Newspapers / Southern Weekly Post (Raleigh, … / Dec. 16, 1854, edition 1 / Page 1
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Trl L LI A II D, COOKE, .PROPRIETOR. ! A- FAMILY N K V S 1' A P K I! - X K III! A I. IN POLITICS. TERMS, TWO DOLLARS FEE ASJiCM cfoitift to all te sin tmsts U)f jfrlje Soutf), &fcroiittc, true atton, ifctjptculto, Mttos,tyi iWarfeets, &c. YOU IV-NO. 3. SELECT POETRY ; III UU'IJ-IJU;, aUU, lil'J .till' There is ;i fn' itifnl moral in the following lines The Lsdy-bug sat in the Rome's heart, . An j iiiiliiwitLuriclaatul sconi As she saw a plain drest Ant go by, " ' "Willi a heavy gniin of corn. . So she drew the curtains of damask-around, And r.ditisied her silken vest, Making her glass ot a drop of dew That lay-in .the rose's breast. Then' she 'laughed so loud that the Ant look'd up, A'nd'isoeiiig her haughty face. Took up inure no ice, but travell'd on At the same inln.-trious pic-; But a "sudden blast, of Autumn came ; , And rudely swept the ground, And down the rose with tlie Lady-bug bent, Theii' 1'ht" houseless iadv was much amaz'd, Fertile knew not where to go, An ! hoarse November'. early blast II -.(1 brought with it rain and h;ihv ; "Her wings Were chill'il, and her feet were cold, And she wi-h'd-for the Ant's warm cell,. And what 'she 'duM'n the wintry storm. Tin sure 1 eannot tell. But the careful Ant was hrher nest, . "VVii-li -lu.r lit ! !h 'oiii's bv her side. She taught them all like herself to toil, Ni.r uiind the Miei r of pride ; And I "'thought, as I sat at the close of day, ' . Iv-iting my bread arid niilk, , i It was: wi-er to work and improve my time, Tliaii be idle and dress in-silk. uwm) btuki. n it t f-i ri m n t rt m r t t t .' - From Lite in the t'lenriiigs. AFFECTING N ARUATIVE- One iuurniiou while aluiie in my chamber, gelling in v baby, a little girl of six months okf, to sl'efp. mid thinking-many sad thoughts, and 'shedding some bitter tears for tire, loss of the dear country and friends I had left for ever, a hUgOL litp LilO UUUI ,IUU3.U U'viii ul j't.i.i " t'ul reveries, and Mrs; C entered the room. .Like inu-t of the Canadian ' women, my triend was .Mil ail of stature, slight and d -licatelyjovjn-.. - eJ, and dressed with the smartness and. neatness .8 h:!a:ter;stic of the females of this continent '. wh". ii' Vh.'Y lack some oi the accomphsiiments i,( V.-ih-U iMiiiidi, far surpass them in their taste in 'ir.-s .their Viioiee. .id colors, and the graceful and l).-;.-u.iti' manner in which theV wear their iiXDV voting tneti.l ti;iu a weasness, u 7:s ooint; .butw 'her 'husband was eti- ... ii i i . . . . : . v;b L'.i ; g.i-.-'i".; thev ', , ! iterative tore tntile bu-itteSS, and iaiui'v, vt was; certam.iV exeusa sable. At-tin- iriniueut lief ..rett.m-at littie ligure was a w,Ic jine ttud iiiteiesting object to. the home 's ck eiuigraiit. - ' . V W ttatl aiwavs iu ie, c; u-efnlly closing the h r. " What-p.ea-euv it would give me to see ymi ramr ohoerfu! This constant repining. will m-verdo.' V -i-lie sigiit ol VHi nas mane me tee! i letter t a read v''' aid 1, wiping -my -yes aiM trying "to f.ree a smile. " M iav:iy on. a larm-nunt- nig expeut!in, and I have I u alone all dav. im fft depressed ? .Can . voU; wo:idi'r,-tlien, that I Meiuorv is 'my- wois;. eompamon bv con- Kt:i'iitlv--:'ivrnhim- sce-ttes of ;;ist i.ai'iuess, she renders 'me discontented with the 'pivst-nt, ani hopeless of the future, and it will n-ijiiire all your kind sympathy to ivcoticc-me to C-ai.ada.1' ' Vou will like it better by ;tn-i by ; a new "coitiitrv aiwavs improves upon ae-iTii. Lance. ' " A!i iievi-T .! 1 i -1 I .inly cun-ult niy v,n feel ings, I. would, be off by the next steam-b.r.it. tir Ivigiaird ; but then v.'atuv i'neaiiS. "1 -mv husband, .my ehiid, ur ves ! I must submit, but I. iit.d it :( ha id ia-k." ; Ve'-4iave- all it r .trials, Mrs. M t- V, ytivi vhe.truih. I do not feci in the bt- ; and to t spirits iny-'.-lt" tiiis aberiioon. 1 came to a-k you what 1 iiui certain vou -.iil 'consider a strange ipues tiwn." ... ' . . Thi was said in a tone so unusually serious, that I kicked up fro in the era-lie in surprise, h;c!i her solemn aspect, and pale, tearful face, 'bd Dot i end to diminish.- Before I could ask the cause of '.her-dejection, she a-lded ipiicklv . "lhire vu rea-l.a chaiKer fr-nn die Bible to a dying man : I .ife 1 : Ves. certainly Who is n dying?" " I'.'s a sa l st-Tv,'' she continued, wiping the tears from, her kind eyes. I wi.l uA yon, how everj what 1 kiio-w of it, jus; to satisfv vou . . 