Daily Republican., 1879-10-03
WRONGED AND RIGHTED.

| WRONGEAD AND AAUt1IED.
Several years ago was member Of
a dramatic company doing the interior
PennsylvaAia towns. At c., among
the "sights" pointed out to the stranger
Is q huge tree, and about four feet from
the base the bark has been cut in the
form OF cross in dimensions about two
feet by three feet.
"What is the meaning Of thatf'
asked Of nv "guide"-the clerk Of
the post-office-as pointed to the cross
so deeply engraven in the tree.
"There's story goes with that" !"
said he, "and it's been the cause Of my
being against capital punishment ever
since"
"a story :"
"Yes," interrupted he, "snd one that
even the youngest child in our town
has learned to relate. Let us sit here,
and I'll tell 1t to you"
Lighting q fresh cigar, he began the
following, and I give it in his own
words as near as l can: ......
"Let me see-it's now almost forty
years since the events which l am 90.
ing to relate occurred. Two miles to
, the west, over there, il an old run-out
coal pit, or should say, pit sunk ior
coal, but which never yielded much Of
the 'dusky.' One of the men employed
in the first working and sinking was
named John Harris, collier from over
the water. He was sort Of a supsrin-
tendent or boss Of gang Of the work.
ers, and had built himself a neat little
home about mile from here, between
this place AID the pit. His wife having
died in E,gland. The daughter was q
beautiful girl just turning her 18th
year, and was the magnet that drew
the gay young gallants for miles
around. Among the number of swains
who were ready to fight, bleed or die
for her, were Henry Lewis and Charles
Jenkins. Both figure prominently in
my tale; so will name none of the
others who had entered the list for favor
from Lucy Harris.
"It appears that Lewis, quiet, or
derby young fellow, had the inside
track in the affections of the divine
Lucy, and accompanied her to all
the merry-makings, feasts, etc., to the
envy of all the others, but to none
more so than Jenkins, who fiattered
himself that, were Louis only removed
from his track, he could come in win
ner of the hand of the fair one. Old
man Harris really favored the latter,
as he often remarked, a 'youngster OF
the right sort, and none Of your milk
and water babies which eulogium of
the talents of Jenkins was occasioned
by the fact that old man Harris in his
drinking bouts, found a right good
companion in Jenkins, and one who
could down as much mountain dew
as he, while, on the other hand, Lewis
was about the only teetotaler among
the visitors at the Harris house. In
| his carousals, the old man sworeround-
ly that Jenkins alone should possess
the hand, if rot the heart, Of Lucy,
and forbade Lewis from coming to his
house. Clandestins meetings, .of
course, followed between Lucy and the
latter, but not unknown to the vigilant
Jenkins, who was watching the lovers
for all that was out. =.
Things reached crisis when the old
man, informed of these meetings, TOOK
to drinking harder, and swore by all the
gods to rid the earth of that dough-
faced baby who was trying to steal his
child away from him. Lucy, who had
of late been treated shamefully by the
old reprobate, used to come here to this
spot to hold tryst with her lover, and
to weep alone in anguish over her un-
happy life, made now doubly wretched
by her continued opposition to her
fathers wishes.
"Jsnkins came to the house one beau
tiful day in May, and having brought
plentiful supply Of whisky with him,
the old man was soon under the 'influ-
ence.' and Jenkins was not far OF,
either. Lucy seeing how affairs stood,
silently stole from the house, and wend-
ed her way to her favorite spot-here.
She was seen to leave the house by
Jenkins, and he Immediately followed
her, ascertaining first that Harris was
| in drunken sleep, and oblivious to all
around him.
The knoll yonder near the trees was
the only place around here for quite
a distance free from bush, and through
little lane Lucy would come here to
pray, weep, or meet her lover. Just
as she reached here on that fatal day
fatal to her at least-she heard q
cracking in the bush, and thinking
| il was Lewis who was keeping his tryst,
her eyes brightly kindled and smile
|illumined her face. But when the
burly form Of Jenkins burst into the
clearing, her smile changed, and a
look OF loathing and contempt greeted
him as he rudely accosted her. !.
Thought it was the other one, did
you? Well, I'm tired Of this shilly-
shallying, and I'm going to end this
thing. You have got to be mine at
last, so you can make up your mind to
that.
| "'What do you meanp asked the
terrified Lucy.
at means that you are in my power
now-no one is near us-and I'm going
to make you mine by all means"
"Hs seized her as he spoke, and, not
withstanding he was a powerful man,
her strength and the liquor he had in-
bibed made the struggle desperate
one. Seeing that he would probably be
foiled in his evil desires, and now thor
oue hly maddsned by the whisky he
|had drunk and the girls almost super
human exsrtions, he whipped out q
large pocket knife and threatened to
xiii her unless she quit struggling. The
sight Of the knife lent extra strength tc
the unfortunate girl, and just as she