The Osceola times., 1878-05-11

hood the perpetrators remained undis- |
covered, and their boldne~ increased. |
A robbery Of daring and aggravated
nature occssioned vigilance Of pur.
suit and strictness of search, they had |
not calculated upon. Young Edmunds
was suspected, with three companions.
He was apprehended, committed, tried,
conference.-the die.
The wild and piercing shrieks from
woman's voice, which resounded through
the court when the solemn sentence was
pronounced, rings in my ears at this mo
ment. The cry struck a terror to the
culrrit's heart, which trial, condemna.
ton, the approach Of death itself, had
failed TO awaken The lips which had
been compressed in doRged sullenness
throughout, quivere9 and parted invol-
unfairly; the face turned ashy pale as
the cold perspiration broke forth from
every pore; the sturdy limbs Of the felon
trembled, and he staggered In the dock.
% In the first transports Of her mental
anguish the suffering mother threw her.
self upon her knees at my feet, and fer
vently besought the Almighty Being
who had hitherto supported her in all
her troubles, to release her from world
OF woe and misery, and to spare the life
of her only child. A burst Of grief, and
a violent struggle, such AZ hope may
never have to witness again, succeeded.
knew that her heart was breaking from
that hour; but never once heard com.
plant or murmur escape her lips.
" 1t was piteous spectacle to zee that
woman In the pri-on>yard from day TO
day, eagerly and fervently attempting,
by affection and eptreaty, 10 soften the
hard heart of her obdurate son. 1t was
in vain. He remained moody, ob,ti.
nate, and unmoved. Not even the un>
looked-for Communication Of his sentence
to transportation for fourteen year.,
softened for an instant the sullen hardi.
hood Of his demeanor.
"But the spirit Of resignation aud en-
durance that had 50 long upheld her,
was unable to contend against bodily
weakness and infrmity. She fell sick.
She dragged her tottering limbs from
the bed TO visit her son once more bu
her strength failed her and she sunk
powerless on the ground.
"And now the boosted coldness ard
Indifference Of the young man were
tested indeed; and the Tetribution that
fell heavily upon him, nearly drove him
mad. Aday passed awav and his mother
was not there another dsw by, and she
came not near him third evening or.
rived, and yet he had not seen her and
In four and twenty hours he was to be
separated from her--perhaps forever.
Oh 1! how the long forgotten thoughts Of
former days rushed upon his mind, as
he almost ran up and down the narrow
yard--as II intelligence would arrive the
sooner for his hurrying-.and how bitter
sense OF his helplessness and desolation
rusned upon him, when he heard the
TRUTH His mother, the only parent he
had ever known, lay ill--it might be,
dying-within one mile oil the ground
he stood on weIehe free and unfettered,
few minutes would place him by
her side. He rushed to the gate, and
grasping the iron rails with the energy
OF despe ration. shook it till it rang again,
and threw himself sgsinst the thick wall
as if to force passage through the stone!
but the strong building mocked his fee
bic efforts, and he beat his hands together
and wept like child.
al bore the mothers forgiveness and
blessing to her son in prison, and car
ried his solemn assurance of repentance,
and his fervent supplication for pardon,
to her sick bed. heard with pity and
compassion. the repentsnt man devise
Thousand little plans for her comfort and
support when he returned but ! knew
that many months before he could reach
his place of destination, his mother would
be no longer of this werld.
"He was removed by night. A few
weeks ai,efward the poor woman's soul
took its fight, ! confidently hope, and
solemnly believe, TO a place OF eternal
happiness and rest. performed the
burial service over her remains. She
lies in our littl, churchyard. There is
no stone at her graves head. Her sor.
rows were know n to man; her virtues TO
God.
"It had been arranged previously to
the convict's departure, that he should
write to his mother As soon as he could
obtain permission, and that the letter
should be addressed TO me. The father
had positively refused to zee his ron from
the moment of the apprehension and 1t
was matter of indifference 10 him
whether he lived or died. Many years
passed over without any intelligence oi
him, and when more than half his term
Of transportation had expired, and had
received no letter, ] concluded him 70 be
dead, as indeed, almost hoped he might
be.
Edmunds, however, had been sent q
considerable distance up the country on
his arrival at the settlement; and to this
circu Instance, perhaps, may he attributed
the fact, that though several letters wers
dispatched, none Of them ever reached
nv hands. He remained In the same
place during the whole fourteen years
At the expiration OF the term, steadily
a6hering TO his old resolution and the
pledge be gave his mother, he made hi'
way back to England amidst innumer
able difficulties, and returned, on foet, tc
his native place.
On a fine Sunday evening, In the month
Of August, John Edmunds set foot In
the VILLAGE he had left with shsme and
disgrace seventeen years before. Hi
nearest way lay through the churchysrd
The mans heart swellsd o be crossed
the title, The tall old elms, through
whose branches the declining sun cast
here and there q rich ray OF light upor
the shady path, awakened the associa
tions of his earliest days. Ne picturet
himself as he was then, clineipg to hi,
mothers hand, and walking peaceably
10 church. He remembered hsw be uses
to look up into her pale lace, and how
her eyes would sometime. fill with tear