1 . .. . . . ! " ' as to Tl-ie projirieiy oi my request. mere is a poor voting man iu this house vho is verv sick dving, I believe. ! consumption. lie came here ab ml three weeks ago, without !od. with- i his hand, to keep off the flies that hovered in out money, and in area-ifuiiy emaciated state. tormenting clusters round his head, 'lay the dy He took our .rood landlord, Mr. S -. on one ' i"g Michael Macbride. side, and t.dd him how he wa,j situated, and begged' that he uou'il give him something to eat atid a night's luhni!''-. protnisinir tlsfit if ev- er he was ivs'tpi-ed to heahh. he would repay the Jebt in. work. You know what a kind jhumane man Mri S is. a'thouh ." she added. with a kit 'smile, he is a Yankee, and so am T y right of parentage, but not of birth. Mr. saw at glance that tlie suppliant was 'ti object of real charity, and insiamly complied r 'tli his request. Without askine- further var- ulars, he gave him a good bed, sent him up W.vi uf hot soup, and bade him not distress :-'TOs,.t :atout the future, but try and get a good Ifi'L'nT.'s :.r.-it Tl,n"nv sloit-tlia rnniilT man was .- '--w J lie lie. L Uto J !' i 1 !e;U-e his chamber. Mr. S sent lad, informed bis employer that he, was in the last .stage of consumption, and had not many days to live, and it would be advisable for Mr. St i to have him removed to the hospital -(a pitiful shed erected for emigrants who may jchance arrive ill with the cholera). Mr. S not only refused to send the young man -away t but has nursed uTm with the "greatest" cafe, his wife and daughters taking it by turns to sit up (lightly with the poor patient." My friend said nothing about her own atten dance on the invalid, which, I afterwards learn ed from Mrs S , had been unremitting. '"And what account does the lad give of him self r said I. " All that we know of him is, tht his name is Macbvide, (Michael Macbride was not the real name of this poor young man, but is one sub stituted by the author,) and that he is nephew to Mr. C , of Peterboro', an Irishman by birth, and a Catholic by religion. Some vio lent altercation took place between him and his uncle a short time ago, which induced Michael to leave his house, and look out for a situation for himself, llearing that his parents had ar rived in this country, and were on their way to Peterboro', he came down as far as Coburg in the hope of meeting them, when his steps were arrested by poverty and sickness on this thresh old. ; ' By a singular coincidence, his mother came to the hotel yesterday evening to enquire the way to Peterboro', and Mr. S found out, from her conversation, that she was the mother of the poor lad, and he instantly conducted her to the bed-side of her son. I was sittitio- with him when the interview between him and his mother took place, and I assure you that it was almost too much for my nerves his joy and gratitude were so great at once more beholding hjs parent, while the grief and distraction of the pi or woman, on seeing him in a dying state, was agonizing; and she gave vent to her feelings in uttering the most hearty curses against the coun try, and the persons who by their unkindness had been the cause of his sickness. The young man seemed shocked at the junfeminine conduct of his mother, and begged me to excuse the rude manner in which she answered me; 'for,' savs he, ' she is ignorant and beside herself, and does not know what she" Is say1ngliT,'o!,oTnrg.T " Instead of expressing the least gratitude to Mr. S for the attention bestowed on her son, by some strange perversion of intellect she seems to regard him and us as his especial enemies. Last night she ordered us from his room, and declared that her .' precious bhoij was not going to die like, a ha then, surrounded by a parcel of heretics ;' and she sent off a man on horseback for the priest and for his uncle the very man from whose house he fled, andvhom she accuses of being the cause of her son's death. Michae anticipates the arrival of Mr. C jyith feei- i ings bordering on despair, and prays that God mav end his ' sufferings before he reaches Co bo urg. '"Last night Mrs. Macbride sat up with Mi- ; chael herself, and would not allow us to do the least thinsr for him. This raorninff her tierce ! temper seems to have subsided, until her son i awoke from