The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1891-03-12


delirious, and therefore stopped him. l
assured him that he had slept and
dreamed Of those things. No! no!
nor' he calculated quickly. know
they Will seize me" l endeavored 10
tranqailize,him He seemed grateful for
my kindness, repeatedly pressed my
hand to his lips, and wept. At length ne
said-':O Q. sir, my hour is COME am
murderer ~ Providence l exclaimed,
how mysterious are thy dispensatlons.
A murderer thus rescued from the
obliviOus grave Of the unfathomable
deep, to confess his crime, and perhaps
expiate it on the gallows in the country
of his birth ~ l invOluntarily shrank
from him, and would have stood at
distance, but he would not let go my
hand. Sit down." he said in an agony;
- sit down. will tell you all.
sat down, my mind at the time ex-
perencing a conflict between horror
and curiosity, which it would require
more graphic pen than mine to describe
Il am a dying murderer, he grOaned,
and seemed unable to proceed. -, sir!
he exclaimed, do not look at me in
pity, but, promise me you Will not d.
yulge my story" l promised him that
would not. But why nOt?' he said,
Il shall be in the deep - He paused a
conflict of the most agonizing descrip-
ton was evidently passing III his breast.
He turned to me, and Selling me by the
arm with his left hand-his right at the
same time squeezing mine-appeared as
if he had concentrated all the energy
which his sufferings had left him.
am a murderer, a dying murderer-but
heaven no, no, it was revenSe-heaven
can never pardon revenge-never,
never I besought him to be calm,
and assured him that the gates Of heaven
were shut only against the finally i'm
pentent He wept. tie then pro-
ceeded-'O, sir, have been the means
of sending hundreds of my fellow crea-
lures to their account before their time !"
He shuddered as he uttered this, and
fixing his eyes on vacuity, his lips
uuivered, his tongue moved but, he
uttered not a word. thought he com
munei with the almighty parent of uni
versal humanity, and L dropped on my
knees, and besought my God, Of his in
finite mercy, to pardon him. His alb
straction terminated. He resumed " I
served on board his majestys brig,
under Captain --, he was a cruel tyr
ant, but that's no eXcuse-he Will ap-
pear in judgment against me-heaven
forgive me-
Hooked at him in manner which
three Dozen | writhed under the bloody
thonss-I fainted-I was scoffed at
hOotcd-O heaven-I-I sought revenge
that tiend would shrink frOm-I-I took
an augur, bored holes in the pumps first,
| and then through the ships bOttOm-O,
| O." He tainted. | mOistened his lips,
| and burned rags under his noStrilS. He
| resuscitated. | entreated him not to re-
sumo his story, but he replied-"I pray
you, sir, to hear me, my Sc II is already
| nuch relieved. The ship went down.
| did intend to drown with the rest, but
| love Of life was too strong for me. l
| clung to Il hcn-coop. heard some shrek.
| ! heard some struggle. The water CUR
| gIed III the threats of some. O, sir, l
| saw some of their looks as they sank
| saw my messmates that [ had murdered
o, heaven save, save, Save-itis him
save, save" he vociferated and
| swooned. The captain, of whom have
| before spoken, had come to my side,
| when the poor wretch exclaimed, cit is
| him. Good Heavens" the captain
| exclaimed, lit is, it must be Tom
| Rowler"
DO you know him. sir?' I inquired.
The captain looked at his arm, and
| seeing the mark with which it was tat
| tooed, replied-''O yes, sir, l know him
! We'll cnOuSu-ut NdS one VI lily OWL
men
Indeed, sir" l replied, then there
are other marks by which he may be
| identified, and Indignantly showed
| him the poor fellows back. He colored
-hummed a tune tried to assume an
air of nOnchalance.
80, he deserved what he got, said he.
Monster !' 1 muttered to myself.
| He will be glad enough to see me on
| terra trina again, l assure you, sir" said
| he poor devil, l thought he had made
a sharks supperr
The poor fellow revived, but seemed
afraid to open his eyes, he covered them
with the palm of his bony hand. I
stepped aside from him, and asked Cap
| tain - if he could account for the
| laundering Of his vessel.
| Nor he replied with imperturable
| GOODNESS, deuce take me If l can
account for it. We found the water max
ing very fast, the pumps would not draw
tea-cup full, it seemed as if some
Internal spell had seized the ship. How
ever, down she went like pig Of kent
! ledge. Saure qsti peah was the motto of
all hands. l got into the long boat, and
was picked up as l have already told
! you. This poor devil got quarters
among the cocks and hens, it appears"
was rejoiced to perceive that he did
| not know Of the atrocious crimes which
! the wretched being before him had COM
mitted. l again approached the poor
creature, took his hands, and asked him
| if he felt better.
Yes! yes. yes" he replied convul-
| sively, as if out of breath with the
| tumult within him.
Hoy, Rowler" unfeelingly bawled
| the captain.
The wretched man sprung up from the
cot at the sound, opened his eyes, as if
! frantic, uttered horrible shrek, and
| exclaimed, 81 1t is him save me-save,
! save" Commissions seized his whole
| frame 1t was with much difficulty that
we held him down to prevent him de-
| stroying himself The fit left him ih a
state of extreme debility; delirium and
| fever ensued; two days after, death,
! from whom we hoped we had rescued
one victim, seized his prey. We sewed
up the body in hammock, shot was
| tied to it to ensure it's sinking, and we
committed it to its deep grave of water,
without q coffin or shroud, but not with.
out prayer. 1 never sat at the same
table with the captain afterwards.
Cost OF Watch.
During the war between England and