Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1870-03-01

kentucky, had been q D0lster0us,
whisky drinking. card playing sort
of customer and he was never
better pleased than when he saw
Tom betting on horse race or play
ing seven up Toms mother wss
a gentle, affectionate woman, lily
suited TO her rollicking, horse-racing
husband. Tom loved his mother
better than any one else, and when
a lad, would sit and listen with earn
est attention to stories told from the
Bible. When his mother read to
him the story of the crucifixion, the
tears came to his eyes, and then a
feeling of indignation sprang up in
his heart, and he exclaimed Il wish
| was a man and had been there with
some of the soldiers l saw on gener-
al training day, I'd shoot EN-"
When his mother read the words
Father forgive them for they know
not what they do'-the indignant
look passed from his face. He SEEM
ed surprised, became thoughtful, and
said no more about it. His mother
died when he was about sixteen
years of age, but he never forgot
her; her memory and her love for
him were laid away in his heart as a
sweet, sacred thing never to be for
gotten. Tom might have become
an exemplary and useful man but
foy nm oonorrapon that naat a oh II n "
upon many years of his future life,
At the age of twenty-one he was
ugaged to be married TO Annette
Lacey, the daughter of neighbor-
ing planter. His affection for her
was deep and sincere and he looked
forward with bright anticipation to
the time when he should have a
home, with Annette for a wife
Annette had brother who disliked
young Long.and who wished his sis
ter to marry friend Of his. This
friend, whose name was Jackson, had
been one of his sisters suitors, but
had been rejected on account of her
preference for Long. These young
men tooksoccasion, during period
when Tom was absent on g trip
down the Mississippi, to villify and
SANDER him in such q way that An
nette Lacey was led to believe that
Tom was not only false to her, but
guilty of the grossest immortality
The result was that she wrote him o
letter, on the spur of the moment,
accusing him of being false TO her.
self, and guilty of vices no honorable
woman could forgive, and giving him
to understand their engagement was
forever at an end. Tom received
her letter at Natchez, and being
proud-spirited, and feeling that she
bad been unjust did not return an
answer. A few months after Annette
married Jackson, learned, when it
was too late, through her brother.
who made the confession on a sick
bed, that Tom. whatever his faults
were, was true to her, and that
be had been cruelty and most ma
licIously slandered. Tom also learn
ed the reason why his affianced cast
him off; but while it relieved her of
the charge Of fickleness, it did not
serve to render him less unhappy.
Such was Longs history, and
while it does not serve TO excuse his
faults and vices. it does much to
mitigate and extenuate them. Long
had conceived q real friendship for
Manly and Charles in turn saw that
while there was much 10 his partner
to condemn, saw also that beneath
the roughness and uncouthness of his
exterior there were the elements of
real true manhood. Charles every
day saw q great deal of gambling
and drinking, and was often invited
both to drink and play; but always
steadily and courteously refused
These refusals seemed to please
Long, who, when it was necessary
was always ready TO excuse and de-
fend his friend. Among the board
ers at the miners inn was a profess
sional gambler known asJim Phelps.
a man who had conceived a very
strong dislike to Manly. He had
repeatedly invited him to drink with
him and also to play. His repeated
refusals seemed to annoy Phelps,
who, upon several occasions made
insolent remarks in reference to his
temperance principles, his piety, etc.
Charles paid no attention to these
remarks, and whenever be could,
Stunned the gamblers company.
One Saturday evening, several
mouths after Charles arrival, several
men were seated around o table in
the bar room of the Miners Inn.
engaged iu.playing cards. The CON-
pany consisted of Phelps, Tom Long,
d miner by the name of Brady, and
a stranger After playing for some
time, the stranger left, and as it re-
CURED four to play the game, Phelps
turned TO Manly and asked him TO
take the strangers place and become
Longs partner in the game Charles
courteously declined, when Phelps
replied:
Perhaps your mother has forbid
your playing.
Charles replied MY mother did
advise me never to gamble or engage
in any games of chance. My mother,
| believe, is in Heaven tonight, but
were she here, / think she would re,
peat the advice she once gave me-
1t is almost pity said Phelps
with sheer, that you are not with
your mother, such puritanical fellows
are almost too good for this mundane
sphere
Stop, said Long, laying his hand
heavily on Phelps arm, Manly is q
gentleman. and you are any thing
else. had mother too. once, and
by all that's sacred you shall not in
suit Manly's mother, or him either.
Hands off, cried Phelps, 'or I'll
let day light through you, Tom
Long
As be spoke he attempted to draw
knife from his bosom, but before
be succeeded in doing so Tom seized