Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1865-11-30
from the Louisville Sunday Journal ]
q. Life's Compensation.
DY AGNES LEONARD (MoLLY MYRTLE

BY AGNES LEONARD (MoLLY MYRTLE.) II
A said he was I.ife's conpensa tion, that
brother of mine. with his broad, poet forehead
and clear, fearless eyes and mouth, tender
aud beautiful as a womau's. He was my own
brother, mine by the ties of consaugunity,'as
we'll as by the diyincr right of ul-kindred |
Brother in intellect, heart, soul, and even in |
feature SO bike me at my best, that he
seemed my bctter-self. my gloriiied Image |
strengthened and purified, and nearer God. |
Star of my night and blossom Of my spring |
time, was this brother of mine. Younger |
than myself in years, yet SO much older in
strength aud wisdom, tina. leaned upon him
as ifke We re my senior He it was who plead
my cause ut the parental tribunal in the old
child -lays when was tried for petty often
ees. He it was who said "l'll be man af
ter awhile, Sis, when poverty came and the
Future was darkness and dearth to my
lesparing vision. '1ll. be man after
awhile, Sis" / can hear the clear ringing
tone now full of pruphctc cheer as if his be-
ing man would solve all knotty problems
and remove all troublesome obstacles. And
looking into his brave, beautiful face had
all faith in his future and my own if he were
near. lie it was who held me when faint
ed over our dead father, and stiaed the groan
of his own breaking heart to quit mine. lie
it was who looked into my eyes FIRST when |
ca,nc back to consciousness With a compass
sion tender rs the mother Mary cast upon her
cruciGed Jesus in the agony of his death
hour. And when Imoaned dead, dead oh
nv father dead" he my brother it was who
droppcl those beautiful words Of resignation
into my breaking heart. "The Lord gave
and the Lcrd taketh away, and blessed be
the name Of the Lord" He it was who pres
scd my cold quivcring iugers and said:
Say it my poor stricken. darling, say" Jless-
ed be tie name ef the Lora."' And when |
noaned in the bitterness of my grief II can
not say blessed when we are orphans he, my
brother, it was whose white face plead with
me- and whose tenderness comfnrtel and
calmcd me, aud made me call him Gods COM
pensation write these things that you may
know what cause | had to love that brother
of mne that you may, catch q faint, faint
gleam Of What sisters heart may be when
glaldcncd and glorlcd with the love of such
brother as mine; and that you nay imagine
something Of the blow that struck me one
morning when Il man came to my boarding
pucc and stunned me by saying. "Iour
| UfUtNpc fu6 upBli uETcDtCu luf SUIpGaLiNNHCtlt,
and would like you to 60 round to the Jail
and see him. There was 10 one to give
bonds, and he is in prison." stared at the
man in a stupor; then remember of gasping
and asking what he had said to me. He re-
peated it over again, hesitating over the
words as if each had been blow and he
forced to give it in spite of his compassion.
ARRESTED for cmbesglementl Are you sure
there's no mistake, man? 1t would be very
cruel mistake, you know" said in that tone
that cannot be described upon paper. but
which comes only when a great sorrow shakes
the soul
No mistake. man," he said The name
is Perry A. Langdon,"
Perry A. Langdon,' said to myself in
dreary abstracted tone as if had u vague
memory of having heard the name somewhere
before, perhaps in a dream Or in early child
hood | put on my street garments with
cold, numb pain feeling my heart-strings.
and followed The man, as if he had been my
cxccutioncr. l thiLk should have been
grateful to have had death for my portion in
! lieu Of that sorrow: shamc--sorrow the most
terrible of Ill sorrovs.
Perry 4 Langdon," said over again to
myself, as my brain reeled under its burden
of thought, '.Langdon! 1t is a proud old
name. My father wore it. There has never
been any disgrace attached to it. No faint
in the blood. No stain on the escutcheon
And my brother in the nobest and-best fitted
to wear the name. He would never, never
dishonor it." In all this time had never
shed tear l talked to myself with that
fearful calmness that charaeterises the cx-
,remest depth of agony aud neems like, oh
terribly like insanity.
You re sure there's no mistake howi" ]
asked. Gercoly seizins my companions arm,
and half threatening, half imploringiy search
ed his features. 81 'l
"No mistake, ma'am," he answered as we
walked along the crowded streets. .f
IL tell you there is mistake, fcnd"'
exclaimed losing control Of myscif- "The
boy didn't do it. swear to you he didn'I
do it. risk my life--all-evcrythIng-
upon his innocence, Il know the boy, he j,
nv brother, tell you lie is innocent"
."Wel, well don't get excited. If he i:
innocent he will be cleared, said the mar
with an attempt to soothe me.
-"Of course lie will, said tearing my vel
frou my face and loosening my bonnet-slriDgs
to get the air, for / was choking with tina
bursting heart of mino that had swollen up in
to my throat so that could scarcely breath
. Yet uttered not one groan; shed not ont
tear Sometimes totered little along th'
sidewalk, but for the most part my step wa
firm, aud when l entered the presence of my
, orphan brother wronged, outraged feeling
rose within me, and made me free as *oun
, ded lioness. I felt that struggle was at hand
that there was much for me to do aud woul'
not uunerve my self by tears or dcmonstaton
of affection. so that when my brother rose to
meet me with the clear light in bis eyes dark
! ened by shadowy pain, some voice that wa
husky and stonge spoke through my lips ane
said: Don't touch me, boy. Don't touch me
know you are iuocent, but want to prove i
first. You are to be cleared, boy. You DARE
not plead guilty" do not know what strange
unnatural power promoted me. but seized hi
arm, shook it freely, and said: :" You due no
plead guilty. Your dead father would turn il
bis grave. You dare not even tell me YOU are
guilty. 1t would bs too mach for me, boy.
[ glared ut him like maniac. heard him
groan: "Oh. my God;" then he recovered from
the momsntary weakness of pain that seemed
to have taken him by storm. and coming t.
me with his wonten irmness and decision Ee