Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1878-05-11

throughout, qulvered and parted inyOI
unfairly; the face turned ashy pale a
the cold perspiration broke forth iron
every pore; the sturdy limbs OF the felol
trembled, and he staggered in the dock
In the first transports of her menta
anguish the suffering mother threw her
sell upon her knees at my feet, and fer
vently besought the Almighty Bein.
who had hitherto supported her in al
her troubles, to release her from a worlc
OF woe and misery, and to spare the lift
OF her only child. A burst of grief. and
violent struggle, such as ! hope may
never have to witness again, succeeded
knew that her heart was breaking from
tnat hour; but never once heard com,
plant or murmur escape her lips.
" 1t was pite0us spectacle to see that
woman in the prison>yard from day to
day, eagerly and tervently attempting,
by affection and entreaty, to soften the
hard heart of Ter 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 years
sottened for an instant the sullen hsrdi.
hood OF his demeanor.
" But the spirit of resignation and 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
t her strength failed her and she sunk
: pOwerless on the ground.
} And now the boosted coIdness and
indifference of the young man we're
, tested indeed and the retribution that
Tell heavily upon him, nearly drove him
mad. Aday passed away and his mother
was not there another few bv, and she
came not near him third evening ar.
rived, and yet he had not seen her; and !
In tour and twenty hours be was to be |
separated from heI--perhaps forever.
Oh how the long forgotten thoughts of
former days rushed upon his mind, as
ne almost ran up and down the narrow
yard-as if intelligence would arrive the
sooner for his hurrying--and how bitter
sense OF hi. helplessness and desolatioD
rushed upon him, when he heard the
truth? His mother, the only parent he
had ever known, lay ili--it might be,
| dylng-witbin one mile OF the ground
he stood on werehe 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 desperation, shook it till it rang again,
and threw himself against the thick wall
as ii to force q passage through the stone!
but the strong building mocked his fee.
bic efforts, and he beat his hands together
and wept like child.
" bore the mothers forgiveness and
blessing to her son in prison, and car.
rled his solemn assurance of repentance,
and his fervent supplication for pardon,
to her sick bed. ! heard with pity and
compassion, the repentant man devise a
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 world. =
He was removed by night. 4 few /
weeks aftefward the poor woman's soul /
took its fight, confidently hope, and q
ssolemnly believe, to place of eternal
happiness and rest. | performed the y
burial service over her remains. Saa r
lies III our little churchyard, There is n
no stone at her graves head. Her sor. p
rows were known to man; her virtues to 81
God. " ~
1t had been arranged previously to l.
the convicts departure, that he should D
write to his mother as soon as he could 8,
obtain permission, and that the letter m
should be addressed to me, Tie father
bad positively refused to see hisson from ~
.he moment OF the apprehension and it h
was matter Of indifference to him d
whether he lived or died MANY wears W
passed over without any Intelligence of h,
nm, ana when more than half his term eff
VI transportation had expired, and had of
acelved no letter, ] concluded him TO be 81
lead, as indeed, ! almost hoped be might lu
De ~
Edmunds, however, had been sent all
considerable distance up the country on fl
MS arrival at the settlement; and to this Sc,
lrcu Instance, perhaps, may be attributed TX
ne tact, that though several letters were kn
lSpatched, none of them ever reached est
ny hands. He remained in the same up
lace during the whole fourteen wears
" the expiration OF the term, steadily shl
Cheering to his old resolution and the MI
leuge he gave his mother, he made his pat
ay back to England amidst innumer~
ole difficulties, and returned, on foot. TO cor
is native place
On fine Sunday evening, inthe month d
August, John Edmunds set loot in tol
le village be had left With shame snd =,
sgrace seventeen years before. His fu
sarest way lay through the churchvard. ahc
he mans heart swelled as be crossed the
e stiIe, The tall old elms, THROUGH ="
hose branches the declining sun cast VIC
IRE and there a rich ray OF light upon VIII
e shady path, awakened the associa. ma
ons OF his earliest days. He pictured ana
mselt as he was then, clinging to his :.
others hand, and walking peaceably Whi
church He remembered hsw he used like
look up into her pale face, and how tufi
r eyes would sometimes fill with tears moi
she pazed upon his feot,res foot l dee
irs which tell hot upon his forehead lie
she stopped to kiss him, and made him was
ep too, although he little knew then rsls
lat bitter tears hSrs were. He thought
" often he had run merrily down that /"
tn with some childish playiellow said
king back ever and again to catch his je
'ther's smile, or hear her gentle voice chm
4 then veil seemed lifted from his spoi
mory, and words of kindness upre in n
tied, and warnings despised, and this
'mises broken thronged upon his recol peni
ton till his heart failed him, and he was.
lid bear it no longer. man
He entered the church. The evening cam
vice was concluded and the congreea- turn
had dispersed, but it was not vet
Sed. His steps echoed through the
building with a hollow sound. and
almost feared to be alone, it was so r.,
and quiet. He looked round him, II. :
thing was changed. The place seemed ~. W..
lller than it used 10 be, but there were uoel Uee
old monuments on which be had y.aaH SeaiH
Sd with childish ave q thousand Sau.a IVIa
es; the communion table before which s,,n; uJ' :
had so often repeated the command. - ns'ui !
ate be had revsrenced as child and 4 - 9. q