Smyrna times., 1861-06-06

She sat there, 4 matrony woman of about
twenty three yeere, with face faded by care,
deep dark eye, aud long black hair hanging
IN disheVelled state about her shoulders. On
one side was a dark-haired boy of some six
years., on the other side q glrl Of one year
younger, with light blue eyes The Bible
an old and venerable volunn-lay open on the
mothers knee. And now the pale faced tory
flung himself upon his knees, and confessd he
had bulchered her husband on the night OF
Paoli, and begged his life at her hands.
'Spare me for the sake of my wife-my
child"
He had expected this pitiful moan would
touch the widows heart but not one relentng
CLEAN softened her face.
''The Lord shall Judge between u.s." she
said, ia cold icy tone that froze the murder
er's heart. "Look, the Bible is in my lap, |
will close the volumn and this boy shall open
to line, and by that you shall live or die"
This was strange proposal, made in good
faith Of wild and dark superstition tf olden
times For a moment the tory, pale os ashes,
was wrapt in deep thought--lhen in falnling
voice he signi6ed his consent.
RaslRg her dork eyes to heaven the mother
prayed to the Great Father to direct the finger
OF her son. She closed the book and handled
1t to the boy whose cheek Redeemed with oa tn
ing as he gozed upon his fathers murderer.
tie took the Bible, opened it's holy pages at
random, and placed his finger on a verse.
There was a silence. The continental sol.
dler. who had sworn to avenge his brother IS
death, stood with dl!atng eyes aud parted
lips. The cuprit kneellng upon the floor,
with his face like diecolored clay, felt his heart
leap to his throat.
| Then in bold clear voice, the widow read
this line from the Old Testament.
| What man ShnH die -
| Look the b'olher springs forward TO plunge
a knife in the murderer heart; the tory, PIN
! ioned as lie is, clings TO the widows knee.
He begs that one more trial may be made by
the little girl, that child with the golden hair
and black eyes.
! The widow consents. There is an awful
pause. With q smile in her eye, without
knowing what she was doing, the girl opened
the Bible as it lay on her mothers knee she
put her finger upon line.
The awful silence grows deeper The deeE
| drawn breath of the brother, and the broker
gasp Of the murderer, alone disturbed the still
ness; the widow and dark haired boy are
hreathless. her face turned aside, and her tiny
fingers resting on the line oflife aud death
At length. gathering courage. the widow ben
HeI eyes uPon Tue phpe ahu Iedu IL was
line from the New Tes;iment--" Love you
enemiesr'
o book of terrible majesty and child. like low,
-of sublimity that crushes the heart with rap
ture-you never shone more strongly than ther,
in that lonely cot oflhe WlssahIckon when y0,
saved the murderer's life.
Now look how wonderful are the ways o
heaven. That very night, as the widow sa
bV the 6reslde-sat there with a crushed bea ri
hot eyelids, thinking OF her husband who nov
lay mouldering on the drenched soil of PaoI
there was a tap at the door, she opened il
and that husband, living, though covered wit
wounds, was in her arms lie had fallen q
Paoli, but not in death, he was alive, and hi
wife lay painting on his bosom.
That night there was a prayer in the WOO
embowered cottage of the Wissahickon.