The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1878-02-08
nrhIs dreadful act, done in q q. o.

him SO fcnderly and borne so patientl,
with him. But too late, too late the
pure spirlt had winged its flight above,
aud the drunkard's wife had found resi-
aud peace in heaven. Long and loud
walls went up from that stricken mans
heart; nc kissed frantically the pale
checks; he implorcd forgiveness for
the past, and for this dreadful deed
but, though tho wan lips smiled Oh,
they made no answer. o, my God, IN,
Cody cried the rector, clasping his
thin hands, II thank Thee that Thou
didst, at length, pour peace into this
miserable mans heart, for nowhere
could ,hc have found it but in Thee.
cit was decreed that he should drink
more deeply of tho cup of suffering.
When the fearful deed was bruited
abroad, Clarence Medway was arrested
and thrown into prison. During those
long and weary days of his imprison-
ment and trial, deprived of the accurs-
ed liquor that had made him a brute, a
madman and murderer, he carr i..n
fall possession of his senses. Then hi,
eyes were opened, and he saw what a
bitter wrong the dGunkard does, moi
only to himself, but all who have the
misfortune to love him. Sitting in the
solitude OF his cell, as memory carried
him back to his early life, he wept To
think what lie was, and what he might
have been; he had sold the proud
birthright of his manhood fort q mise
! rable mess ofpottage.
"Overwhelmed with grief for the
loss of his wife; crushed BY the fear
ful crime he had committed; decpl,
humiiated by his painful position,
Clarence Medway passed through thi,
trial for the murder ofthe woman be
had sworn to protect. | cannot 90 over
the distressing details ofthat proceeding,
when the life ofthis unfortunate man
hung trembling between time and eter-
nifty. On the day the verdict was 10
be delivered, the halls of justice were
crowded; silent the criminal sat,
awaiting the words that were to CON
sign him to life or death. They came,
and as he stood up to receive his sen
tence, his ears heard tho dreadful words
Hung by the neck until dead Then
all grew black, black "a midnight
and he was led away from the room"
All this while the girl had reflained
rom speaking, but these words seemed
to electrify her, and she caught her
fathers hand convulsively, and said,
"HIung! did they hang him?'
"ile walked from that dreary scene
IN the court room, my child, to his cell
III the prison, and prepared to meet his
ignominious fate. In vain his friends
strove to obtain q pardon; petitions
were sent TO those in authority, but
there was no pity for the miserable
wretch who had murdered his wife in
q fit ofdrunken dclirum.
Time wore on, and the day of execu
tion arrived; hc had pressed his swee!
child to his bosom for the last time.
and rsincd tears of sorrow on its youpg
head. His friends had taken a sad and
solemn farewell of him, and now all
that was left for him to do, was tu
mount the scaffold and give his life fol
that precious life he had taken.v
The rector shuddered, and his thin
fingers grasped nervously the hand of
his daughter, that lay on his lap.
''It was lovely day, full of balm,
and beauty, when a gloomy procession
moved from The prison. The gallows
was reached, and tho hangman stood
ready to usher the soul into eternity.
There was breathless silence; the
crowd stood around, some pitying the
had brought to this fearful end. Sud-
denly there was loud Gathering OF
horses feet, and shout went up"
Alice pressed her fathers hand, a.
she exclaimd,
"Thank heaven, he was saved"
"a shout went up" repeated the
rector. "a pardon! pardonv and
that man, with the rope almost around
his neck, overcome by his feelings, fell
fainting to the ground. He was re-
moved by his friends from the scene,
and in quiet home they nursed him
lovingly and forgivingly through the
long fit of illness that ensued. They
uttered no reproaches, for well the,
knew that his poor heart was tortured
by the keenest of all reproaches, self
reproach. When he recovered, taking
his precious child with him, he left the
beautiful shores Of England forever.
lie selccted.a secluded village in
America for his home, and the grace OF
God having visited his heart, he stud
led for the ministry, and was admitted
10 orders. On one subject-for they
knew not his fearful history--the pe6-
pie among whom he lived, called him
crazy; and that was the subject of tenn
perancc. His heart was Stirred to its
depths, when he saw the monster drink
raging through the great republic,
blasting with his fiery breath the sweet
flowers Of home; laying bright hopes
low; breaking hearts, and destroying
regulations; killing the body and muir
dering the soul. This man went tortl,
the sworn champion of temperance
lmploring men; for the sake of the God
who made them, for the sake of the
friends who loved them, and for their
own sakes, to break the manacles
which made them slaves,-slavcs of the
most cruel master under whom poor
humanity over served.
at is this sad, sad history, my child.
that comes to me in warning tones, and
says, 'Savc your daughter, while yet
you may, from the miserable fate of the
drunkard's wife, lest she too, share the
doom of Alice Midway"
The pale face of Alice Carington
grew still paler, and she asked in low,
eager tones,
"My father, who was Clarence Med
way?'
For one moment the rector of Riy-
ington looked at his daughter; then he
said, in tones whose touching pathos
she never forgot,
"Your father, my child, your poor
father.r
She sprang from her seat; she threw
her arms around her fathers neck, and
sobbed out passionately,
"God pity you, my poor, stricken
father"
she has piucd me, my child. even "a
you pity me-"
And the father and daughter sobbed
aloud as they drew nearer TO each other
ip deepest sympathy and tender love.
Long years have passed since the rec
tor of Rivington sat in his quiet study
aud told this sad story of his life TO his
young daughter, No longer young,
A linA 10 Il