The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-06-09
WASHINGTON. ID. G.,
lCoplrsghs secure aecordsng 20 lace. J
For the National Era.
HERMAN;
on
YOUNG KNIGH H GOD.
BY E. FOXTON,
Author Of" Premices."
CHAPTER XIV Concluded.

of peril, as you thought, on humane errahd !;
and for that | thank you-thank you both,
and be glanced at Broadstone, who still looked
doggedly out of the window, and did not turn
his head, most cordially; | am a prisoner in
your power, and that of those who sent you
here; and | know my place. / should not
have thought it well to force my sentiments
upon you but, since you have inquired into
them. YOU shall know them too distinctly for
any chance of misunderstanding. | have just
come from the death-beds of others. i am
Just going back, very likely, to my own. Grave
damps clear the eyes, | find. The blindest
men can sometimes see their sins when they
are pushed to the edge of the tomb. / see
mine Many things which | ought to have
done, are yet undone and have done some
that ! ought not but as for that, which you
call my crime-if it is, saving one of my fell
low countryInen from torture and another, per-
haps, from murder am ready to let all my
other actions go, and take that single one with
me, to lay before the judgmentseat, and
stake my salvation upon all Heavens verdict,
that it was none. The dying have their privi-
leges; and, as probably dying man, | tell
YOU, that when you die-and God grant that
Death may not even now stand nearer to you
than Repentance-all the piteous dusky faces
of your human brothers and sisters, cut off by
YOU, as legislator or master, from all which
makes it life to live, will loom up through the
darkness of your past and future, and lower
upon you, and crowd, Ike those of accusing
demons, between you and the mercy-seat."
Whittle opened his mouth mutely, as if to
let his amazement out. He had got his quietus.
Herman had said his say, and felt that his CON
siancy was unlikely TO be endangered by any
future opportunities. Renewing his acknowl-
edgments for the favor intended, he turned to
20, but went 10 Broadstone first, and looked
INTO his face. There was no anger in it, but
much grief.
"tiood bye, my SON." said he, in husky
whisper. "If | could, | would have saved
your life, and lost your honor, wouldn't /? 1
meant WELL"
I" knew you did
"God help us all Lads like you die. Lads
like mine live. | don't know whether your
death or his life will stab nearest to the
heart. He bad fit Of deIirium iyeaens las,
week, poor fellow, or ] should have been here
before"
herman wra1a, his hard ;s silence. sac rIiey
parted. On his way back, through The damp
stlll passages, hc opened his letters, and glanced
AT them he passed the windows, but folded
them up again, and put them into his bosom
They were too full of fond hope to be read
just now and he had by this time become a
parsonage oftOo much importance and consider
alton to have much more to fear from the per-
sonal inspection of the officers
As he passed door which stood alar Well
beloved, who had evidently been on the watch
| for him, opened it noiselessly, and beckoned
him in. The sight which was prepared for
him there suggested to his mind, in an instant,
more vivid picture of that first Last Supper
| IN the upper chamber at Jerusalem, than,
with his best Observation-Disclosures fond
| though he was of ceremonial beauty and SOL
| emu pomp of worship--he had ever succeeded
IN calling up before it hitherto, in any stately
! church, in the midst OF scientific music, richly
/ clad worshippers, and silver plate.
II He had some months before Joined Wellbe
| loved, and few other Christians of different
denominations in the prison, in a request to
the chaplain, that he would administer TO them
the Communion. He had doubted the propr
ETY. of admitting convicted criminals, one Of
them t.. E., Hermann cOnfessedly impenitent to
such privilege, procrastinated, consulted with
some of his clerical brethren, who shared his
StiApits, anu lDCTS III Jilt
confusion and dismay of the present time, il
had not again been brought up.
Wellbeloved and his friends, in the mean
while, had consulted together, and, after much
dehberation, determined to carry out their Mas
terS parting request, if not as they would, az
they could. The little bare CELL with its ston,
floor and plastered walls, had been swept anC
set in order with the most scrupulous care. A
small deal table had been borrowed, cleaned
i II. IL =. al.
two beds had been drawn forward, and ranged
one Oh each side of 1T, for seats. Upon it wer'
put a squared piece of biscuit saved for thu
purpose from their dinner, and one of their til
cups, polished and frightened, full of water
The poor men, five or six in number, were as
sembed, waiting for Herman, silent, awed, de
| vout, and reyerent. He sat down with them
with the tears in his eyes. Wellbeloved prayed
They ate, drank, and sang together simple
| hymn, which one of them had composed for thu
occasion, touching from its appropriateness
trust, resignation and gratitude; and Herman
left them presently. feeling if Christ had beer
as truly present there in any chapel o.
| cathedral all that day.
As he hurried past an angle of the wall, hi
saw with a start the haggard yellow face o
Kane, who also was evidently lying in wait TO
| him, though in an irresolute, anxious way
Putting out his hand to him, he cried cheerily
"Ah, Kane, how are you? 1t is a good while
since ] have had a chance to ask you"
a thought you'd forgot all about me" sait
hane, ENORMOUSLY.
mot |. There's nobody here whom shall
remember longer, or more kindly. We shall
have some more good talks and readings to
gether soon, hope; but, my patients first, thel
my friends, must be the rule for the Doctor
mustn't it? You don't feel unwel?"
Kane shook his head. Herman pressed on
IL wish ! was SICK" muttered Kane; ant
then, may be, you'd take pity on me-"
Herman caught the words but imperfecty
but, looking over his shoulder at the sound, h
was struck by the haggard misery of the man
face. The sardonic grin of his roommate
tSpnrr, had now been for some days under
aground; and it instantly occurred to Herman
hat the solitude Of his cell and the loss of hi
uold comrade, taken together, might have beer
too much for the poor fellows morbid tempera
ument and atfectlonate disposition 1t was hi
unature to cling to something; and Spur, though
Ia ribald and blasphemer, had pitied him, anc
Treated him with a sort of coarse kindliuess
Taking him by the arm, Herman led him a
konce into one of the emptied cells, and sittino
down with him, said, soethingly, " The sick If
Eoul must be taken care of, as well as the sicl
bn body Kane. If there is anything on YOU,
Enind that you want To say to me, out with i
l;it once, my poor fellow
you'll despise and hate me-" said Kane
banging his head, and looking to the right anC
left out of the corners Of his eyes, as if for ,
hiding place
If hated any man, should be hateful
nyselt despise no one who has courag,
Enough to look his or her sins in the face owr