a broken and feverish sleep, and de ! -clared that he would not die a Roman Catholic, j and earnestly requested Mr. S to send for a j Protestant clergyman: This gave rise to a yio I lent scene between Mrs. Macbride and her'sou, i which enoed in Mr. S sending for Mr. 15- , ti e clergyman of our village, who, un- j fortunately, had left this morning for Toronto, and is not expected home for several days. Mi- chael eagerly asked if there was any person pres i eiit who would read to him from the Protestant ! Bible. This excited in the mother sucli a fit of passion, that none of us dared attempt the task. I then thought of you, that, as a perfect stranger, she might receive you in a less hostile manner. If veti are not afraid to encounter the fierce ld woman, do make the attempt for the sake of the dying creature, who languishes to hear the words of life. I will watch the baby while you are gone." ' She is asleep, and needs no watching. I will go, as you seem so anxious about it," and I took niy pocket Bible from the table. ' But you must go with me, for I do not know my way in this strange house." Carc-fullv closinjr door upon the sleeping child, f I 'followed the light steps of Mrs. C along i the passage, until we reached the head of tlie main staircase, then, turning to the right, we entered the large public ball-room. In the first chamber of many, that opened into this spacious apartment we found the object that we sought. Stretched upon a low bed, with a feather fan ! The face of the young man was wasted by i disease and mental anxiety; and if the features were not positively handsome u aiul liarmontously dehned, and a look of intelli gence and sensibility pervaded his countenance, which greatly interested me in his behalf. His face was deathly pale, as pale as marble, and his large sunken eyes shone with unnatural brillian cy, their long dark lashes adding an expression of intense melancholy to the patient endurance of suffering that marked his fine countenance. His nose was shrunk and drawn in about the I nostrils, his feverish lips apart, in order, to ad niit a free passage for thejlaboring breath, their bright red glow affording a painful contrast to the ghastly glitter of the briliant white teeth within. The thick black cur!s that clustered RALMGH, ''NOETH CA&LIM, SATURDAY; round his high forehead were moist with per spiration, and the same cold unwholesome dew trickled in large drops down his hollow tem ples. It was impossible to mistake these signs of approaching dissolution it was evident to all present that death was not far distant. , An indescribable awe crept over me. He looked so tranquil, sV sublimed by suffering, that I felt myself unworthy to be his teacher. "Michael," I said, taking the long thin white hand that lay so listlessly on the coverlid, "I am sorry to see you so ill." He looked at me attentively for a few min utes " Do not say sorry, Ma'am ; rather say glad. I am glad to get away from this bad world young as I am I am so weary of it," He sighed deeply, and tears filled his eyes. " I heard that you wished some one to read to you." "Yes, the Bible!" he cried trying to raise himself in the bed, while his eager eyes were turned to me with an earnest, imploring ex pression. " I have it here. Are you able to read it for yourself?" "I can read but my eyes are so dim. The shailows of death float between me and the ; world ; I can no longer see objects distinctly. But, oh, Madam, if my soul were Sight, I should not heed this blindness. But all is. dark here," laying his, Hand on his breast, "dark as the grave." I opened the sacred book, but my own fears for a moment obscured the page. While I was revolving in my own mind what would be the best to read to him, the book was rudely wrench ed from my hand by a tall, gaunt woman, who just then entered the room. " Och ; what do vou mane by disturbing him in his dying moments wid yer trash ? It is not the like o' you that shall trouble hissowl ! The praste will come and administer consolation to him in his 'last exthremity." Michael shook his head, and turned his face sorrow full v to-the wall. "Oh, mother, he murmured, "is that the way you treat the lady ?" " Lady or no lady, and I mane no disrispict; it is not for the like o1 her to take this on her- sel'. If she will be rading, let her rade this." . ..... . . w.. -- ahoTshe tried to force a book of devotional Diav ers into my