Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-03-12

glare of light, lowering and strong,
while the lips curled into naughty
| loftiness becoming the lord OF highest
station. A vein that crossed his fore
head was full almost to bursting, and
his brow lowered with an expression
that indicated feelings, even then
warmly active with the brief scene of
strife through which they had SO re-
Gently passed. The boy was a boy no
longer; he had realized one Of the
capacities of manhood; he had slain
his man; he had taken one step In
revenging the murder of his mother;
he had destroyed one OF the murder
ers; but, more than all-he had taken
human life.
Something of a higher feeling than
this was at the same time working In
his bosom. Though previously un-
taught, he had learned too much OF
the struggle going on in the colonies,
not to have acquired some knowledge
of the abstract question upon which 1t
depended and though his thoughts
were all vague and indistinct on the
subject, the rights Of man, the free
dom of the citizen, and the integrity OF
his country, he had learned to feel
should all be among the first consider
ations, as their preservation was al
ways the first care Of the true pa
triot. The furious popular discussions
Of the five preceding years had not
been unheard by the youthful soldier
and its appeals were not lost upon one,
who, in his own family, had beheld
such a bloody argument as had long
since taught him to illustrate by the
real and actual those lessons which
otherwise might have fioated through
his mind as, only SO much spirited dec
lamation. His country entered into
his thoughts, therefore, in due connec-
tion with his feeling Of the individual
wrong which he had sustained: and
that personal feeling which prompted
the desire Of revenge, was lifted
higher, and rendered holier, by this
connection. 1t became hallowed in MS
bosom, where It contemplated, not
only the punishment of the wrong
doer, but the protection OF the cottage
home-his own, and his peoples from
the Injustice and the violence OF the
invader 1t grew into a solemn prin-
ciple of action thus associated, and
the moral abstraction over which the
unassailed citizen might have dreamed
through a long season Of years, with,
out duly considering its force or appli-
cation, became purely practical in the
eyes Of young Frampton-a feeling OF
his heart, rather than worked out
thought grew active in following out
the feeling: and Singleton, as the boy
rode abstractedly beside him, revolving
thousand new, and strange sensa'
tions that were running through his
mind, regarded his countenance with
a glance Of melancholy rather than ap-
proval. He saw that in his glance
which taught him the leading activity
Of his new emotions. The boy had q
new sentiment in his bosom, the con-
temptation Of which made 1t eminently
more familiar. He could destroy-and
he could do so without his own re-
buke. He could take the life OF his
fellow-and good men could approve.
He had penetrated a new world OF
thought, and he was duly enamored
# his conquest; and, even as we all
desire to renew the novelty, and par
take a second time Of the strange
pleasure, so the heart Of the boy
painted for repetition Of that indulg-
ence which had lifted him into prema-
ture manhood. The passions grew
active without the least countenance or
reason to uphold them, and this is the
dangerous point in their history.
Crime was made legitimate to him
now, and the fruit once forbidden, was
forbidden no longer. He could now
pluck with impunity-so he began to
think-and his mind was on that mar
row eminence which divides a duty
from an ndulgence-which separates
the close approach of a principle to- an
appetite-which changes the means
into an end; and, Identifying the ex-
cuse for violence with an impelling
motive to its commission, converts
most necessary agent Of life into a
powerful tyranny, which, In the end,
runs riot, and only conquers to de-
stroy.
Singleton regarded his charge with a
close attention, as he surveyed the un-
Sophisticated emotions Of his heart,
plainly enough written upon his face.
He read there all that was going on
within; and his own heart smote' him
at the survey. He thought Of his sis
ter Emily, of her prayer for peace, her
denunciation and her dread Of war;
and though he knew not yet OF her
death, the thought that she might,
even then, be silent watcher from the
heavens, was enough to persuade him
to an effort to quiet the fierce spirit at
work within the bosom Of the boy. He
spoke; and his voice, modulated by
grief into a tone as soft as that OF a
girl, smote strangely upon the ear OF
his companion 1t was so different from
the wild strain Of thought with which
trumpet-the Shrek and shout Of ad-
vancing foemen- had been far less
discordant: and the boy trembled as
he heard the simple utterance OF his
own name.
"Lance-Lance Frampton."
For a moment he was incapable OF
all reply. The eye Of Singleton was
fixed upon him; and when he met, and
felt the look, he seemed to understand
the rebuking mood of his superior.
His lips, which were rigidly compress
ed before, now separated-though 1t
was still with seeming difficulty that
he answered.
"Siri"
Your father is not with US, boy?'
NC, sir-I have not seen or heard
him. I don't think he'll come out OF
the swamp, sir; he loves the Cypress;
though 1 reckon, II he only knew we
should have had some fighting so soon,
I'm sure, sir he would be glad to
come. He loves to fight with the To-
ries, sir He always hated them. and
more since mothers death-them, and
the Dragons"
And you too, boy seem to have ac-
1uired something more Of fondness fer
the sport than YOU had before. You
have learned also to love to fight with
the Tories"
The words of Singleton were cold
rather stern. indt and his glance
vas not calculated to encourage the
stern passion which vas growing so
active in the breast Of the boy. Lance
felt the meaning OF Singleton's tones
and glances, and the disapprobation
| they conveyed; but the excitement In
his bosom was too great to be brought
into immediate subsection. His eye
flashed and lightened, his lip quivered,
closed firmly, then parted and quiVer-
ed again, and his hand twisted con-
vulsively the bride Of his steed.
"Oh sir I'm not afraid now. know
l shan't be afraid. l didn't know at
| first how l should feel in shooting
at a man: but now, sir. I'm not afraid.
I wanted to run in, sir, when you told
the men to charge but l had to go
round and cut loose the prisoners: out
I watched you all the time, sir: and
| clapped my hands, sir-I couldn't help
it--when I saw your sword go clean
down through the Tory's arm and into
his head. in spite of all he could do.
| 1t was a great blow, that. sir-a great
blow: but l couldn't handle sword so
heavy"
There was something Of despond-
ling earnestness in his tones, as this
last regret was uttered, and Singleton
| eurvayed az some curious study, the