Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1893-05-13

MADE KNOWN HIS REQUEST"
/ which is so terrible to any country
| harassed by it.
In Palmyra there lived one Taylor, a
man of union tendencies, but obnoxious
to both northern and southern men in
the place because of his low standard
| of morality. He made a practice of
spying upon his neighbors and report
ing to the guerrillas of like belief.
Many were the horses seized and men
taken prisoners at his inStigation, so
that even the children avoided him,
and were seized with fear and trem bling
if he came near. This state of things
continued for some time, until, one day,
band of southern guerrillas came
through the little place and captured
Taylor. He was never heard of again
and the citizens breathed freer, and
said good radiance to bad rubbish"
A band of the northern guerrillas
hearing of the incident galloped to the
town, and seized as prisoners some of
the southerners Of the place, declaring
that if Taylor We're not Immediately pro-
duced, ten lives should be taken. Con-
sternation seized the people.
What were they to do? Taylor could
not be produced. They did not know
what had become of him. 1t was sup
posed he had been killed. and dead
man could not be produced.
Prayers and entreaties avalled moth
ing The men were determined and
the people had to submit.
The day following the capture of the
men was set for the execution. The
whole town was in mourning. Wives
and children We're weeping over the
fate of husbands and fathers, mothers,
over their sons, and one young girl
mourned for her lover to whom She was
to have been wed in two days.
Early in the morning on the day of
the execution, young Graves wended
his way toward the place of the shoot
ing.
A most affecting scene was transpir-
ing The final partings We're taking
place, and the cries of the heart-broken
wopIs I were dreadful to hear.
One little group, particularly, at
tracted his attention. 1t consisted of a
wife and six little children taking
last leave of the husband and father.
The wife's grief and despair were heart
rending. The husband was bowed
down with anguish at leaving them un-
protected during the cruel war
Graves stopped, his own heart throb
bing in great sympathy, for them. He
offered consolation, but nothing could
comfort them Fearing to intrude long
upon those last, solemn moments, he
left them full of intense pity.
"If could only help them" he muir
INJURED to himself, ''but there is nothing
that l can do-Ah!" A sudden thought
darted through his mind. Why not
give himself in this mans place? He
stopped short. Could he? Life was so
sweet, so full of promise. To merely
exist was pleasure. And yet the wife
and those little ones! How friendless,
how unprotected they would be! But
why should he? There was no call for
him to do it. Turning, he hastily made
his way to a clump of trees where he
could be unobserved and threw him
self on the ground Should he? The
thought presented itself again and
again. There was no one to miss him.
No mother or sisters to grieve if he
were TO die--none but himself in all
the wide world-and yet-and yet Life
was so fair. Visions of the future rose
before him. Vistas of glory and fame.
Could he voluntarily lay this down?
The air came fresh and cool upon his
brow. He arose and looked around
him. Was ever the sky so blue before?
How the sun shone, and how clear the
Mississippi looked as it lay between the
high bluffs of Missouri and the lowlands
of Illinois! The trees hung over the
banks of the river, throwing long, deep,
dark shadows like the shadows OF death
-death-what was it? Should he solve
the mystery in few short hours, or
still be living on the beautiful earth?
Torn with indecision, he threw himself
upon his knees, and cried for help.
With the prayer came faith and trust
and strength, and he arose pale and de-
termined
Walking rapidly, he made his way to
the leader of the gang, and made known
his request. The man gazed at him
with astonishment
do you know what you are doing?"
he asked.
81 do" replied Graves, firmly.
The leader hesitated. ~ don't like
10, " he said at last