The weekly Panola star. [volume] (Panola, Miss.) 1857-1881, 1873-05-17

. "'N ''.'.'HH 'N N.''I
/ WnHm hr Trusted lmt HlH,ntt,enf.
proved WHa entirely uhvufihy u
lIhllfuat 'rho speculation failed
l0ll 'ur John tiftof much more w.
/ Involved fhnh tho Ioas uf money
W. bad become feap1nHbIo lol
/ lAon.ituth hstfulled, bit WORTHLESS
aron Ono hour q eofcno pky
hung over homo and hUcs tho
'uotl, 10 storm OIL unseen burst over
both The officers OF lho law we're
in pursuit pf tho principals 10 the
lunuclions ol which we myu spn
ken, and ol those John Oroor WIS
counted ~ one
llo had knowingly committed no
deed which wnain conflict With me
majesty OF the law. 10 upright, ao
simply honest, industrious and
vorlhlul had boon bis lite, he coull
nt first scarcely comprehend Of What
he was accused
Then followed tho slow comprc.
hension, then tho ngoniling dread Of
q public trial, and the Disgrace that
must attach to It both for himself
aud his family And then the fear
Of the dread penalty.
1t was nocdiu TO inform Sarah OF
this great trouble. She must share
il, and ike all good womon who
have east their lot in life with one
beloved, she met the emergency,
confronted the trial, with n firm
micn aud dauntcss courage.
II was she who first counscicd
that flight in which his sole hope OF
escape from the punishmcn he bad
so iuuoccntly drawn upon himself
now lay.
Tho Other, and far more guilty
parties, had loroscen the storm, and
had beforehand provided themselves
with a secure retreat. And thus,
with the mean cowardice OF their
class, they had lett their unconscious
victim to bear the consequences Of
tho crime they had deliberately
planned.
Gtmay be il would have been noblcr
aud wiser in John to have borne
these, and to have received the pun,
ishmcnt. But his, though II hum
bic, was nm honorable name. How
could he bear the disgracciul name
of iclon-how breathe in the atmos-
phera Of a prison!
1t WAS thoughts OF this kind that
decided him. Ere tho morning
broke after that eyontIul night, on
which lie first learned that such IA
dreadful disaster had fallen upon
him, he kissed his sleeping children,
pressed his weeping wife to hia
heart, and turned his back upon all
he held dear upon earth. When
the officers OF the law came 10 ar
rest him, hc was far beyond pursuit.
So bitter were his few relentless
enemies that months elapsed before
his wife dared, except with thous.
and painful precautions, TO send him
the smallest tidings. All tho com
munication that passed between
them was conducted by a friend,
who, himself suspected, and undor
the surveillance Of these viglaut
creditors, found his task Of kindness
a very ardUous one.
For a long time vigilance did not
relax, aud calmness was not permit
ted to settle with tho semblanec Of
peace upon these agitatod hearts.
But when years had passed, even
these remorseleas creditors began TO
find vengeance Improbable, and to
turn their attention TO other cOn-
cernl.
Meanwhile he did not suffer his
family TO sink into want. Carrying
with him into the strange land and
now society the industrious habits
that had always distinguished him,
he was soon established in n bnsi.
ness which (in consideration Of the
high prices prevailing 10 that new
country enabled him to send libcr.
Al rcmittancss 10 his family, 20 that
neither their comforts were greatly
lessencd, nor tho education Of their
children greatly retarded.
John Greer, conscious Of no roal
guilt, had not the panga Of con-
science TO bear, and his future still
looked bright before him, rs he
thought of that not far distant time
when, in the new home he had
created. he should once again be
surrounded by those doares. TO his
heart.
lie had announced these hopes,
expa,iatiug upon them asa lover
might, to his wife, when a disastrous
fire once more reduced him almost
to poverty. Hal he been one formed
to yield to discouragement, lie must
have done 20 now; but with snch n
stimulus TO exertion, he allowed him
self no more than momontarily to
succumb before the stunning force
Of the blow. His hopes we're de.
layod, not blasted; aud though IL
cos, him terrible pangs to commn-
nicate these tidings TO bis wife, md
fierce struggle TO resign himself
to the disappointment, he noyerthe'
less bore il brarely.
lie did not feel as Sarah some
times e4horted him to, as If he de-
served much Of Providence. True
he had neither swihdled not ehealesI
in his own person, but In his haste
to be rich hO bad leagued himself
with cheats and swindIers, and made
himself responsible for the. acts oI
| thnse whom he lad emrIoYel as lIi.