Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1885-02-12
The Power Of Kindness
BY CHARLES DICKENS.

Lamborough. Why all this hustle to-
day? Along the hedge bound roads
which leads to it, carts. chaises, veh}c-
les of every description are logging
along, filled with countrymen; and
here and there the scarlet cloak of
straw bonnets Of some female, occupy
ing a chair. placed somewhere unstead-
lily behind them, contrasts gayly with
the dark coats or gray smock frocks of
the front row. From every cottage OF
the suburbs some individuals join the
stream, which rolls on increasing thro'
the streets until it reaches the castle
The ancient moat teams with idlers, ,and
the hill opposite, usually the quiet do
main of a score or two of peaceful
sheep, partakes of the surrounding agl
tation.
The voice of the multitude which
surrounds the court house sounds like
the murmur of the sea. till suddenly it
is raised to sort of shout John West,
the terror of the surrounding country,
sheep stealcr and burglar, has been
found guilty.
"Wbat is the sentence ?" is asked by
a hundred voices.
The answer is: Transportation for
life
But there was one standing aloof on
the hill, whose lnqairing eyes wander
ed over the crowd with indescribable
anguish, whose pallid cheek grew more
and more ghsstly at every dennncia-
tion of the culprit, and who, when at
last the senterce was pronounced fell
insensible upon the green sward. II
was the burglars son.
When the boy recovered from hit
swoon, it was late in the afternoon he
was alone. The faintest tinkling Of the
sheep bell had replaced the sound o1
the human chorus of expectation, and
dread and jcstliug; all was peaceful
he could not understand why he lay
there, feeling so weak and sick. He
raised himself tremulously and looked
around the turf was cut and spoilt by
the tramping of many feet. All his life
of the last few months hoated before
his memory his residence in his faith
er's hovel with rufhanly comrades ; the
desperate schemes he had heard as he
pretended to sleep on his lowly bed
their expeditions at night, II asked anc
armed; thsil hasty returns; the news
of his fathers capture his own remov
al to the house of some female in the
town; the court, the trial, the condem
: nation.
The father had been a harsh ane
cruel parent. but he had not positively
i'll used the boy. Of the great anc
merciful Father of the fatheress, thu
child knew nothing He deemed him
self alone in the world. Yet grief wa
not his pervading feeling, nor thu
shame of being known as the son of !
; transport. 1t WAS revenge which burn,
ed within him. He thought Of th'
: crowd which had come to feast upo!
his fathers agony he loLged to tea
them to pieces and he plucked a hand
full of grass upon which he leant. Oh
that he were a man! that he coult
punish them all-all-the spectator
first, the cons,ables, the judge the jury
the witnesses-one Of them especially
a clergyman named Leyton, who ha'
given his evidence more positively
r more clearly than all the others Oh
that he could do that man some injur!
but for him. his father would no
= have been identified and convicted.
Suddenly thought occurred to hin
> his eyes sparkled with fierce delight
Il know where he lives" he said t
himself; he has the farm and parson
age of Milwood. l will 60 there a
once-it is almost dark already. viii
!. do as ! once heard father say he did t
the squire. Yes, yes, he shall burn 70
it, he shall get no more fathers trans
ported"
To procure a box of matches was q
r easy task, and that was all the prepare
: ton the boy needed.
D The autumn was far advanced. !
:, cold wind was beginning to moa
n among the almost leaAtss trees, an'
! George West teeth chartered, and hi
e ill.clad limbs grew numb, as he wake
=. along the fields leading to Wildwood.
g Lucky it's dark night. This fin
9 wind will tan the flame nicely he re
3 peatsd to himself.
"a The clock was striking nine, but a
o was quiet as midnight. Not soul stlr
!. ring--not II light in the parsonae
;1,,, tbot be GOULD Goa He dare