The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1884-02-14


yonder, fond parents have had just as
buoyant hopes and aspirations with
regard to these boys as you and [
have for our darlings; and, as we see
the men-manacled or tied like wild
beasts-ascend the fatal stairway which
leads to the spot from which they are
to make their fatal leap into eternity,
into the presence Of an insulted God,
our first impulse is to close the eyes
or throw up the hands, or do some
thing to hide from our sight the hor-
rid spectacle Of deliberate butchery Of
human beings. But as we take last
look toward the fatal platform, there
rises between it and ourself, a faint,
flmy shadow, at first almost invisible,
but deepening and becoming more
and more intense, until it stands forth
a strong and clearly defined picture.
Let us study it for moment.
In quiet valley stand three strong
men, engaged in earnest conversation.
These men are blessed with health,
and strength, and means Of sustain
ing life without great effort. Away
off there is another lonely valley.
Within it stands a squalid farmhouse.
Within, all betokens the abode of a
family Of limited means. A man, far
past the prime and vigor of his man
hood, sits by his own freside. He
has been sick for SO long time that,
it was necessary to sell his horse for
means to meet imperative expenses.
His little sum Of money is hidden
away, and all seems peace and securi-
ty. At last this husband and father,
bids his little flock goodnight" and
lies down to rest. The world has not,
perhaps, been so good to him, as it
might have been, but he is thankful
for what he has, and looks with graf
itude to the giver Of all good and per-
feet gifts. And as he settles down to
rest, an air of perfect peace and love
seems to pervade the house-just as it
does your house, or ours,-dear read
er.
Now the panorama moves. The
three strong men make long jour-
ney, reaching the farmhouse shortly
after the sick farmer has retired to
rest. Each is armed with deadly
weapon, and bent on a murderous
purpose-the destruction Of the peace
Of that home. They invent pretext
for entering the house; two of them
enter; they demand the little sum Of
money; the farmer pleads his long
sickness as his excuse for not having
money for them; they present their
deadly weapons; in a frantic effort to
save himself, the farmer leaps from
the bed; there is deafening report,
followed by another; there are a wo-
mans screams; there is hastily spo-
ken farewell, and the good old man
falls dead, at his own fireside, with a
bullet-hole through his heart. We
see that home on bright Sabbath
at the hour when the church
bells usually call the people to wor-
ship. An air Of peace and gladness is
manifest upon the outside of the
house. Let US look within; There,
Iying in front Of his own freside, and
near the bed where he had lain SO |
peacefully on the previous evening,
les the farmer, his clothing and
beard smeared and eletted with his
own hearts blood, which had run, in
| ghastly stream, along the floor; we
zee the widow, and the orphan chill
lren. sobbing oat the grief of terror
tricken hearts; then a sudden gloom
GEMS to settle over the picture; this
,loom slowly dispels so that the eye
an pierce its shadow, and through
hat shadow we look and see the hor-
id, murderous, guilty wretches, dang
ing upon the scafold, beyond the
neans of further harm to their fel- /,