The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1870-04-27
WINNsBORO, S. c. WEDNESDAY MORNING, AP

cuIiS, clustering aDOut us Ialr o0un.
tenance. You can soc that dark eve
flash, that lower lip quivor, as he
silently confronts Lord Rawdon.
The woman-f use that word, for to
me it expresses all that is pure in
passion, or holy in humanity, while
your word-lady-means nothing but
ribbons and millinery-the woman
advances, and encircled by these
children, stands before the gloomy
lord.
Il have GOMEZ she speaks in voice
that strikes you with its music and
tenderness, q have come to plead 70.
my brothers. life =
She does not say, behold my broth.
cr's children, but thcro are, and the
English lord beholds them. Tears
are coursing down the checks of those
little girls, but tho eye of the womt n
is not dim. The boy of thirteen look,
intently in the face of. the Briton, his
under lip quivers like leaf.
| For single moment that proud
lord raises his hcad and surveys tho
group, and then you hear his deep yet
melodious voice
Madam, your brother swore al
!cgiance to his Majesty, and was
afterwards taken in arms against his
King. He is guilty of Treason, and
must endure tho penalty, and that. as
ou we'll know, is Death.'
'But, my lord, said the brave wo-
man, standing erect, her beauty shin
ing more serenely in that moment Of
hercism, sYou we'll know the circum-
stances unner which he swore allie. 3.
glance. He, citizen of South Caro-.
lima, an american, was dragged from
the bedside Of dying wife, and hur-
ried to Charleston, where this Ian
goage was held by your officers
Take the oath of allegiance and re-
turn tc the bedside of your dying
wife: Refuse and we will consign
you to goal = This, my lord, not
when he was free to act, oh no But
when his vito lay dying of that fear
full discasc--small pox-which had
already destroyed two of his children.
How could he act otherwise than he
did how could he refuse to take
your oath In his case, would you,
my lord, would any man, refuse to do
the same
Still the Silent children stood there
before him, while the clear voice of
the true woman pierced his soul.
'Your brother is condemned to
death " he coldly said, turning his
head away. He dies at noon, can DO
nothing for you =
Silently the woman, holding a little
girl by each hand, sank on her knees {;
but the boy Of thirteen stood erect.
do you see chat group Those hands
upraiscd, those voices, the clear voice
of the woman, the infantile tones of
those sweet girls, mingling in one cry
for sMercy ! while the Briton looks
upon them with face of iron, and
the boy of thirteen stands erect, no
tear in his eye, but convulsive trem-
or on his lip!
Then the tears of that woman come
at iast-then as the face of that stern
man glooms before her, takes the lit.
tic hands of tho girls within her own,
and lifts them to his knee, and begs
him to spare the fathers life.
Not word from the Euglish Lord.
The boy still firm, erect and silent,
no tear dims the eye which glares
steadily in the face of the tyrant.
'Ah, you relent = shrieks that sis.
ter of the condemned man. sYou
will not deprive these children of a
father--you will not out him off in the
prime Of manhood, by this hidsous
death AS you hope for mercy in
your last hour, be merciful now
spare my brother, and not heart in
Charleston but vii! Bless you-spa1e
him for the sake of these children =
Madam was the cold reply, syour
brother has been condemned to die.
can do nothing for you J.
He turned away, and held the
parchment before his eyes. At last
the stern heart of the boy was melted.
There was spasmodic motion about
his chest his limbs shook, he stood for
a moment like statue, and then fell
/ on his knees, seizing the right hand of
lord Rawdon with his trembling fin
gers.
Lord Rawdon looked down upon
that young face, shadowed with chest
nut ourls, as the small hands clutched
his wrist, and an expression of surprise
came over his face.
'My child,' said he, q can do moth
ing for you 7
The boy silently rose. He took a
sister by each hand. There was q
wild look in his young eye--a scorn
ofdefiancc on his lip.
Come, sisters, let us co.
He said this, and led those fair
girls toward the door, followed by the
sister Of the condemned. Not q word
was said-but ere they passed from
the room, that true woman looked
back into the face of Lord Raw