The Osceola times., 1878-05-11
The C0NvICT'S RETURN.
BY CHARLES DICK RSs.

BY CHARLES DIcKRSs.
"When / first settled in this village"
said the old gentleman" which is now
Just fve-snd-twenty years ago, the most
notorious person among my parishiOners
was a man of the name Of Edmunds, VINO
leased small farm near this spot. He
was q morose, savage.hearted man idle
and dissolute In his habits; cruel and
ferocious in his Opposition. Beyond the
few lazy and reckless vagabonds with
whom he sauntered away his time In the
fields or sotted in the ale house, he had
not single friend Or acquaintance; no
one cared to speak to the man whom
they feared, and everyone detested--and
Edmunds was Stunned by all.
"This man had a wife and one son,
who, when l first came here was about
twelve years old. OF the acuteness OF
that woman's sufferings, Of the gentle
and enduring manner In which she bore
them, Of the agony Of solicitude with
which she reared that boy, no one can
form an adequate conception. Heaven
forgive me the supposition, ii 1t be an
uncharitable one, but l do firmly and in
my soul believe, that the man systemati-
cally tried for many years to break her
heart; but she bore 1t all tor her child's
sake, and, however strange it may seem
to many, ior his fathers, too; for brute
as he was, and cruelty a. he had treated
her, she loved him once and the recol
lection of what he had been to her,
awakened feelings Of forbearance and
meekness under suffering in her bosom ia
which all God creatures, but woman,
are strangers.
"They were poor-they could not be
otherwise when the man pursued such
courses but the woman's unoeasing and
unwearied exertions, early and late,
morning, noon and night, kept them
above actual want. These exertions
were but i'll repaid. People who passed
the spot in the evening-sometimes at a
late hour of the night-reperted that
they had heard the moans and sob, OF q
woman in distress, and the sound OF
blows; and more than once, when 1t was
past midnight, the boy knocked softly at
the door OF a neighbor's house, whittier
he had been sent to escape the drunken
fury of his unnatural father.
During the whole Of this time, and
when the poor creature often bore about
her marks OF ill-usage and violence which
she could not wholly conceal, she was a
constant attendant at our little church.
Regularly every Sunday, morning and
afternoon, she occupied the same seat
with the boy at her side; and though
they were both poorly dressed-much
more 30 than many Of their neighbors
who were in lower station--they were
always neat and clean. Every one had a
friendly nod and a kind word for poor
Mrs. Edmunds;' and sometimes when
she stopped to exchange a few words with
a neighbor at the conclusion of the ser
vice in the little row OF elm trees which
lead TO the church porch. or fingered
behind to gass with mothers pride and
foudness upon her healthy boy, a. he
sported before her with some little com
panions, her care-worn face would
tighten up with an expression OF heartfelt
gratitude; and she would look, II moi
cheerful and happy, at least tranquil and
contented.
"Five or six years passed away the
boy had become robust and well-growr
youth. The time that had strengthened
the child's slight frame and knit hi,
weak limbs into the strength of man
hood had bowed his mothers form, ant
snfeebled her steps, but the arm tna'
should have supported her was no loDgel
locked in hers; the face that should
have cheered her, no more looked upor
her own. She occupied her old seat
but there was q vacant one beside her
The bible was kept as carefully as ever
the places were found and folded dowr
a. they used TO be-; but there was n,
one to read it with her; and the tear
fell thick and fast upon the book, ant
blotted the words from her eyes. Neigh
bors were as kind as they were won't 4
be Of old, but she Stunned their greeting
with avsrted head. There was no lin
gering among the old elm trees now, n,
cheering anticipation OF happiness yet Il
store. The desolate woman drew he
bonnet closer over her face, and wslket
hurriedly away.
"Shau ! tell you, that the young man
who, looking back to the earliest Of hi
childhood's days. to which memory an,
consciousness extended, and carrying hi
recollection down TO that moment, coul'
remember nothing which was not II
some way connected with . long serie
Of voluntary privations suffered by hi
mother Tor hts sake, with ill.usage, an,
insult, and violence, and all endured 10
him shall tell you that he, with
reckless disregard Of her breaking heart
and Q sullen, wiliul forgetfulness Of al
she had done and borne for him, ha,
linked himself with depraved and aban
doned men. and was madly pursuing
headlong career, which must brig dealt
70 him and . anne 70 her Alas 10
human naturel You have snticipsts
Il long sincs. -
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