The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1866-09-06
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 6, 1866.

~ some Kitchen q small square Teu pint
table which served both as table and
wash hand stand and single strip ol
rag carpet on the floor The walls were
dingy and bare Through one small,
uncurtaincd window with two or three
of the panes broken and patched with
paper, came the insufficient light
The waxeu face Of the dead was .un-
covered. Bending over it was the young
husband, his face almost as pale and
wasted as that upon which his eyes were
fixed. Some one entered the room, but
the mourner neither turned nor moved.
A man 4 feet crossed the floor; man
stood beside him mans voice sobbcd
out in sudden paroxysm of grief
Then he started, rose quickly, and look.
cd upon the intruder aud, as he looked
his weak, quiycring mouth grew firm
and stoug--frc flashed in his dull eyes
hot blood stained his checks. He
drew himself up in wild feryor Of an
gry rcjection--of bitter scorn.
"It's too late sir r. he said--not loud
dly, but in a cutting undertone. "She
asked for you last night. And, for her
sake, put away pride ! stifcd the
abhorcuce felt for one 50 omcanly cruel,
and went to see you with her message,
which yon refused TO hear. When |
came back with your savage answer no
Christian could have said it---shc cried
,u, til such bitter cry, that | knew
her heart had broken under this last
cruel stroke from her fathers hand
You might have saved her, but you did
not. Nay, worse, You pushed her over
the prccipieo on the edge Of which she
hung trembling with arms stretched to
you for succor. "lf my mother had
lived" Oh how often she said that.
'Tr my mother had lived The speak
er's voice change to mouruiul cadence.
" hen mother was dying, ! heard her
say to father, Treat my child tenderly.
Don't be hard with her in anything
Hes forgotten all that" Sir, it was
murder. The blood ufthat dead daugh-
ter is ON your garments, never to be
washed on, say il, because know!
She o,ed you. though yon cast her on
aud for three long years her cry has
been toward you At last you have
listened to her cry; at last you have
come. But she IS dead killed by her
fathers hand And nov, sir, will you
20 away. You cant DO her any good
Tho yoiing man siftrncd hiH voice.
Your presence hurts aud angess nae.
Leave me with my dead. It wont he
long / loved her, if you didu't !
would have given my life to save her;
NAY have given my life in the vain
effort"
lis manner changed He wus like
one who wandered in his mind Nay
be did wander. soon losing himself
and Mr. llarwood Vas alone with bis
i ai child. aud her crized husband,
Hc had never meant that it should
come 10 this. Oh, not Anger, pride,
aud false judgment Of tile case bad
hardened han towards the oiicnJcr8.--
lie would pauish them long aud severe.
~. and be had lcugthcued the period,
because nu innate love Of power. which
l. lways cruel. had found delight Ia
pun samcut Many times be had re.
leptyd hui always the cruel elements
jn his nature prevailed over the tender
aud he held his child away from him
that she might suffer for her ia against
him a littlc lUugpr. Al advances from
her and her husband inspired him with
sudden anger lc meaut 10 abide his
ouu tme and 70 be eracions without
soliciatiou But hc had waited too
long To-day is ouFs for good acts, Tor
kindness for forgiveness. 1t Is Danger
GUS to trust in tomorrow. They are
sure 20 disappoint us,
What nyailcd it that Mr. llarwood.
stricken with sorrow, with shame, and
repentance, took home the body Of his
dead child had il clothed IN finest lin
en-. placed in silycr.mounted cCiin,
and buried in the family vault beside
the mothers Wondering ashes? What
ayailcd il that he ministercd, in all pos.
siblc ways, to the physical comfort Of
poor wrecked being, whose mind, thrown
from its balance by the closing tragedy
of his brief welded lie, never regained
IT, cduipoiso2 lie had made for him.
self haunting and accusing memories
that would not sleep. lie had shadow
cd every day ofhis future life lie had
cursed himself with curse that no ex.
orcism could remove. Blind with pas
81 n and pride, he bad trampled on
auiyering hearts, crushing the life out
in pain and sorrow with every stroke
of his iron heel and now that he re
pentcd Of this wrong, It was too late