make them equal, being both stran-
gers in Galveston. And, however much
A. NJ might be gratified in feeling
at meeting with his newly arrived friend,
the assistance he would need, and would
be likely TO receive from that quarter,
would not be greater than Orme might be
able to command among his ertemporc as
sociates in the city.
This friend was, like A.. M, a
planter. of cool head and brave heart, and
one in whom the most implicit confidence,
in apy matter, could be placed. Taking
him to his room, A. NJ explained to
him what is already known to the reader,
in relation to Orme and his crime, and
developed the plan he had devised for the
punishment of that assassin slayer of his
father. His friend, whose name was Lynn,
fully concurred with him in opinion as to
the conclusiyeness of the proof of Orme's
90 IL ~
mode of punishment, which was to arrest
and deliver him over to the tribunals OF
the law, supporting his suggestion with
many very cogent and persuasive argu'
ments.
A. NJ listened respectfully and in
silence to bis friends proposal, and the
plausible reasons urged in favor ofits adop.
ton, and when Lynn concluded his re-
marks, made q brief and decisive reply
He said, in substance, that there were but
three possible ways in which Orme could
be brought to punishment for his crime
and these were by q public prosecution
by his private assassination al his own
hands or those OF another, or by single
combat on the so called field of honor
To the first he objected, because OF its de
lay, its uncertainty of issue, and its vexa'
tious publicity; but, above all, because II
would wiring the thunderbolt OF the retrib
utiye blow from his own hand, and cause
it TO be launched, if it even fell at all
from the hand of the public, personified
or, at least, represented by the courts o.
law. As his father had been most foully
assassinated by 0rme, his own assistance
being prevented by an equally foul con
trivance, he felt that what he might law
fully have done then he ought not to bC
forbidden to do now-the lapse of time
and change Of circumstances not working
in his Judgment, q forfeiture of his right
which existed while the murder was con
summating, at least, to slay the murderer
At oil events, he claimed, as a matter o
feeling, OF te the question of light with hin
or against him, to be the avenger of hi
fathers blood, and he could not be induc
ed, for any consideration, to abandon thu
claim by surrender of the culprit to tn,
legal tribunals.
The plan of private assassination wa
at once cowardly and irredeemably base
and was not to be thought of by brav,
man, or to be mentioned by an honorable
one, except to be rerrobated and con
demned.
There renamed, therefore, no alterna
tive but to adopt the daello as the means o
furnishing Orme for his crime. This plai
would enable him, if at all, to inhict th
retributive blow with his own hand, an
was, unquestionably, entirely unstaine'
by the cowardice and insufierable mean
ness Of q private assassination. 1t gave,
true, the guilty 0rme an equal chanc
ofescape with himself, who was altogethe
innocent of the blQod for which an expla
nation was sought, apd required, too,
temporary lowering af himselfto the grad
Of his assassin oppopept since, by tn
Hcticn Of the dieli0, it can be waged proI
serly oniy between parties who are peers !
both character and station, These objec
tlons, however, which no one hut himse
had the right 10 urge, he was entirely wi
ling TO waive, for the sake of being pei
mitted to seek the life Of Orme In fai
and, what the world AYERS, honorabl
manner. He, therefore, announced h
unalterable resolution TO call Orme to az