Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1871-01-13

/ presently in sardonic, grinding tones
ike the harsh clang of distant falling
brass.
The hapless object on whom thes,
grotesque words fell, feebly lifted hi
arms once, and let them sink again
then. as one resigning hope, droOPeC
/ his head so low that his hat fell of
dragging his sweat-bedabbled hal
over his shrunken visaSe, white as lep
rosy.
George, pale % bIuencss under meath
his swarfh, cast a hurried, bSsee1hine
4 glance at the carpenter, as deoendiao
on him to make tae interceslion. the
carpenter, movcIess, rosy unshsken, re
maineG mute, in utte- ComPosure, with
MS eyes fxcd on the old man. Unable
to longer kcSP silent, George turned C
MS father.
Father" be said. in abrupt. trem-
bling tones, ''for my seke, for el oul
sa1es. forgive Rupert. Don't be cruel
don't be unnatural. He has suffered
much. He was misguided-deceived
he has entirely repentcd. Forgive him,
I beg you. We were sick together in
the hospital, and he is sick and weak
still. Our good friend here nursed us
both like our own mother. We never
can repay him for all his tender kind
ness. 1t was his plan to bring Us here
tonight. Father, I beseech you, forgive
my poor brother
It was all that George could say. Fee
bic, despite its earnestness, it fell from
the old man like hattened bullet from
the side of an iron-clad. Emily tried to
come forward to add her pleading. but
John held her back, knowing his father
well, fully realizing the situation, and
convinced that words were useless.
Every one else remained in sickening
Expectancy.
How comes he here p said Elkanah,
sternly pointing his finger at the cover
ing shape before him. 'Ie is a rebel =
why IS he not also a prisoner p
HE has been released, said George.
By whom p came the savage inter
rogaton.
blythe man of all our hearts, cried
George, with sudden glow. "By the
man with millions of haters, who him
self calls no man enemy"
Abraham Lincoln. said the carpen-
ter
Aprofound murmur pulsed through
the room.
eyes, cried George, with gathering
confidence, ''by. cur President. This
good friend here went to see him, and
laid the case before him. He told him
of our service'to the country; he told
him how Rupert had been led away
he told him Of you, father, and all your
devotion of mother grievihg for her
lost boy-of all; and the President gave
the order for Rupert's release at once,
and we brought him here.
A faint flush crept upon the old mans
contracted face, and, IN a gesture of
respect, he lowered his head 10 his up
carried hand. Then, with a powerful
shudder, as when some mighty bull
shakes the flies from his hide, he became
erect, hard and still.
81 utter nothing against Abraham
Lincoln" he said, in low, reYerberating
tones. "He is my President God
bless him in his living, and in his dying,
God bless him ~
In the solemn, almost tender silence
which ensued, the outcAst gathered cour-
Father" he fa1tered, in a weak,
husky voice, forgive me I do not ask
you to receive me back again, but only
forgive me, and bless me, and let me go
my lonely way -eomforted. Twas foolish
II was young
"You- were not a boy Interrupted the
harsh old man. You are twenty eight
years old. You ale not a child-you
are a man.
Il know it, father" he huskily falter-
ed; "but I was young in feeling. You
know you u ed to chide me for making
life so unreal-for my romantic way Of
looking at everything. 1t was in that
way I looked at the rebellion 1t seemed
to me 50 right, SO grand. It came to me
in my folly like great cause. Father,
I have learned differently from bitter ex-
perience. l am wiser. Things look
very different to me now"
81 should think they MIGHT, rejoined
the old man in a heart-quaI,ing roar.
Three hundred thousand graves stud
the land. Your work, and the wdez Of
monsters like you! Weeping and
mourning in every household. Widows,
orphans, childless fathers everywhere.
The country in convulsion, and totter-
ing on the brink of ruin. The lands
best and bravest, horribly shattered and
hobbling about on crutches,
or buried in bloody trenches. I should
think things might look different Sir,
l am not your father, but your Judge.
You are a murderer
The miserable creature covered his
face with his hands, Hope died within
him, and every breaking heart within
the room, stricken to marble, and almost
ceasing to beat in the iron silence,
owned to itself that his case was hope
less.
eeLook at that faglH pealed ehe old
man, falling into a posture Of formidable
antique dignity, with his masterful arm
stretched towards the wall. 1T IS the
flag of mankindl To that, you, and
your crew of vile liberticides, are trail
tors. What have you fought for? That
the dandy might spit m the mechanics
face That the lord might insult the
farmer! That the neclls of the many
might wear the yol1es Of the few Some.
monarchy-some new, mOngrel feudal
hell on our Republican soil That was
your cause. A fine 9littering house, laid
on sodden whites, and brutifed blacks,
squashed out Of their manhood. Up
aloft, your pirates murdeT-cloth, whose
every hutter threw a pail upon some
innocent household-and down below,
in the putrid cellarage, our rotting pris-
oners, our dead and mangled braves.
A fine, fine palace for my lord, the
king! For this you have fought long.
And now, success assured, you desert
your work, and come here, and ask for
giveness Oh, impudence without a
name {"
convulsed with fury. he paused.
grinding his teeth hardi George, half
dead with horror, sank on his knees,
with his arm across a chair, his head
flung down upon it, his empty sleeve
danuliucy beside him
81 pass by the horrible voice, like
sounding bronze, resumed-'I pass by
the misery, the shame, the desolation
you have left upon US here for years. I
''FatHer.' said Rupert, lifting his
head, with forlorn dignity-"one word.
/ am too weak and i'll to speak. Let me
only say that my error and my crime
came from my sense of duty; and, bad
as my cause has proved to be, 1 joined
it in all honor, and carried myself like
a man and a soldier.
"What was your service :" champed
the old man. Infantry? Cavalry I?
Speak, you devil ~
ARTILLERY" gasped Rupert.
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