The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1866-02-10

I aRd7eYes, and life, elRRg to that handsome
/ pale, boyish face IN the criminals box.
/ was the face of the baby had rocked {,
i sleep on my bOsom@-the face Of the chilC
+ that | bad forbidden God to take Oh, hoR
/ my heart aehed now How it prayed fol
/ pardon when Its idol was arraigaed befors
men as a criminal The evidence had been
given. A. low murmuF passed throngh tbs
assembly. Tbs verdict was ready. Is was
4 given, and my boy was 2 murderer In the
first LdegFee 4r s
Slowly now the courtroom faded with Its
buzzing mass of humanity. The tragedy
was adjourned The curtain slowly rose on
the fifth act and ] knew that for me 6le's
cup sorrow was filed to Oyerdewing. In
the distance l saw scaifold loom up above
the headsof the thousands, there waiting the
finale. of this. play Of life 20
i would fain have turned from. the scene,
or close my eyes but, held by power
mightier than my own, I could net move.
The crown of thorns was offered to me, and
I must wear it. The cup Of gan was held
to and l must drink it : - e = .- s-..
White With sngush as they drihk -fe -.E
Drops Of blood ike purple raia-' --t-- ~
Above the heads Of the crowd saw the
calm face Of my boy, stilled and awful with
the shadow Of the coming death, penitent
and softeRed with the thoagkt Of the coming
Judgment, saw no more. My mother
heart broke then, and l sank to my knees,
praying Of merciful God to smite my boy
before the fierce hands Of his human exeeu-
TONERS should mar the beauty of his face.
had no plea for his innocent life, but
prayer that his guilty soul might be saved
And as L bent in prayer, stricken by the bit
terest sorrow that a mothers heart could
know, brOken-hearted beneath the rod of
chastisement which my Maker welded, be-
cause of a rebelious heart, knowing that
but few short moments were left to my
darling of life, my soul bent down. felt
the strangers hand upon my head, and a soft
peace flowed in uponmy soul go God P' I
cried, (" not my viii, not my viii, but Thine
be DONE
At my cry, the soft light which had aood-
ed the apartment died out the holy face of
my strange visitor, like shadowy vision,
disappeared The crowd, and scafold, and
my doomed boy, were all gone. My fire was
burning loyg. 1 was. still on my knees. /
sprang mp and bent over my child His
waxen hands were crossed loosely upon his
breast the sweet smile ola baby's sIumber
was clinging to his lips and his golden
hair, meist with the dew Of sleep, in cluster
ing rings lay upon his pillow There. WAS
no .SlS1 OF cph1lct anu yer over the
cradle Of my babe I knew that battle had
been lost and won, and tile Angel of Sleep
was Yanouished by the Angel of Death > /
knew now that the vision had been sent of
God, and that He deemed my hand to o.weak
to guide the footsteps Of my baby. 1 knew
now that in mercy, not in anger, Hesmot6
me; and with the agonizing memory Of
that dream still burnt in heart and brain,
sealed my baby lips with Kisses, lips which
should never open until the last great day
and from the crushed and broken flower of
my heart sent up the fragrance of resigna7
ton and. eontrition, praying Him, for His
Sons dear sake, to smite me gently and,
consigning with a willing though bleeding
heart, to his tenderer,T truer, wiser care, my
baby-boy. ma