The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1876-09-15

/ can never forget, say /:
tsPromise me, Willie, when you go
out from your home into the world and
its temptations, and vouT mother has
lain down with her gray hairs to sleep
in the churchyard yonder, promise, my
child, that the memory OF her prayers
and couneeIs shall keep you from all
evil ways ?''
ssAnd Willie would raise his head,
lift his blue eyes to his mother, and an
swer: sI promise you will make first
rate man, MOTHER and after he had
said his evening prayer, we would go,
happy as birds that nestled III the
branches of the apple tree, to rest; and
then Just as we were sinking to sleep,
we would hear well knuwn football
on the stairs, and leving face would
bend over us to see If we were nicely
tucked up. 1T is long tine,' father
would say, after panse. since l heard
from Willie, but sure / am that he has
never fallen into any evil ways. The
memory of his mother would keep him
from that.''
Rap, rap, rap! went the words OF
that lady at tie door of that cid mans
heart. Creak, creajt, creah! went the
door on its rusty hinges: (angels OF
God. held ye not your breaths to lis
ten p The lady could only see the SUBJ
dued man bury his face in his hands.
and his whole frame shook like an as
pen Leaf, as she heard him murIaur
amid childlike sobs:
'sMy mother, o my mother p
And she knew the tears that were
washing those wrirkled cheeks were
washing out also many dark page in
the record of old Bill's past life that
stood against him SO. with a silent
prayer of thanktulness she resumed:
But there was one seeEe my father
loved to talk about more than al! the
rest. 1t was of the morning you were
married, Mr.. Strong. 1t was enough
to do ones eyes good he would say,
sto look at them as they walked up the
old church aisle, he with his proud,
manly tread, and she, delicate, fragile
creature, fair as the orange blossoms
that trembled in her hair. / remember
how clear and firm his voice echoed
the old church as he promised
to love, protect and to cherish the gen.
tie being at his side, and / knew he
thought, as he looked down tondly up
on her, that the very winds of heaven
should not visit her too roughly.' And
then my father would tell us of home
made bright by watchtul affection, and
of dark-eyed boy and fair-haired girl
who came, after while, to gladden. it
and then you know he removed TO the
West and lost sight of you, Mr.. Strongo
Once again the lady paused, for tie
agony of the strong man before her
was fearful to behold, and when she
spoke again, it was in lower and more
lnournfnl tone.
81 promised my father previous to
his death, that If ever | visited his ma
tive State, I would seek ont his old
friend. But. when | inquired for you,
they unfolded terrible tale to me, Mr..
Strong. They told me of dark.eyed
boy who lett his home in disgust amid
despair for one on the homeless seas
of the gentle and uncomp'aining wife
who went down, with a prayer on her
lips for her erriug husband, broken
hearted to the grave of the fair-haired
girl they placed by Der side in a little
while. Oh! it is a sad, sad story have
heard of my fathers old friend'
t'It was I /! | killed them % said old
Bill, in voice filled with emotion, as
he lifted mp his head from his clasped
hands aid looked upon the lady, every
feature wearing such look OF agoiliz-
ing remorse and helpless despair that
she shuddered to behold it. Wide open
stood the door then, and the lady
FASTENED to pass in. A small fair hand
was laid gently upon old Bills arm,
and a sweet voice murmured
s.Even for all there is redemption,
and you well know III what manner In
the name of the mother who loved yon,
IN the name of your dying wife, aud of
the child who sleeps beside her, l ask
you, will you sign the pledge 20
81 will, ,''said old Bill, and he brought
down his hand with such force on the
pine table that its rheumatic limbs with
difficulty maintained their equilibrium,
and then seized the pen and pledge the
lady had placed before him, and when
he returned theen to her, the name OF
TE'illiana Strong lay in broad, legible
characters upon the PAPER.
There was All expression, ludlcrous
from its intensity, of curiosity on the
bar keepers physiognomy, as the lady
passed quietly through the "shop'' af-
ter her long interview with old Bill,
and the expression was in no degree les
sened when few moments after old
Bill followed her without stopping, as
usual to take sssecond glass;" ard he
aaeoe, passed oUer that threshold again.
Reader OF mine, if you are OF those
whose true, earnest souls bear ever
about them one great desire to benefit
their feIiow-meu if your heart is yearn-
ing over some erring brother man, whom
you would gladly raise from the depth
of degradation and misery, and point to
the highway of truth aud virtue, re-
that somewhere in his heart
must be door, which, when rightly
applied to, will open unto you. See to
it that ye find it.
Al Indiana man has just been neatly
scalped by stroke Of lightning, and he
speaks OF it as a very wigged perform
,...a-