Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-03-02
AN INCIDENT OF 'ss.

There are soldiers in the market-place,
The Judge is in the town,
And Justices s.ern-faced handmade, Law,
Now wears her darkest frown;
IT'S the year of tears and troubles,
The year of blood and fate,
OF blackened hearths and rocfiess homes,
The year Of Sinety-eight
For the prisoners to the courthouse
The soldiers clear the way,
The fate Of two young lives shall be
Determined to-cay;
Through surging crowds OF clansmen
The youthful rebels pass,
But not an arm is raised to rave;
Stands mute each galloglas,
The peoples heart is broken,
Their hopes are dead and gone.
They hardly dare to breathe with sound,
Each face is scared and wan,
For heavy as the thunderbolt,
Swift as the lightning's flash,
Upon their patriot plot has falln
The English vengeance-lash;
The land they thought with arms to free
Was but the faster bound.
And hearts that Freedoms hopes had raised
Are dashed again to ground!
The Judge is seated-round the court,
Like statues, soldiers stand,
The two whose doom this day shall fix
Are fettered hand in hand;
Two noble youths, with clear gray eyes,
And glance that never quails;
Their lips are set and bloodless,
But their courage never fails,
And only whel the Judas friend
Less calmly far than they
Stands in the box and faces them,
10 they at length give way
Oh, then the memory of the past
Springs up, their souls to rend-
They curse the hour that trusting hearts
Called that black traitor "friendl"
IT'S over now. The foreman's lips
Have spoke the fatal word;
And there from out the silent crowd
woman's voice is heard
"0h, sir-my lord-oh, Judge, ashore
Yell give me leave to speak
rna all they have, Ged help them, now,
Their mother. old and weak;
Himself is dead, my lord; for long,
Oh, long, long weary years
The love of them two boys is all
The poor old widow cheers;
Ones not my own; his mother died
An left him gossoon-
But sure love them both, my lord,
Yen save them both, aroon?
An may the heavens be your bed
May all the saints look dswn
An bless you-an' yen have the prayers
or all that's in the town.
Then rose a murmur strong and deep,
And all that anxious crowd
For mercy on the widows boys
Prayed earnestly aloud.
The Judge was moved with pity,
But duty tied him down;
He tried in vain to steel his heart,
He tried in vain to frown;
These men are all the stay you haVeY
They toll that you may live?
T1Ie mercy that can I'll show;
His life TO ONE I'll give.
e,
Whose mother is no more,
Or him whom to the sire OF both
You in your bosom bore"
cruel choicel a bitter task
She bowed her aged head,
Some bitter tears coursed down her face,
Then she looked up and said:
" thank you kindly, sir--ny lord
But oh, my lord, tits hard
How can choose between the Boy
bore, an him reared?
Oh, Judge, alanna. choose yourself
Take which you please to save
If sent one to death I'd not
Sleep quiet in my grave"
Good woman, / can do no more;
One dies-tis right and just;
WHICH life is spared depends on you
So make your choice-you must"
One more moment, and then she spoke:
''Oh, Mike. my darlin' boy,
You know tits not love you lesE-
I'd die for you with joy
But Patsys mothers dead. ashore,
He's none TO take his part,
So him choose-oh, Mike, this day
IT'S broken is my heart
His mothers gone, aanna-sure
'Tis you will see her soon,
An tell her, Mike, saved her boy;
God bless you, Mike, aroon."
A cheer arose from out the crowd,
The Judges eyes were dim:
q Take both thy sons, thou noble heart,
Thou shalt not weep for them "
Then to the prisoners: go" he said,
'If Irish hearts be true,
Learn, that with Justice, English rule
May mingle Mercy too"