Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1868-02-27
sF Ta'aEe Story.
HOW A CONVICT OBTAINED PARDON
BY WILLIAM NJ. BUSHNELL.

"Will you never give up thos
? trips, Terrence? 1t is so lionel
staying here nights, and, beside,
am fearful that some one Wi
break in and rob the house an
murder us all. | never say m
prayers and 60 to bed withou
trembling for my own life and tina
of my children" and the little VIC
man hung upon the arm of tn
strong man, begging him will
fearful eyes to give up his wander
ing life (that of peddler) and set
tie down.
Gas soon as l have gathered
enough together to buy me a bi
of ground, or what would be bet
ter still, to emigrate to America
that land where, as the song says,
there's bread and work for all, and
the bright sun is always shining,
I'll gladly give up carrying the
pack, for it is no easy task at best" +"
'Only think of the money. you
have now in the house, husband
dear! Surely there is enough to
take us across the sea-you and /
and the children, and Bridget, too,
if she likes to CO."
Bridget was the servant girl
who helped the wife of the ped
dler, and was her sole companion
when he was away, and her eyes
snapped with perfect delight when
she heard the proposition. But
she said nothing and the ''master"
continued: at is true for you,
Kathleen, that I have the matter
of an hundred pounds or so which
| shall leave for you to take care
of, and if | have good luck this
trip I promise you to either remain
at home or 60 to America, bless
her. It's a good friend she has
been to Ireland, and many's the
poor soul she has kept from star
wing. So take good care of the
gold and the children, Kathleen
and Bridget-until I come
back" and he kissed his wife and
bright-eyed, curly headed babies,
gave Bridget the goodbye, shoul-
dered his pack and strode stoutly
away, whistling merrily.
His heart was light, his form
strong, he had none of the fears
of his wife and was looking for
ward joyfully to the time when he
would have little home, "a pig, a
cow and a patch of praties,' that
would belong to himself alone,
and over which no hard-hearted
steward or nonresident landlord
could claim control, although he
would willingly pay mis- tithes to
the church.
Terrence OBrien was a peddler
by profession, and what was called
a 'sforehanded" man. His family
consisted of good wife, two chill
dren, a boy scarcely three years,
a babe, and the girl of all work
Bridget. At the start of his mar
ried life he had rented a little
cottage that stood in a lonely, out
of the way place; although he had
increased his stores, he had retain
ed possession of it on the score of
economy.
A brave, athletic man, and one
who feared nothing human, he
could not understand the terrors
of his wife, Kathleen-in fact,
gave them little thought. Beside
robbery was thing almost un-
known among the peasantry, and
who would ever dream of his hav-
ing a large amount of money In
his cabin? But it was, not his
custom to do so. Usually he de-
posted it in a secure place. So
be gave the matter no farther
thought than to promise himself
that this should be his last jour-
ney (if he should do as we'll as he
anticipated,) and. tugged around,
fiattering the rosy-cheeked girls
into purchasing finery, with which
to dazzle the eyes of their beaux
at the next fair.
With Kathleen, however, it
was far different. As the night
began to draw near and the wind
to creep round the corners of the
cabin and down the chimney with