lfand. Michael raised himself, and with an impatient gesture exclaimed "Not that not that ! It speaks no comfort to me. I will not listen to it. Mother, mother do not stand between me and, mv God. I know that you love me that what you do is done for the best ; but the voice of conscience will be heard above your voice. I hunger and thirst to hear the word as it stands in the Bible, and cannot die in peace unsatisfied. For the love of Christ, Ma'am, read a few words of comfort to a dvinjr sinner !" Here the mother again interposed. "My good woman,""! said, gently putting her back, " you hear your sou's earnest request. If you really love him, you will offer no oppo sition to his wishes. It is not a question of creeds that is here to be determined, as to which is the best yours or, mine. I trust that all the faithful followers of Christ, however named, hold the same faith, and will be saved by the same means. I shall make no comment on what read to your son. The. Bible is its ow n inter preter. The Spirit of God, by whom it was die tatedwi41 make it clear to his comprehension. Michael, shall I commence now !" ""Yes," he replied, "with the bkssing of God!" After putting up a short prayer I commenced reading, and continued tolo so until night, ta king care to select those portions of Scripture most 'applicable to his case. Never did human creature listen with more earnestness to the woids of truth. Often he repeated whole texts after me, clasping his hands together in a sort of "ecstacy, while tears streamed from his eves. The old woman glared .upon me from a far cor ner, and muttered over her beads, as if they were a spell to secure her against some diaboli cal art. When I could no longer see to rtad, Michael took my hand, and said with great earnestness " May God bless you, Madam ! You have made me very happy. It is all clear'to me now. In Christ alone I shall obtain mercy and forgiveness for my sins. It is his righteousness, and not any good works of my own, that will save me. Death no longer appears so dreadful to me. I can now die in peace. "You believe that God. will "pardon you, Mi chael,, for Christ's sake; but have.you forgiven all your enemies ?" I said this in order to try his sincerity, for I had heard that he entertained hard thoughts against his uncle. He covered his face with his thin, wasted hands, and did not answer for some minutes ; at length he looked up with a calm smile upon his lips, and said "Yes, I have forgiven all even him.' " Oh, how much was contained in the stress laid so strongly and sadly upon that little word Him! How I longed to hear the story of wrongs from his own lips ! but he was too weak and exhausted for me to urge such a request. Just then Dr. Morton came in, and after stand ing for some minutes at the bed-side, regarding his patient with fixed attention, be felt his pulse, spoke a few kind words, gave some trifling or der to his mother and Mrs. C , and left the room. Struck by the solemnity of his manner, I fgllowed him into the outer apartment. " Excuse the liberty I am taking. Dr. Morton ; but I feel. deeply interested in your patient. Is he better or worse !" " He is dying. I did no. wish to disturb him in his last moments. I cair be of no further use to him. Poor lad, it's a pifj 1 he is really a fine young fellow." t I had judged from Michael's appearance that he had not long to live,- bujlt felt inexpressibly shocked to find his endsoH&r. JDn returning to the sick room, Michael eagerly asked what the doctor thought of him ? I did not answer I could not. " I see," he said, " that I must die. I will prepare myself for it. If I live until the morn ing, will you, Madam, come and read to me I promised him that I would or during the night, if he wished it. 