Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1874-08-06

y
I am little used to travelling and shall
need your escort. AS there is no way
to go tonight, we must make the best
of it, and wait"
eyes, lilly, we must wait. We
have waited two years. Long, long
years they have been to me. Oh
how I have longed for the time when
I could come to you, and seek re
turn for the love ] truly and
faithfully pledged to you. Here is
the letter you sent me, will you recall
it? After this long and patient wait.
ing, will you tell me you are mine -?
eyes, Frank. have long felt that
if you came to me and offered me that
love which l rejected two years ago, |
should accept it. Perhaps it was
cruel in me to write you what | did
but God only knows, the trials | Ell
dured, and | felt then that | could
never know aught but sorrow. But
change came, and though orphaned
and alone, with no kindred but my
misguided brother, | learned to beal
my cross, with the help Of oul
Heavenly Father, and to pray to Him
for assistance and comfort that He
would help me to reclaim from the
paths of sin and crime, my once noble
and loving brother, that He would
send me you, yes, you, Frank, that
might tell you the love | bear you,
and feel have not asked in vain,
for have you not come to me? And
will He not tomorrow answer my
other prayer ? l know He will. think
that tomorrow | shall find my broth.
er a changed man. Oh Frank, what
happiness you have brought me,
where you thought you were only
bringing sorrow"
While these reunited lovers are
conyersing so earnestly and joyously
Fred Raymond sits in his dismal
cell, a changed man. Changed he
certainly is in outward appearance
and let us hear what he says to him
self, and Judge:
eyes, am a prisoner, despised
felon. Oh ! God, were this last stain
off my name there might be some
hope for me, but now, alas ! there is
none! Poor Edith How | have
wronged you, and yours. | have
caused the death Of your father, and
young Wilmot's fate must be the
same for Dick dealt him q deadly
blow. Oh ! could I but hear one
word from him to know that the
crime Of murder was not hanging
over me. Better for me had | died
the Fred Raymond of old, for then
friends would have mourned my loss,
but now, alas ! It's but the cell and
the gallows. O, my sister my kind
and loving sister, what will be your
grief when you hear Of my crime, and
to what it has brought me Shall l
ever be forgiven by you? How clear
those words of warning come to me
now it is too late. She said | should
ever fill brothers place in her heart.
Dear, kind lilly, she will not desert
me, though all others may. O, could
l but once more be free from this cell,
how hard and faithfully would work
to atone for the past, and lilly should
not live lonely life on the old place.
Those old happy days should be lived
again. But alas /! God only knows
whether / shall ever see the old house
again. Hark l hear some one in
the corridor, perhaps the jailor has
not quite forgotten me. Here have
been a day and night with no food
but bread and water, and no sight OF
a human being, and no sound but Of
the felons in the cells adjoining
Here they are at my door. lilly =
Thank God you have come at last y
"Yes, I have come as I told you I
would when we parted, to console you
in your trouble, and to beg you, aye,
to plead with you, once more, to be-
come better man Oh my broth
er, tell me that this shall be your last
crime tell me that you renounce the
past life, and will try to be better
man. Will you not q
Darling sister, my life of crime is
ended. Should l ever go from this
cell free man, will show you and
the world what change can be
wrought in such a man as have
been. Yes, lilly, l have truly re-
pented, and have done what I have
done what have not thought of do