Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-04-02

led god Of his idolatry! He speaks
for a God in all his aspects, and Is
worthy of homage, not only as he SO
greatly ministers to man, but as he
is worthy of the Creator.
Patiently, hour after hour, until
the approaching noon, did the girl
continue close concealed in the steeple
awaiting the moment which should
call for the execution Of her duties.
And IL came at last. The painful and
lmournful notes Of the military music
reached her ear, and the gloomy
procession emerged from the gate of
the garrison beneath her eye. First
came a small guard, then the prison
er, attended by the clergyman, and
then the main body Of the guard
marching on either hand. AS the
/ fearful notes resounded through the
village, its inhabitants came forth in
groups, joining the melancholy march
and contributing by their numbers to
its imposing solemnity. The prison.
er was much beloved in the village
and its neighborhood, even by those
who had taken sides with the invader
and the knowledge Of this fact alone
made the hope more strong and ac-
tive in the bosom Of Singleton, that
his plan must be successful. He felt
assured, that in the event Of a COM
motion, none of the natives would
| interfere to prevent the rescue OF
Walton or assist in his recovery.
The heart Of Bella Humphries thrill
ed fearfully as she watched the pro-
cession. The imposing martial ar
ray, the gorgeous uniform Of the Brit
ish, their fine regular movement,
close and we'll arrayed order, and
cleaning bayonets, struck terror to
her heart, while they aroused all the
enthusiastic admiration Of her mind.
Her task was to watch until the cav
alcade should reach a certain point.
which, from her elevated position,
she could easily behold over the trees.
She was then to sound the tocsin,
and thus furnish the expected signal
to all the conspirators. Firmly
though tremblingly, she looked forth
upon the array, which she could read
lily distinguish in all parts. There
was the prisoner seated In a degrad-
ing cart; there was the priest beside
him; there the different bodies Of SOL
diers; and there, hanging upon the
skirts, or crowding upon the sides OF
the melancholy procession, come the
villagers and country people. She
could even distinguish Blonay, and
his hag-like mother, trudging along
at hurried pace, in front Of the pro-
cession. The old woman hung on the
TALLY disposed to carry such a bur-
den. The savage had not lost sin
gle feature marking his old identity.
He was the same lounging, shutting,
callous wretch that we have before
known him; and his slow, Indifferent
movement-for here he had no mis-
chief to perform-was the subject
Of rebuke with his own mother.
Come now, Ned, my boy-move
bit faster, will you? The people
are coming close behind, and we
shall see nothing If they get before
u.s."
why, what's to see mother? Adrat
It, there's nothing so much in fell
low hanging. I've seen more than
one and so have you
That's true, Ned; but still I like
It, and don't care how many Of these
great folks they hang up among
t,ees I hate 'em all, Neddy boy; for
su of them hate you. They kept you
DOWN, my son-they trample upon
you-they laugh at you, and their
best word to you is curse. God
curse 'em for 1t; I hate 'em ALL
"Adrat 1t but you can't hang 'em;
and so what's the use to talk about
it?"
IF I could!" she muttered bitterly
between her closed teeth. The son
replied with laugh, concluding the
sentence
"The trees would be full of such
fruit"
"Aye, that they would; and I've
tried for the power-I've asked for
come to me. I've got out Of my bed
at midnight, when the night was the
blacklist, and I've called upon the
bad spirits to come to me, and help
me to revenge on them that have
scorned you, and spit upon you, and
called you by scornful names; but l
had no learning, and so the evil ones
came not to my aid, though I've look
ed for 'em and longed for 'em, and
wanted 'em badly"
She spoke in a language OF disap-
pointment; her looks and manner
both corresponding with the chagrin
which her words expressed. Yet she
complained unjustly. The spirits or
evil had been serving her to the ut
most extent Of their power; but with
the vulgar mind always, the power
must have a body and sign to the
external senses, before its presence
will be recognized or understood.
The ill-favored son chuckled at the
disappointment she expressed, and'
with a taste differing from her own.
|
gent absence.
"Adrat 1t mother, but they would
| have been ugly company II they had
come: and I'm mighty glad they
| didn't listen to you. They would ha.
made the cabin too hot to hold US
Fear not for they say that the
person who calls them can keep them
down, and make 'em only do what's
4 wanted. I wasn't afraid; they would
| ~ lo mn
come, even at midnight, when 1 call
ed them. But there goes another
that ought to be strapped up too.
He's another great man, too, and has
scarlet cushions in his pew at church,
| while I must sit on the bare bench In
the aisle, as If in Gods house some
are to be poor and some rich.
"Adrat 1t mother, hush, or they'll
hear you. Come this side. out of the
way Of the crowd-here, to the left. "
| Don't carry me where l can't see.
I want to see everything, and you
must get me a place on the hill
why, that will be close by the
tree"
That's what I want. I want to see
his mouth when the cart moves of. y
| "D-n my heart, If I stand there
with you; I'll go higher up; and so
must you. You'll only be in the way,
mother, to go there"
But there I will stand, for my
eyes are bad. and / can't see farther
off. You can leave me If you don't
like it. I can stay by myself"
"Adrat it, so I will. I can see very
we'll at hundred yards; that's nigh
enough for me; and I don't like to
go too nigh when peoples in the no
ton Of hanging. 1t amt safe"
He hurried the beldam to the hill
assigned for the place Of execution.
few PAGES only separated her from
the fatal tree; and she saw all the
1 desired points distinctly. The process
sion moved on: the crowd gathered;
the tree was before the doomed vic
tim; and the officer in command rid
j ing up. ordered a halt before 1t, and
proceeded to make his arrangements
when the bell sounded: single stroke
and then a pause-as If the hand
grew palsied Immediately after. That
stroke, however, so single, so sudden,
drew every eye, aroused all attention;
and coming Immediately upon the
solemn feelings induced by the APP
preaching scene in the minds of all
the spectators, 1t had the effect OF
| startling, for an instant, all who heard