Year: 1871

since, a group of young people of both
sexes were gathered. Standing in their
midst was an old woman bent down with
age, looking as if she stood on the brink
OF the grave, but her dark, restless eye
showed that there was vigorous life in her
mind, ifnot in her body


She had been "telling fortunes" for the
young people gathered around her, and to
all but one she had foretold bright and
happy future. The exception OF this rule
OF blessedness terough life was a hand
some boy of nineteen, with dark, pas
sionate face, and an expression which in
dlcated perfect fearlessness.


Five years before. the opening of this
story an old gentleman and his nephew
had moved to Virginia from some North
ern State, and buying farm, had made it
their home. Mr.. Mercer and his nephew
Frank were treated with kindness by the
gentlemen of the neighborhood, and they
received invitations to visit the plantations
near them. Frank soon became acquaint-
ed with all in the country, but his uncle
never left his farm, and seemed TO shun
society. For this many reasons were Civ
en- !; but the true one was that he had lost
all his family. and Franks parents having
left him to Mr. MERGERS charge, he deter
mined to devote himself to the boy, and
found sufficient enjoyment in his company
and in cultivating his farm. Though re-
ported very wealthy, and that he always
kept large sum OF gold in his house, Mr..
Mercer and Frank lived in quiet way,
and made no display.


Thus passed Franks early youth from
his fourteenth until his seventeenth year,
when our story opens. A man of super
ior education, Mr.. Mercer had been his
nephew's teacher, and had impaired unto
him much knowledge of the world, of let
ters, and people, so that Frank. at nine
teen, was as well informed as if he had
possessed a cultivated education. There
were those in the neighborhood who re-
ported that the boy was wild and dissipa-
ted, and this found ready believers in 9TH
ers SO that Frank had some enemies as
well as many friends.


Thus we find him; and the evening of
the commencement of our story he had
been invited to an entertainment given by
a wealthy planter to his children.


Mr.. Dewes, the planter had three chill
dren, the youngest and loveliest of whom
was Mary, girl of twelve. Mary and
Frank were the best of friends, and loved
each other dearly: so when the fortune
teller predicted,a dark and stormy future
for Frank, the tears arose to the child's
eyes, and she said, 'sDon't listen to her.
Frank"


But the boy laughed, and turning on his
heel walked away.


Two days afterwards he left home for a
weeks hunting in the mountains but the
second night after his departure the neigh
borhood was aroused by the startling news
that old Mr.. Mercer had been murdered
by his nephew. One of the servants pass
ing the house at night heard cry, and
seeing Franks window open he sprang in
and walked across the hall to Mr.. MERGERS
chamber, from whence the cry came
Lying upon the floor was the old man,
dead, while near him stood his nephew
with bloody knife in his hand In fright
the negro rushed from the house and gave
the alarm. Persons from the neighbor-
hood were sent for, and Frank was seized
against every protestation that he did not
kill his uncle, and throw into jail.


The feeling against the youth was in
tense, for the negro told the story of how
he had found Frank; and way -faring
pedder, who had just ascended the front
steps to ask to stay all night, corroborat-
ed the mans statement.


The trial came off and the charges were
made known. Frank was accused of
starting upon hunting expedition as a
blind, and then returning from the noun
tain by night, had entered the room, and
attempting to remove large bag of gold
kept by his uncle, had aroused him, and
upon being discovered, had driven his
hunting knife into the heart of Mr. Mercer ::
thn ro1I 10 Hnnr irht hn,
ing torn through the bag when it was rails
ed. The knife with which MIR. Mercer
was killed was one he had given to Frank
some days before, and was large dirk
knife encased in a silver scabbard.


Pale as death, but showing no sign of
fear or guilt upon his handsome face, the
prisoner sat unmoved by his sentence,
which was to die on the gallows. When
asked if he had aught to say Frank arose
and looking around the courtroom, in a
clear voice answered:


II have! Circumstantial evidence has
condemed me | admit it looks as if | did
the deed, but | am guiltless of murder !!


Dropping my percussion cap-boX in a
mountain stream, | returned home tor
more; for without caps my gun was use
less. 1t was lovely night, and deter
mined to enter the house by my room win
dow, get the caps, and return without
awaking my uncle. l tied my horse TO
the fence, sprang into the window, and
then heard loud crash, call out, and
shrek in the direction of my uncle's room.
| rushed thther-a dark form dashed by
me in the uncertain light of the room
and fell over something upon the floor.
With fear in my heart, arose, lighted
candle, and saw my uncle's body covered
with blood, gold scattered upon the floor,
and my own knife, which had done the
deed, lying near, and thus was found by
the negro, and seen by the peddler. As
God is my witness, l did not murder the
good old man, who has protected me
through life, and whom l love as though
he was my own father. am guiltless of
the deed, but submit to my fate"


A silence fell upon all there were, how
ever, but few who believed the youths
statement; among the latter, was Mr..
Dewes and his family, who, through all,
remained staunch friends.


Frank Mercer was to be hung to die
an ignominious death on the gallows, and
hundreds flocked to the little town where
hA NJ N,-~.