The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-11-06
FATHER AND SON.

The cell was low, and damp, and
torbidding.
Only dim, deadened light stole In
through the. grating of the door, just
sufficient to reveal the scantiness of the
rugged furniture, and throw a forbid
ding shadow over the features of the
doomed occupant.
! He sat Oh a low bench, resting his
temples on his palms, his head dropping
between his knees. His hair was
much matted and tumbled, and bore
striking evidence Of night of unrest.
Now and then his thick lips moved,
as II they were trying to syllable words
long forgotten. His dull eye rolled
restlessly over the little circuit of floor
within its range, bleared, red, and
bloodshot. TO fairly describe him,
would be but TO describe monster.
Ills cOuntenance wore no expression
80 deeply stamped on it's every Inca
ment, as that of brutality.
AS darkening shadow occasionally
threw itself down upon the floor,
diminishing what little light was yet
left him, he half lifted his head, turn
ing his face toward the door,
Presently the jailer himself passed.
The criminal raised his form to it's
fullest extent on the seat.
HAS he come yetp" he asked, spas
medically, while his eyes glowed with
an unearthly lustre.
The jailer simply shook his head.
The man Ielapsed again into his
previous state of gloom and sullenness.
'Oh, God! This strange feeling! Oh,
my boy, my boyl'
These bitter calculations had been
out OF his mouth but Il few minutes
when a key raUtled in the lock.
lie looked up suddenly, and the
door opened.
sHal ha!'' he exclaimed, throwing
up his manacled hands, the chains
clinking loudly III his ears. "You are
herel My boy, oh, my boyP'
''My fatherl Do you love me yet?o
They embraced.
the sons head lay on the neck of
the guilty father, as quiet]' as if it
were reposing Oh the white bosom of
Innocence. Two others stood near, to
witness this last agonizing interview,
They uttered not word through it
all. Their lips were dumb. For several
minutes not a word was spoken.
The heavy breathing-half sobbing-
OF the father could be heard distinctly.
as his capaciouS chest pressed conyul-
siVely against that Of his STRIPPING son.
The deep and long sighs of the latter
almost drew tears Of compassion from
the eyes that witnessed his extreme
agony.
".Father," at last he saiG, in "a very
faint and child-like voice, his arms
still wound tightly about the neck of
his parent, dear fatherp'
He hesitated. And finally burst into
tears. The condemned parent clunp
to him yet more closely.
"Only say that am innocentp,
broke forth the boy. "You are to die.
Do not die without taking this great
load off my shauldersl"
Then the monster took his offspring
by the should.r, Id pushed him SLOWLY
and deliberat' l> back from him, as if
ne were me Il, plaything, gazing sto-
idly into hi, lace.
The tears were rolling down his
cheeks, and his whole expression was
that OF infantile supplication.
"NO-no, my boy," he said, in q
whisper, that sounded like the hiss of u
reptile in that gloomy cell, "you are
innocentl Tell the world that you arel
They will believe you! Tell them yo,,
are not guiltyp'
''Shall -may I tell them, father,
that you say am innocent? May | say
this to them, and then keep my name
clear from stain and taint as long as l
live?"
God forbid that you should do a
murderl' exclaimed the father, the
victim Of contending emotions. eff
you have done this. at least l suffe"l
Why do you complain then? "No, my
bOy"-and ho patted his child's deli
cate neck with his great, brawny hand
no, my boy, they will never believe
that you did thisl How can they? Who
tells them that you did2"
but all will not believe just as tell
them. Some will think that 90
through life with Il lie Oh my lips; and
that sent you to your grave. They
will point at me 80 cruelty, when | 20
through the streets. They will say,
there goes the guilty one himselfl There
goes the double murderer. lie killed
others with his hand. and then swore
away the life of his own dear fatherI
On, my fatlierl can l boar this, and
live? Can carry such fearful bur-
den on my shoulders all through life?
No--nO, fatherl dear tatherl Only free
me from 1t all now. shall never see
you again in this world--neyerl Only
let me recall this last meeting with
pleasurep'
Wei, and what would you have
me do, thenp" deliberately questioned
the parent, perceptibly giving way to