Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-03-12
made through and through his fore

made through ana through Ills lolo
head. 49,
have done well-you have behaved
like a man."
Lance Frampton looked the picture
Of the personification in the ode o
Collins, where Fear
g recoils, he knows not why,
Even at the sound (wound) himsel
hath made"
What do you wonder at, Lancer
demanded Singleton.
"Oh, sir, 1 can scarcely believe tina
this was the same man"-pointing II
the body-"who was swearing 81
"dreadfully but a minute ago; and 4
was my rifle that made this awful bull
let-holei"
"a good shot, Lance, and at the
right moment!
"Ah! sir, but how terrible to think
He was swearing dreadfully at the
very moment when I pulled the trig,
ger, and 1t was my hand that stopped
his mouth, full as 1t was Of curses
and he's gone-gone where? oh! sir
do feel so strange!'
"The thought is a sincere and sol.
emn one, Lance, that of sending fel'
low creature to judgment, while his
mouth Is full Of curses! But how else
could we have saved worthier victims
the poor captives-the wretcheo
father whom he was about to hurry
out Of life?"
Eyes. sir, that's true; and how fear.
full 1 was lest you wouldn't say the
word now soon enough to let me save
him. Oh! felt so eager to shoot; bu,
I'm afraid 1t was a wrong feeling. IL
makes me feel very strange, sir, tC
feel that have killed man-and one
so much older than myself. VIVA,
would poor mother say, II she was
alive and knew it,"
How many secret avenues to the
boys nature, and his mothers train.
Ing were laid open to Singleton's eyes
with these words Of boyhood. But the
time was not favorable to philosophy
Enough, now, Lance, that you
have done your duty, as you were bio
that you slew this miserable crea-
ture in q good cause, and for the safe.
ty of more innocent people. Let tina,
content you. You will soon get over
all that is strange in your emotions
One rifle shot will cover another. &C
now, put on your jacket, and think nc
more of the matter"
"Ah!" murmured the boy, upon
whom new and only half revolving ex-
I can't help thinking of it! I have
taken the life of a mani What would
mother say, IL she was alive and
knew"
He moved slowly to the copse where
he had thrown down his rifle and jack
ct, his thoughts wandering wide from
his immediate objects, while, to his
eyes, the whole atmosphere, sky, and
wood, seemed bathed in a deep Grim
son dye, that showed the sort Of pas
sion that was taking possession Of his
brain. All, how rapidly may the pure
young soul of innocence-the path
once open, the first step taken-be-
come bloody with sanguine tide, from
a heart whose billows but too quickly
rise, and swell above the brain, and
sweep away all its landmarks of JUS
tice, and love, and mercy! That first
lesson in the work of strife-that first
blow struck, which tears the life away
from the heart of the victim! Alas!
how easy afterwards to wade out deep
in the sea Of battle, and find tumul-
tuous Joy in sounding through its red
and raging billows, forgetting, so easi-
ly with what reluctance and horror, al
first, we prepared for the deed, and
approached to the performance of the
fearful work of death.
But we are not permitted to linger
only on the gloomier and more revolt
ing aspects of the picture. 1t has 9TH
er scenes, which justify the work, II
they cannot wholly reconcile us to Its
more fearful results. Let us turn
with Singleton, to another quarter5of
the scene of this little skirmish. The
group which now meets his eyes am
ply compensate, by the innocent Joy
which they feel, by the glad sense OF
escape which they share together
for all that has been painful
and oppressive in the trial he has just
gone through. There we see the freed
captives, rescued by the blow which
destroyed the murderous Tory, and
dispersed his band-there rise the
wretched prisoners, trembling but a
moment before with terrors worse
than death, to the consciousness OF
life, safety and liberty! The beaten
and bound man stands erect. He has
shaken off his pangs Of body. in the
feeling Of his new sense Of safety for
himself and kindred-his wife and lit
tie ones. Oh! what compensation to
the gallant soldier in that cry, that
cheer Of 10y, and thanks, and gratula-
ton from every lip, of that recently
doomed and trampled circle! They
hail their deliverer-they cling around
him-tears are In their eyes, the most
expressive utterance Of their joys; and
murmurs and shouts, on all sides, at
test the new consciousness Of delight
and freedom which they feel
Conspicuous among these poor cap
tives. in the sudden revulsion Of their
feelings, growing upon the new and
fortunate change on their condition, Is
the family of the brave but greatly
suffering man whom Gaskens had sim
gled out as the especial victim Of his
malignant power. He had escaped the
halter, but how narrowly! But where
is he now? Scarcely had the strife
ceased. when the wife Of Griffin,
whom the tender cares of the daugh-
ter had recovered from her swoon, was
seized with new apprehensions and
anxieties She had been told that the
seasonable ambush of Singleton had
rescued her husband from the rope;
but a new terror filled her soul. as,
when the skirmish ceased, her hus-
band did not appear. She ran through
the crowd Of captives and partisans,
crying aloud his name. For moment
a silent dread filled all hearts, as the
woods returned no answer. Wildly
the woman was about to rush away
into the thickets, the daughter follow
ing. when she felt a pair of strong
arms thrown around her. Blinded by
her tears and fears, she could see
nothing: but she heard a voice-but
single word, and her arms were
thrown around the neck of the brave
man, and she sobbed convulsively.
"Oh! Wat! oh! Wat. l haven't lost
you. Watt
mo! no, Ellen! no! Not this
time"
And the girl clung about him. with
her one word also-thrice and thrice
repeated-"Oh. father! my dear, dear
father"
Singleton was a strong man, not
much given to the melting mood, but
the tears, spite of himself, grew into
his eyes as he surveyed the simple,
touching, wordless embraces Of these
poor, fond people. and beheld the
deep sorrowful sweetness Of the rap
ture they enjoyed-the rapture which
is kin to agony-the pleasure which
grows into a very pain. in the extreme
Of its intensity.
"Oh! are you indeed safe, my hus-
band? Tell me true. Wat Griffin, Is
there no more danger?"
'Safe! safe! Ellen! Thanks to
these brave men. We are all safe from
this danger"
"And you-you are not hurt bad
ly?"
"Spurred Only-riled little, back
and sides: but sound at the core, and
oh oh 70 l0 tcnI of n