The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1883-11-03
FATHER AND SON.

The cell was low, and damp, and
forbidding.
Only dim, deadened light stole In
through the grating of the door, just
sufficient to reveal the scantiness Of the
rugged furniture, and throw forbid
ding shadow over the features of the
doomed occupant.
He sat ON 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 if 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.
His countenance wore no expression
so deeply stamped on its 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 its
fullest extent on the seat.
"Has he come YETI" 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, Godl This strange feelingi Oh,
my boy, my boyl'
These bitter CALCULATIONS had been
out of his mouth but a few minutes
when a key raUtled in the lock.
He looked up suddenly, and the
door opened.
"Hal hal" he exclaimed, throwing
up his manacled hands, the chains
clinking loudly in his ears. "You are
herel My boy, oh, my boyi"
MY fatherl Do you love me yetpn
They embraced.
the sons head lay on the neck of
the guilty father, as quietly as if it
were reposing on 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 word was spoken.
The heavy breathing-half sobbing-
of the father could be heard distinctly,
as his capacious chest pressed convul-
sively against that of his STRIPPING son.
The deep and long signs of the latter
almost drew tears of compassion from
the eyes that witnessed his extreme
agony.
Father" at last he said, in very
faint and child-like voice, his arms
still wound tightly about the neck of
his parent, ''dear fatberl''
He hesitated. And finally burst into
tears. The condemned parent chung
to him yet more closely.
only say that am innocentl'
broke forth the boy. "You are to die.
Do not die without taking this great
load off my shauldersp'
Then the monster took his offspring
by the shoulder, and pushed him slowly
and deliberately back from him, as if
he were mere plaything, gazing sto-
Idly into his lace.
The tears were rolling down his
cheeks, and his whole expression was
that OF infantile duplication.
"No-no, my boy" he said, in a
whisper, that sounded like the hiss of a
reptile in that gloomy cell, ''you are
innocentl Tell the world that you are
They Will believe youl Tell them you
are not guiltyl'
"Shall Inlay 1 tell them, father,
that you say am innocent? May | say
this to them, and then keep my name
clear from stain and faint as long as
Liver"
''God forbid that you should do a
murderV' exclaimed the father, the
victim of contending emotions. "It
you have done this, at least l suffer-
Why do you complain them "No, my
boy''-and he patted his child's deli
cate neck with his great, brawny hand
mo, my boy, they will never believe
that you did thisl How can they2 Who
tells them that you did2"
but all will not. believe Just as | tell
them. Some will think that l 90
through life with lie on my lips; and
that l sent you to your grave. They
Will point at me so cruelty, when 90
through the streets. They will say,
there goes the guilty one himself There
goes the double murderer. He killed
others with his hand. and then swore
away the life of his own dear father
Oh, my father! can l bear this, and
liver Can l carry such fearful bur
den on my shoulders all through lifeP
Mono, fatherl dear fatherl Only free
me from it all now. shall never see
you again In this wOrld-neverl Only
let me recall this last meeting with
pleasurelr
We'll, and what would you have
me do, them" deliberately questioned
the parent, perceptibly giving way To
his feelings. Tell me what you would
have me do, my bOyl You shouldn't
come here al such a time as this to heap
surses on my head"
"Oh, l don't, | don'tl
Wy GU must remember that Pm the
one that's to suffer; and I've Just day
left NE to livel That's all Now, what
do you want me to do2"
Justice to me, sobbed the son.
"HOw, them"
"Only say that I am not guilty Of
this crilne'
''My sonl my dear boyI, exclaimed
the hardened father, hugging his off
spring passionately to his breast, ''you
don't know how deep is my love 70
! you'll Oh, Mono, my dear boyl l dc
not believe you did this dreadful muir
derl can't believe it-one word of il
alll' Another pressure in his arms
Tell the world, my son, that YOU
father never believed It'll They will b.
aJilied thenl"
But still the shame and the shadow
OF this great guilt will hang over me, ,
returned the stricken boy. "Peoplt
will say that either you or l did tn,
deed. You deny that you did it, and
only say that you do not believe tina
| did it. That is not enough. "No-
no, they will still fasten it upon me
l cannot live under It'll shall not wan
tol Only tell me, father, that l did no
do this great crimel That Is ALI
| NNIhan I qhnulI nnvfaoo that L.. II