The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-07-29

the candle which she shaded with her
hand, peeped anxiously out
'Is that you, father?" asked the girl
"Who else should it be?" replied the
man gruffiy. What aresyou trembling
ut? It's little enough that I've had to
drink to-day, for there's no drink with
out money, and no money without work
What the DEVILS the matter with the
girl?"
"Iam not we'll, fathor-not at all well, !"
said the girl, busting into tears.
'Ah!" replied the man, in tone Of a
person who is compelled to admit very
er remain blind, if he could. "You
have money. You must go to the parish
doctor and make him give you some me-
dicine. They're paid for it, damn 'em.
| What arc you standing before the door
for? Let me como in, can't you?"
Father" whispered the girl, shut
ting the door behind her, and placing
herself against it, "William hos como
back"
"Who?" said the man, with start.
''Hush," replied tho girl, civilian I;
brother William"
"And what does he want?" said the
man, with on effort at composure-''mo-
| ney? meat? drink? He's come to the
wrong shop for that, if he dees. Give
mo the candle-give me tho candle, fool
II amt going to hurt him." He snatched
the candle from her hand, and walked
into the room.
Sitting on IN old box, with his head
resting on his hand, and his eyes fixed
on o wretched cinder fire that was
smouldering on the hearth, was young
man of about two-and-twenty, misera-
bly, clad in an old coarse jacket and
trowsers. He started up when his father
entered.
"Fasten the door, Mary" said the
young man hastily ''fasten the door.
You look as if you didn't know me,
father. It's long enough since you
drove me from home; you may well for
get me-"
"And what do you want here, now?"
said the father, seating himself on q
stool on the other side Of the FIREPLACE.
"What do you want here, now?"
shelter" replied the son. "I'm
in trouble; that's enough. If I'm
caught I shall swing; that's certain.
Caught shall be, unless stop here;
that's as certain. Aud there's au end
of It,"
"You mean to say you've been robbing
or numbering. then?" said the father.
Eyes, do" replied the son. "Does
it surprise you, father?" Ho looked
steadily in the mans face, but he with
drew his eyes, and bent them on the
ground.
where's your brothers?" he said,
after n long pause.
Where they'll never trouble you," re-
piled his son; Johns gone to America,
and Henry's dead"
dead !" said the father, with a shud-
der, which even he could not suppress.
"Dead!" replied the young man. "He
died in my arms-shot like dog, by a
game e-keeper. He staggered back, I
caught him, and his blood trickled down
my hands. L poured out from his side
like water. He was weak aud it blinded
him, but lie threw himself down on his
knees, on the grass. and prayed to God,
that if his mother was in heaven, He
would hear her prayers for pardon for
her youngest son. L was her favorite
boy, WILL he said, 'and 1 am glad to
think, now, that when she was dying,
though [ was very young child then,
and my little heart was almost bursting,
knelt down ut the foot of the bed, and
thanked God for having made me so
fond of her as to have never once done
anything to bring the tears into her
eyes. o, Will, why was she taken away,
and father left! There's his dying
words, father" said the young man;
"make the best you can Of 'em. Yon
struck him across the face, in q drunken
fit, the morning he ran away; and here's
the end Of it!'
The girl wept aloud; and the father,
sinking his head upon his knees, rocked
himself to and fro.
"If am TAKEN" said tho young man,
II shall be carried back into the country
and hung for that mans murder. They
cannot trace me here, without your as
sistance, father. For aught I know, you
may give me up to justice; but unless
you do, here I stop, until [ can venture
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. It was indispensably neces-
sary that somebody should go out; and
as the girl was too weak and i'll, the fa.
ther went, just at night-fall.
He got some medicine for the girl,