Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1895-10-13

| take from his neck the Sllken cOIu duu
tie it upon his hound!
Then. again, | saw him, the aged
head of an upright family, living LIE
Of peace. unrufled by the past. l heard
! his thoughts:-'One decade more al
most, and shall rest, as honOred as
they!' Then l stood before him and
! laughed. and pointed TO forgotten
grave. behind which stood the hang
man and the gallows!
Again l pictured him, living on, on,
on, far beyond his hope for limit, a
frightful fear in his heart; the hideous
past arisen from its grave and stalking
ever by his side. All, that was the
dream Of dreams"
AS the stargrass on the hills quivers
before a storm, so the old man shook
] with the intensity of his hatred.
Our neighbor and the Reuben Ellis
ton of your dreams would never be mis-
taken for one another" exclaimed the
widow.
At this moment the Judge, a tall,
kindly man, who did not look his great
age by many years, entered the room,
accompanied by a timid, sweet faced
girl Of twenty.
Take off your wet cloak, my dear"
said the Judge Daughter, Mercy FL
liston VIII stay here tonight"
Mercy Ellison gasped the stranger.
q sent Amos, the mail rider, to
Poughkeeps.e yesterday continued the
Judge, has he returned?"
Mrs. Doris threw her arms around
her fathers neck. oh, then it is
lrue," she whispered: you have sent to.
Governor Clinton for pardon for Reu-
ben EllistOn?"
The Judges eyes inquiringly sought
those Of the strange guest.
Il have told her wha, you, Hiram
Cook, have so long concealed" sad the
lat,er.
You here, Giles Ravenw
Do you remember my words OF sixty
years b2ck-that l should live 10 see
ito"
Hush" whispered Hiram, in pity
keep it from her."
HIS kin?"
Yes; for she has known no other.
He took her from the breast of a poor
woman who had persisted in the snow
score OF years ago. They have been all
the world to each other. He named her
Mercy, after the one who lives over
there"
4 fOreboding Of evil seemed to be
lodged in the girls breast, which WIS
certainly not dissipated by the kindly
little widows tears and caresses. Why
had she been brought from the stone
house? Why had Reuben begged of
the Judge that he might be alone for
this night?
Giles Raven was not the man to
spare any one who loved the object OF
his life hatred ShuGAng across the
room, he Kissed in Meycy's ear:
Tomorrow Reuben Elliston will die
on the gallows, in spite Of this mans
efforts to defeat tie law"
THE gallowsr cried the poor girl.
"Oh. what feaphl secret Go you keep
from me?"
Come, dear" whispered Mrs. Dor
ris, who gained strength at the sight Of
another's weakness, and Mercy's cheek
lay upoD the widows shoulder as they
passed nom the room.
For full minute the two men thus
the lapse OF a lifetime looked at each
oher in silence.
."Giles Raven" said the Judge, at
length, there is no boot but is too
clean to tread on such worm as thou.
Year after year our neighbor has come
to me and barred his neck that l might
see the accursed cord upon it. and
have pitied him, for never before in the
world-mark me, Giles, never before
in the world, has mischance borne so
great penalty"
you have light words for gallows
deeds. master" sneered Raven.
Tear from your eyes the film of
hatred, Giles, and acknowledge what
well you know, that Reuben Elliston
never had murder in his heart"
Mercy Douglass was mine-she left
him to become my bride-he had spO-
ken of love to her-the law said that
for a term her labor was his-he retook
her by force-he slew her. Call you
that a 'mischance,' Hiram Cooke"
He was young and had youths
naughty ways; he erred, but when that
poor girl was dragged to her death it
was because no human arm could have
checked his course
yet a jury called il murder" grin
ned the vengeful man, and murders
due, though long delayed by knavery,
is near at lastW
God touch the Governors heart and
bring Amos safely through the Storm
exclaimed the Judge Il have written
Clinton that the conviction was under
the English rule, and might well be
avoided
And if the roads should delay your
mercy pleader?"
Hiram replied with a sigh, which
was full of significance.
Giles rose and opened the door. Hi
ram Cook" he said, I'VE three old men
have not so far exceeded the limit of
human years-for nothing"
Father" said Mrs. Doris from the
tap-room, 'some one is coming UP the
road; perhaps it is Amos"
Poor Mercy, who had eXacted the ter
rible story from the widow, already
stood in the dark road listening for
the slightest sound which would herald
the bearer of the Governors clemency.
The storm was abating.
"Loo-ee- oooor' came family through
the blackness.
1T is Amosr exclaimed the girl, who
knew the voice of the brave young fell
low better than most people are aware.
In a few minutes the mail rider
drenched to the skin, drew rein at the
door. Since noon on the preceding day
he had ridden nearly a hundred miles
over the heavy roads and had twice
rowed across the river. His had been
a perilous and dreary task, but his face
wore smile as he drew packet from
the holster of his army saddle and
handed it to the Judge, who stepped