Year: 1871

and to all but one she had tofetcld
bright and happy fortune. The ,excep-
ton of this rule was handsome boy of
nineteen, with dark passionate, face, and
an expression which indicated perfect
fearlessness.


Five years before the opening of this
story an old gentleman md his nephew
moved to Virginia from some Northern
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 planta-
tions near them. Frank soon became Sc
quainted with all in the country, but his
uncle never left the farm, and seemed to
skun society. For this many reasons
were given; but the true one was that he
had lost all his family, and Franks pa
rents having left him TO Mr.. MERGERS
charge, he determined to devote himself
to the boy, and found sufficient enjoy
ment in his company and in cultivatDg
his farm. Though reported very wealthy,
and that he always kept large sum of
gold in the house, Mr.. Mercer and Frank
lived in quiet way, and made no dis
play.


Thus passed Franks 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 un-
to hun much knowledge of the world,
of letters, and people, so that Frank
at nineteen, was as well informed
as if he had possessed g cultivated educa-
ton. There were those in the neighbor-
hood who reported that the boy was wild
and dissipated, and this found ready be-
heVers in others; so that Frank had some
enemies as well as friends.


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


Mr.. DeWes, the planter, Lad three child
ren, the youngest and loveliest of whom
was Mary a girl of twelve. Mary and
Frank were the best of friends, and low
ed each other dearly; SO whea the fortune
teller predicted dark and stormy future
for Frank the tears arose to the child's
eyes and she said, ''DOn't lister 10 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
neighbOrhood was aroused by the start
ling news that old Mr.. Mercer had been
murdered by his nephew. Ohe of the
servants passing the house at night, heard
cry, and seeing Franks window open,
he sprang in snd 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 neighborhood were sent for, and
Frank was seized against every protesta.
ton that he did not kill his uncle, and
thrown into Jail.


The feeling against the youth was in
tense, for the negro told the story of how
he had found Frank, and a wayfaring
pedd,er, who had just ascented the front
steps to ask to stay all night, cOrrObOrated
the DegrO's statement.


The trigl came off and the charges
were made known. Frank was accused
of starting upon hunting expedition for
a blind, and then returning from the
mountain by night, hsdentered the room,
and attempting 10 remove large bsg of
gold kept by his uncle, had aroused him,
ard upon being discovered had driven
his hunting knife into the heart of Mr..
Mercer, the gold was on the floor, its
weight having burst the bag when il
was raised The knife with which Mr.
Mercer was-killed was one he had given
to Frank some days before, and was q
large dirk knife cncased in a silver sc2b-
bard.


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 tosay, Frank arose,
and locking around the court room, in a
clear voice answered:


| have, Circumstantial evidence has
condemned me. admit that it looks as
if did the deed, but | am guiltless of
murder! Dropping my percussion cap box
in mountain stream, | returned home
for more; for without caps my gun was
useless. 1t was lovely night, and de-
termiued to enter the house by my room
window get the caps, and return with
out awaking my uncle. tied my horse
to the fence, spraDg into the window, and
then heard loud crash, g call out, and
a shrek in the direction of my uucle's
room. l rushed thither-a dark form
rushed by me in the uncertain light of
the roOm-and l fell over something on
the floor. With fear in my heart arose,
lighted candle, and saw my uncle's
body, covered with blood, gold scattered
on the floor, and my own knife, which
had done the deed, lying near. lpicked
I'D the knife, and thus was l 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
throughout life, and whom | loved as
though he was my own father. l am
guiltless of the fendish deed, but submit
to my fate!


A silence fell upon all; there were,
however, but few who would believe 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





hundreds flocked to the little town where
the execution was to take place, TO see
him die. How they were disappointed to
find that the night before he hsd escaped
How, no one knew, but he had left anote
addressed to the jailor, thanking him for
the kindness shown him while he was in
his charge, and his regrets that his escape
might cause him trouble, but saying he
had had an opportunity of escaping, and
took advantage of it. for he had no idea
of dying an ignominous death for an
act be was not guilty of, merely to graft
fy the curiosity of q gaping crowd. Free
dom was offered him, and he accepted it,
and hoped he would yet be able to prove
his innocence.


This was about the subject of the let
ter, and when it was published i'll the
local paper, there were some who were
glad that the boy had escaped the gallows.


MIR. MERGERS property was, in his will,


r. N I .. l.