The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1870-04-27

The streets were now utterly dcser.
ted. Not q citizen, soldier, nor ever
a negro was seen. A silence like
death rested upon the city.
Suddenly the sound of the dead
march was heard, and youdcr behold
tho only evidence Of life through.
out this wide city.
On yonder common, around the
gibbet, is gathered ia strangely con.
trastod crowd. There is the negro
the outcast Of society, the British
officer in his uniform, tho citizen in
he plain dress. All are grouped to.
gethcr in that crowd.
In the centre of the dense mass,
beside that horse and cart, one foot
on that coffin of pine, stands tho only
man in this crowd with an uncovered
brow. He stands there, an image of
mature manhood, with muscular
form, q clear, full eye, bold foro.
head. His check is not pale, nor his
oye dim. He is dressed neatly in n
suit of dark velvet, made after the
fashion of his time ;ono hand inserted
in his vest, rests on his heart. "t's
Above his head bangles the rope.
Noar his back stands that figure with
the crapcd face around the British
soldiers, seperato the condemned from
/ the crowd Among all that rude
band of soldiers, not an eye but is wet
with tears.
| The bravo officer there, who has
charge Of the murder, pulls his
chapeau over his Dyes, to shield them
from the sun, or--can it be ITO hide
his tears,
All is ready, He has hidden the
last farewell to his sister, his children
in yondor goal he has said his last
word to his noble boy, pressed his last
kiss upon the lips of those fair girls.
All is ready for the murder.
At this moment a'citizen advancos,
his face convulsed with emotion
'Haync, lie speaks in choking
voice, show them how an American
eau die = aa n,u.
Il will endcavor to do so,' was tho
roply of the doomed man.
Atthis moment the hangman advan-
ced, and placed the cap over his brow.
a cry was heard in the crowd, foot
step, and those soldiers shrank back
bofore boy of thirteen who
rushed forward. 'ta
sFather = he shrieked, ashe beheld
the condemned with the cap over his
brow. r.
One groan eross from that crowd
simultaneous expression of horror.
The father drew his cap from his
brow beheld the wild face, the glaring
eyes his Of son.
God bless you my boy,' he spoke,
gathering that young form to his
heart. 'Now 90, and leave your father
to his fate. Return when I am dead
=, eccive my body, and have it buried
by my forefathers!' =
AS the boy turned and went through
the crowd, tho father stepped frml y
into the cart.
There was pause, as though every
man in that crowd was suddenl y
turned to stone. wa EE
The boy looked back but onco, only
once, aud then beheld--ah, l dare not
speak it, for it chillsth blood in the
veins-he beheld that manly form
suspended to the gibbet, with the cap
over his brow, while the distorted
face glowed horribly in the sun.
That was his Father. %<
That boy did not shrek, nor groan,
but instantly-like q light oxtin-
guished suddenly--the FIRE left his
eye, the color his check. His lips
opened in q silly smile. The first
word he uttered told the story
| sMy father = he cricd, and then
pointed to the body and broke into a
laugh.
90, it was horrible, THAT laugh, so
hollow, shrill and wild. The child of
the martyr was an idiot.
Still, as the crowd gathared round
him, as kind hands bore him away,
that pale face was turned over the
shoulder toward the gallows.
my Father.
And still that laugh was borne
upon tho breeze, even to tho gibbet's
timbe.s, where in hideous mockery, o
blackened but not dishonored thing
swung the body of the martyr Hayne.
This death will strike terror intt
tho hearts Of the rebels!
Poor Lord Rawdon
Did that man, in his fine uniform
forget that the voice of a martyrs blood
can never die?
This death will strike terror into The
hearts of tho rebels.
1t reused one feeling Of adherence
thro' the whole South. It took dowr
a thousand rifles from the hooks above
the fre.side hearth. It turned many
q doubling heart to the cause Of
freedom nay, Tories by huhdred
came eSokiag to .ho camp oflibs7ty
The blood Of Hayne took root ant