The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1870-08-11
his head upon his knees, rocked himself to and


eff am taken" said the young man, II
shall be carried back into the country and hung
for that mans murder. They cannot trace me
here, without your assistance, father. For
aught know, you may give me up to justice
but unless you do, here I stop, until can ven-
ture to escape abroad"
For two whole days, all three remained in
the wretched room without stirring out On
the third evening, however, the girl was
worse than she had been yet and the few scraps
of food they had were gone. 1t was indispen-
SADLY necessary that somebody should go out
and as the girl was too weak and i'll, the father
went just at nightfall.
He got some medicine for the girl, and q
trife in the way of pecuniary assistance. On
his way back, he earned sixpence by holding a
horse; and he turned homeward with enough
money to supply their most pressing wants for
two or three days to come. He had to pass the
pubic-house. He fingered for an instant,
walked past it. turned back again, fingered once
more, and finally SUNK in. Two men whom
were on the point of giving up their search in
despair, when his lettering attracted their at
tention; and when he entered the public-house,
they followed him.
you'll drink with me, MASTER" said one of
them profering him glass of liquor.
"And me, too" said the other, replenishing
the glass as soon as it was drained Of its con-
tents.
The man thought of his hungry children,
and sons danger. But they were nothing to
the drunkard. He did drink; and his reason
left him.
"a wet night, Warden, whispered one ofthe
men in his ear, as he at length turned to go
away after spending in liquor one-half of the
money on which, perhaps, his daughters life de-
pended.
'The right sort of night for our friends in
hiding, Master Warden" whispered the other.
"Sit down here" said the one who had spo-
ken first, drawing him into corner. eve
have been looking arter the young un. We
came to tell him it's all right now, but We
couldn't find him, cause we hadn't got the pre-
else direction. But that amt strange, for
don't think he know'd it himself when he come
to London, did he?"
"No he didn't replied the father.
The two men exchanged glances.
There's vessel down at the docks, to sail
at midnight, when it's high-water," resumed
the first speaker, "and we'll put him on board
His passage is taken in another name, and
what's better than that it's paid for. It's lucky
we met YOU"
"Very," said the second.
"Capital luck" said the first, with wink to
his companion.
"Great," replied the second, with slight
nod of intelligence.
"Another glass here; quick"-said the first
speaker And in five minutes more the father
had unconsciously yielded up his own son into
the hangman's hands,
Slowly and heavily the time dragged along
as the brother and sister, in their miserable
hidng-place listened in anxious suspense to the
slightest sound. At length heavy foostep
was heard upon the stair it approached nearer;
it reached the landing-and the father stagger-
ed into the room.
"The girl saw that he was intoxicated, and
advanced with the candle in her hand to meet !;
him she stopped short, gave loud scream, and
fell senseless on the ground. She had caught
sight of the shadow of man reflected on the floor.
They both rushed in, and in another instant
the young man was prisoner, and handcuffed.
every quietly done," said one of the men to
his companion, thanks to the old man. Lift
up the girl, Tom-come, come, it's no use cry
ing, young woman. It's all over and can't be
helped"
The young man stopped for an instant over
the girl, and then turned dercely round upon
his father, who had reeled against the wal, and
was gazing on the group with drunken STU
pidity.
"Listen to me, father" he said, in tone that
made the drunkard's flesh creep. "My broth
er's blood, and mine, is on your head: / never
had kind look, or word, or care, from you, and,
alive or dead I never will forgive you. Die
when you will, or how will be with you.
speak as dead man now, and warn you, father,
that as surely as you must one day stand before
your Maker, so surely shall your children be
there, hand in hand, to cry for judgment
against you" He raised his manacled hands
in threatening attitude, fixed his eyes on his
shrinking parent, and slowly left the room and
neither father nor sister ever beheld him more
on this side of the grave.
When the dim and misty light of winters
morning penetrated into the narrow court,
struggled through the begrimmed window of
the wretched room, Warden awoke from his
heavy sleep, and found himself alone. He
rose and looked round him the old flock mat
tress on the floor was undisturbed everything
was lust as he remembered to have seen it last;
and there were no signs of any one, save him
self having occupied the room during the
night. He inquired of the other dodgers, and
the neighbors but his daughter had not been
seen or heard Of He rambled through the
streets, and scrutinized each wretched face
among the crowds that thronged them with
anxious eyes. But his search was fruitless, and
he returned to his garret when night came on,
desolate and weary.
For many days he occupied himself in the
same manner, but no trace Of his daughter did
he meet with, and no word of her reached his
ears At length he gave up the pursuit as
hopeless. He had long though ht of the proba-
bility of her leaving him, and endeavoring to
gain her bread in quiet elsewhere: She had
left him at last to starve alone. tie ground
his teeth, and cursed her!
He begged his bread from door to door.
Every hall penny he could wiring from the pity
or credulity of those to whom he addressed
himself was spent in the old way. A year
passed over his head the roof of Jail was
the only one that had sheltered him for many
months. He slept under archways, and in
brickfelds-anywhere, where there was some
warmth or shelter from the cold and rain. But