Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1872-12-27

| stance which she could grasp and feel.
spent an hour with her, and when I went
away she had consented to accept any help
which | might send; and she furthermore
| asked me to come again, freely acknow-
Lodging that my visit had done her good.
had heard enough of Noel Preston to
| convince me that he was a noble hearted,
/ right-feeilng man, and / determined to
visit him. The prison in Shireton was only
fifteen miles distant, and on the Monday
following my visit to the widow l took one
OF Mr.. BradtOrd's teams, and, in company
with Charles, rode over there. l found the
( warden to be man whom knew, and he
very cheerfully called Noel Preston to the
| visitors room, where Charles and l had a
| long interview with him.
1Ee!c is 20 need that l should fill up
space in trdnscribing our conversation on
that occasion. Suffice it for me to say that
came away loving that unfortunate youth.
found him to be handsome, intelligent
! and quick-W itted, his heart warm and
large with generous impulse, and hls in
stincts all bent in the right direction. Such
a man could never betray friend he
| could not lie; nor could he witness suff.r-
Ing without doing all in his power towards
is alienation. And, above all else, / found
basis of true religious feeling underlying
his whole cEaracter-a religious feeling
arising from Il conception of his duty to
God as a Father aud Friend, and of his
duty to man as q member Of a common
brotherhood.
Once during the visit l started to speak
! upon the subject Of the old enemy under
whose power he had fallen; but he stopped
! me III an instant.
"Not a word upon that subject ~ he
cried. Sc have borne all Of reflection |
can bear. Twas rum killed my father );
and it was Ium that brought me here. If
fx>,, a,
will hold up my head if | can ; and if my
fellows will be kind to me, ard give to me
the benefit Of the good III try to do, 1 shall
live in freedom from that tYrant. | know
what say, sir and | know that my reso-
luton is strong enough to save me-to save
me, and to save my mOther-God bless
her ~
When l came out from that prison
bore in my heart the will to procure Noel
| Preston's pardon. l returned to Hampton,
! and upon conversing with the leading c;ti
zens l found them all of one mind. Ifthey
could be assured that Noel would keep
clear of the wine-cup, they would gladly
assist in the work of procuring his release.
But would they patronize him when he
should have once more opened his shop !?
Yes-they said they would; and Mr..
Bradford said, if Noel could not find
enough to do in his shop, he would give
|
Bradford was the great manufacturer OF
the village, and the father Of my college
! friend, Charles Bradford.
My next step was to prepare documents,
and obtain signatures and when | had
done what l could do in Hampton, | re-
paired to ShiretOn, where l obtained a
. paper from the good Warden. And thus
armed l went to the Governor, and pre-
sented the case to himself and his council.
1t was the day before Christmas. To-
) wards evening l made my way to the
| humble cot Of Naomi Preston. | found
f the snow piled up in huge drift before
, her door, but upon going around to the end
5 of the cot | discovered clear track, q
!, slight piaza-like projection of the ewes hav
i ing kept the drift away from the wall G.
2 the building. l found the widow alone
: and more sad than l had ever before sex
: her. 1t was not the old complaining sac
! ness, but deep, peryading melancholy
t which asked for no relief. She received
me very kindly, however; for she haC
r become to respect me, and, in measure
d to love me.
f told her that had come to see how
v she was getting on, and also to warn he
: that she should hang up her stocking
y "FOr," said /, eve will make you
n present tomorrow. On the day when al
a are remembered, you must not be for
y gotten"
If "No, no." she replied, shaking her hea
is with solemn decision. 6 want nothing.
e would have spoken, but she put fort
/, her hand and stopped me,
it And then | asked her ''On the morrow
e the anniversary of the birth Of tn
1t Blessed Son Of Go and Of the birth c
le your own beloved may l not com
and pray with you?
She looked into my face, and the tear
it fell thick and fast Cvor her thin and ful
.e rowed cheeks.
T, "In Gods nam .yesy' she answere
l me. " You may come and pray. l sha
need prayer. y es-yes-prayer to Coo
!" earnestly and devoutly uttered, may b
d good for him, as we'll as for me. But re
member-no gala presents for me. l
d memory Of my suffering boy, will 6o'
e my head in sorrow, and the day shall b
to me a day of fasting and prayer"
d LETT her, and hurried homeward, for
, had much to do in the way of preparin
fer Christmas.
e The morning came and Christmas dawr
/, ed bright and beautiful. The mountain
t of snow cleaned grandly in the sunligh
d and men and boys laughed and shouted a
1t they wallowed through them.
At an early hour l went to the widow
IS cot, accompanied by Mr. Bradford an
II | CDarloS-aDu one OCneT-DuL only we Ell
d tered at first. We found Mrs. Preston Sit
ting by the fire, her face covered with he
apron, and she had been weeping.
d For the moment she was disconnected
and seemed not at all to like this intrusion
d but when we had greeted her kindly, an
Mr. Bradford and his son had wished he
s emery Christmas" so earnestly and S
frankly that true friendship was apparer
@ in the salutatiOn, she extended a war;
e welcome, and offered us seats. (She ha
=, chairs now.)
1t "Mrs. Preston,'' said 1, after we ha
disobey YOU. After what you said to m
ID last evening, would not have taken an
y steps towards procuring for you anythin
F.? like Christmas present, but we had on
:" already selected and as it will be Of vastl
Of more service to you than to any one els
we have thought proper to bring it,"
at NJ. Austin," she said, in deep distres
er " I am sorry Fyou done this. You kno
i, what | told you. l want no JOY to da,
to NV heart would upbraid me should pr
" seIt 10 it a Joy on this sad occasion"
* | should delay no longer, for we WEI
ze keeping some one out in the cold, ard so
le said
IN "Look up, Naomi Preston, and than
God for His goodness to you and yours c
W this Christmas Day."
ld How did she bear it ?"
er 1t seemed as though the sustaining pow,
IL of the Redeemer was with her. She starte
r. up from beneath the weight of my han
err when she heard the football coming fro
the door that communicated directly wit
IN the little shop, and when she turned 81
I,,I,oll him T1,ora WAS an earnest Gao