Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-04-22
TEARS, IDLE TEARS.
The Overwhelming Grief Of Charles
Frederick Osborne Raymond.

aged ABOUT Vnlrty-nNe years, and wear
ing a dress coat, light trousers, and
white crayat, was charged with obtain
ing money by false p~retenses. On
:, Tuesday last he left Devices for Pesey
and, on arriving at the Clock Inn a
Lydeway, four miles on the road. hC
called to have refreshment. 1t hap.
pened that Mrs. Raymond, the land.
lady and possessor of some property
had died a few days before, bewailinl
the absence of her only son and heir.
Charles, who left her ten years age
and proceeded to London, where he en-
barked as a wheel-wright and carpen-
ter, but had not been heard of fol
eight years. In age and looks he SO
much resembled the visitor to the Clock
Inn that some persons in the house
exclaimed; " Why, bless me, if that
amt Charley Raymond" The traveller
inquired what was the matter, and one
Of the occupants of the house said
You know what's the matter, we'll
enough. Don't you know your poor
mother is dead?" The man believed
to be Charley threw himself into a
paroxysm of grief, and the company
endeavored to assuage it by offering
him drink. Having apparently re-
covered, and a~scertaining that the
body of Mrs. Raymond was lying in
the coffin up stairs, he expressed a
wish to have a last look at his poor
mother, and Mr.. Gliding, who was
engaged as landlord, was called in.
The stranger, having noticed the
name over the door, said, ia
miliarly We'll, William. how
are your" The latter reioined:
How is it you did not make
yourself known before?" TO which
the new arrival replied: Il at first
knew nobody, and thought nobody
knew me-" That seemed to Salty
William, who took Charley out to
view the premises which were to be
his. On doing so he said, on passing
the carpenters shop: 1T is a long
while since you worked there and
Charley replied, "Oh, yes; ten years
is a long while to look back upon, but
| we'll remember spending many happy
hours in this shop" He was next
shown a barn, and asked if he remem-
bered laying the floor of it, and he
replied that he did, for it was fifteen
years ago, which was thetime. ethen
said he wished he had arrived when
his poor mother was alive, for he had
been a very bad boy while he had been
away, and wanted to beg her forgiven
ness. AT this point John Hitchcock,
"a nephew of the deceased, came in
and welcomed his cousin Charles. and
they talked of the time when they
were boys together, it being arranged
that they should walk in the funeral
procession as the chief mourners.
Charles showed signs of impotence to
gaze once more on the features of his
poor, dead mother, and was conducted
up stairs to take the last look. The
cofhn-lid was removed, and he wept
bitterly on seeing her lifeless form,
and, taking a napkin off her face, he
bent over the corpse and in the most
impassioned manner kissed her cheeks
saying, Yes, this is my mother"
With difficulty he was drawn away
indeed, he .sobbed so loudly and
seemed so faint that restoratives had
to be resorted to. On getting him down
stairs, he was requested to join his
cousin John, and the latter spoke to
him about a visit which he paid to
him at Bermondsey a few years ago,
which Charles remembered, being we'll
acquainted with the neighborhOod. In
ordertO make Charles ftfor the funeral,
he was treated as a prodigal son, fed
well, and as a suit of black could not
at once be made for him, Mrs. Gid
ding prevailed upon Frank Shook, a
kind hearted gentleman living close
by. to lend him his, and a lady lent
him her shoes. Charles was soon fully
and becomingly dressed, and, with his
cousin as chief m%ourner, followed the
body Of his poor moother to the grave
in the parish churcb-yard, weeping
p~iteously all the way, and being the
observed of all observers. Rev. T. H.
Parrier read the solemn burial SER
vice, and when the coffin was lowered.
Charles was overcome and had to be
Fed from the place. The party re-
turned to Clock with expressions of
hope hat the good old soul had gone
to heaven, and began to recruit their
spirits. After a while Charles, who
had received a loan of money from
Mrs. Gliding, became so overcome
by liquor, and not by grief, that he
was unable any longer to sustain his
part, and the plot was revealed. Ser
gcant Rich, of the county police, was
sent for, and Charles was lodged in a
police cell in Devices the same night.
lie proved TO be a vocalist and low
comedian, and told the county magis-
trate yesterday that he found Wilt
shire people extremely gullible, and
determined to act a part and take a
benefit, or, as he said, come Lord
Audley over them" He had IN
empty stomach and a low pocket, and
having been used to little %performan-
ces in public houses, did this on his
way to London to amuse the company.
The magistrate said there was no
charge against him which could be
supported on committal, and dis
charged him with a warning not to
repeat the performance, lest the result
should prove to him the reverse of
beneficial.
Little Johnnie's Anecdotes.
Argonaut.l