The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-03-20

Woe betide the maiden that sat in her
august presence with idle hands.
She was the daughter of Capt James
Motley, who had served under Col. George
Washington during the French and In
dian wars. and was with him at the time
of Braddoclxs defeat Captain Motley,
being too old to take active service in
the war of independence, sent six sons
into the army 1t touched us deeply to
hear of the sufferings of his wife and lit
tie children, often left alone with the SER
wants and ever dreading the coming of
the red-coats. Alas! not enemies, but
friends, so called, brought to them the
saddest of all disasters. One day there
came riding into the yard a troop of
drunken, reckless tories led by a neigh
DOR and professed friend of the Motleys
who, knowing the loyalty and patriotism
of the father and sons, determined to
wreak vengeance upon the innocent chill
dren and the wife and mother. The lat
ter was very i'll and helpless, caring for
an infant only few weeks old
After demanding the whereabouts of
the husband and sons this man made the
servants give food and drink to his fell
lows; then, going to the bedside of the
sick woman and calling out, She is in
fever and l will bleed her." plunged his
knife into the feeble veins, despite the re-
monstrances of the mother and the ago
nized entreaties of the frightened chill
dren. They saw the life blood spouting
from the arm of their mother as she
tainted away. This picture was indelibly
stamped upon grandmother's mind and
the memory of her motherless childhood
was so vivid she could never look upon
an orphan without tears.
The Tories left the place. and faithful
nurse Rachel applied restoratives and
brought back to temporary life the dying
mother. The father ON his return was
overcome with grief. and his wrath start
ed at once to wreak vengeance on his
wifes murderer. She called him back to
her, and pleading for mercy upon her
slayer. she besought him to remember the
little ones soon to be motherless. He
put aside his wrath to soothe the last
hours of his loved one.
But there came a day of retribution
Vengeance is mine. l will repay, saith
the Lord Long years after when little
Obedience Motley one OF the children left
motherless by this foul deed, had become
wife and mother with a home of her
own, the door of which ever stood open
to the knock of the stranger or the tale
of woe, there came one dreary winter
evening a party of travellers asking
nights shelter and rest. bespeaking favor
especially for an aged sick man, who was
lying in the conveyance. The husband
with his wonted hospitality. babe them
welcome, and soon all were busy provid-
ing for the comfort of the guests. The
sick man was borne into the great
room and his couch placed before a
blazing fire; the supper was made ready
and eaten, when my grandmother called
his wife aside and said tenderly, 'Biddy,
whom do you suppose you have fed and
nourished? The sick man is -"
What My mothers murderer" she
gasped, and as the vision of that dreful
deed rose before her mind, she cried in
agony, Take him away, he must not
shall not stay under my roof When
the first bitterness was past the loving
merciful words of her husband prevailed,
and with heavy heart she went to her
household duties. Later in the evening
she went into the room where the sick
man was and sympathized with him as
he told of his WEAKNESS and pain; she
then asked If he remembered Captain
Motley, and leading up to the incident of
his wifes sickness and bleeding to death
by the hands Of Tory, she turned upon
him In the fullness of her long suppressed
emotions and exclaimed, Il am that wo-
mans daughter, and you are my moth
ers murderer May God forgive you and
make 1t possible for me to do SOL. The
poor wretch hid his face under the bed