The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1859-02-11
THE FINAL REVENGE.

Ho o"'bby qulct VI NuUDutU UnOT0lUU-
no cloud hoated in the deep, blue heavens
above to veil the sunshine that bcamed low
ingy forth on the earth ms she kept tryst
with holy Time; the birds poured forth their
matin songs with a sweeter thrill--even the
animals. released for one day from the fur.
row and its tolls, seemed pleasurably con-
sclous OF their temporary respite. But it was
not Sabbath in the souls of men for whom
the Sabbath was made. Before the gate Of
rural home stood two persons engaged In
earnest, and it would not appear, friendly
conversation, for the words of both were
loud and angry, and the countenance of one,
especially, was flushed with passion.-his sen.
tences were emphasized by fierce gestures
At length, wearied with the abuse Of his
neighLor, the owner Of the house turned
from him, and entering the threshold of his
door, paused there momen. to address his
wife, who was seated in the porch, dandling
upon her knee their little boy, will, whom
she was waiting TO accompany him to Church.
Only a moment--a few words only-but
while they were yet lingering on his tongue
"a sharp report suddenly woke the echoes
II bullet flew over the wife's shoulder al
most grazing the infants head in its passage,
then, ore groan, spring in mid.air, and the
strong man fell in death. Once, again, had
man imbrued his hands in the blood of his
brother, and its voice cried against him from
the ground. The murderer fed; but the
corpse of his victim was scarcely cold ere
trumpet-tongued Justice demanded ,venge-
ance, and followed on his track. ...
The Governor issued proclamation offer
ing large reward for his arrest; placards
were affixed to every conspicuous stand, de-
scribng, minuteIy, his personal appearance.
The stamp of Cain was thus set as it were on
his brow. -..-...
All was in vain; he could not be appre.
hended, and pursuit, after long labor, wns
given over While he wandered in disguise,
vagabond on the face of the earth, fruitless
sympathy for the murdered mans untimely
end, and baffled curiosity, turned into another
channel, till gradually the memory of the
outrage almost faded from mems minds, un.
less when sometimes on dark, stormy nights
as the lights began to burn dim and the fire
to show "dcath's heads" in the chimney cor
ner, they recalled this with other tales Of
horror, and as they repeated, cast fearful
glances towards the gloomy nooks of the
chambers, rs though expecting TO see emerge
thence tie shades of the actors in these ter
Iible tragedies. In the lapse of years, the
widow married second time, and moved far
away from the scene of her heavy trial.
| Sabbath morning again-this time in the
wilGs of Western State, where the green
uupscs triirinnt -'~i.sr flo ,,ers-of- -varieo
hues, the humming bird Of glittcring plum
age fits in and out among the DEVIL bathed
shrubs, and Nature, in the wild luxurance o
matchless beauty, seems dopbly beautiful in
the light Of halowed rest. Here comes q
party on horseback, vending their way slow.
ly through the forest pathway to church,
They are three in number, woman and two
men, one youth Of some twenty years.
Presently they meet two settlers going in an
| opposite direction. "Whilher bonnd?" halls
tho eldest of the men, "that is not the way tC
church." "We are not going there to-day
we have other work on hand and you must
aid u.s." Then taking him aside they explain.
ed that the murderer of his wifes former
husband was in the neighborhoOd, and thai
they intended to search for him. 81 will 60,
said the man, turning his horses head, bn
not before the youth, his s:ep-son, ha>in.
caught the suppressed words, with fashin!
eyes and hands that more tightly grasped th,
bride reins, demanded to accompany tn,
group. They endeavored to dissuade him
but in vain. They told him that his molhe
would need his escort, but she declared he
willingness to 60 back alone, so, yielding t.
his urgent request, they took him and de
parted. .
The hours wore heavily on, mornin!
rose into noon, noon faded into evening
and this was fast deepening into night, whc
they returned. Trembling, yet anxious t
hear of their proceeding, she inquired whO
they had done. The only answer she receiY
ed was, she will never make another woma
n widow, or her children fa,hcrless." A my.
terry always hung over his doom, but as b
was never seen afterwards, we may well cor
lecture what it was; the misguided men pre-
badly inflicted summary punishment on hin
+ who SO long eluded the grasp of justice, an
as he had shed mans blood, by man was h
blood shed. After doubling and winding
devious way for years, fleeing from this pine
avoiding that one, burden on his conscienc
r., II tormenting phantom forever fitting throug
r his brain, he at last come into the very neig
borhood of the family he had 80 foul
wronged, and, by singular coincidence, Il
very infant over whose head twenty yen
r before had whisted the fatal bullet III
b made him an orphan, now grown to mar
!, estate, went forth to avenge that fathe
} death. ...-.. ..........
s This is no imaginary story; until within
NJ few years the actors in the last scene We
n all living in the State of Mississippi, and |
70 informant had the narrative from the lips
is the wife and moiher, who seemed to 10
re upon it as an instance of stern, retrIbut
II Justice. 1t was II fearful act and one not
" be followed. The family is now, | belle
SO extinct in this branch Of it, the son died !
lie few years; the mother lived out her thr
vt score years and ten, then passed asay, an