'I feel very sleepy," he said. "I have not slept for many nights, but for a few minutes at a time. Thank God. I am entirely free from pain : it is very good of Him to grant me this respite." - His mother and Y adjusted his pillows, and in a few seconds he was slumbering as peacefully as a little child. The feelings of the poor woman seemed soft ened towards me, and for the first time since I entered the room she shed tears. I asked the aire of her sou ? She told me that he was two- and-twenty. She wrung my hand hard as I left the room, and thanked me for my kindness to her poor bhoy. It was late that night when my husband re turned from the couutry, and we sat for several hours talking over our aflairs, and discussing the soil and situation of the various farms he had visited during the day. It was past twelve w hen we retired to rest, but was soon disturbed by some one coughing violently, and my thoughts instantly reverted to Michael Macbride, as the hdarse sepulchral sounds echoed through the large empty room beyond which he slept. The coughing continued for some miuuus, and I was so much overcome by fatigue and the ex citement of the eveniug that I fell asleep, and did not awake until six o'clock the following morning. Anxious to hear how the poor invalid had passed the night, I dressed myself and hurried to his chamber. Ou entering the ball-room I found the dooTS and windows all open, as well as the one that led to the sick man's; chamber. My foot was arrested on the threshold for death was there. Yes ! that fit of coughing had terminated his life Michael had expired without a struggle in the arms of his -mother. THE WORSTED STACKING. A TR-JE STORY. "Father will have done the great chimney to- night, won't he, mother ? 'said little Tom How ard, is he stood waiting for his father's break fast, which he carried to him at his work every morning. " He said he hoped all the scaffolding would be down to night," answered his mother, " aud that'll be a fine night ; &r I never liked the end ing of those great chimneys,- it's so risky thy father's to be the last up." " Eh, then, but I'll go and see him, and help 'era to give a shout afore he comes down," said Tom. "And then," continued his mother, "if all goes right, we are to have a frolic to-morrow, and go into the country, aud take our dinners, and spend all the day amongst the woods." " Hurrah!" cried Tom, as he run off to his father's place of work, with a can of milk in one hand, and some bread in the other. His mother stood at the door watching him, as he went merrily whistling down the street, and then she thought of the dear father he was going to, and the dangerous work he was engaged in, . aud then her heart sought its sure refuge, and' she prayed to God to protect and bless her treas ures. Tom, with a light heart pursued his way to his father, and leaving him his breakfast, went to his ow n work, which was at some distance. In the evening, on his way home, he went round to sea how his father was getting on. James How ard the father, and a number of other workmen, had been building one of those lofty chimneys which, in our great manufacturing town, al most supply the place of other architectural beauty. This chimuey was one of the highest and most tapering that had ever been erected; and as Tom, shading his eyes from the slanting ravs of the setting sun, looked up to the top in search of his father, his heart almost sunk with in him at the appalling height. The scaffold ing was almost all down; the men at the bottom were removing .the last beams and poles. Tom's father stood alone on the top. He looked all round to see that everything was right, and then waving his hat in the air, the men below answered him with a long, loud, hearty cheer, j little Tom shouting as heartily as any of them As their voices died away, however, they heard a very different sound a cry of alarm and hor ror from above ! " The rope, The rope " The men looked round, and, coiled upon the ground lay the rope, which, before the scaffolding was removed, should have been fastened to the top of the chimney, for Tom's father to come down by! The scaffolding had been taken down, without their remembering to take the rope up. There was a dead silence. They all knew it was impossible to throw the rope up high enough, or skillfully enough, to reach the top of the chim ney; or if it could, it would hardly .have been safe. They stood in silent dismay, unable to MISCELLANEOUS. DECEMBER 16, 1854, give any help, or think of any means of safety. And Tom's father. He walked round and round the little circle, the dizzy height seeming every moment to grow more fearful, and the so lid earth further and further from hiir.. In the sudden panic he lost his presence of mind, and his senses almost failed him. He shut his eygs; he felt as if, the'next moment, he must be dash ed to pieces on the ground below. The day had passed as industriously and fewiftly as usual, with Tom's mother at home. She was always busily employed for her hus band and children, in some way or other : and to-day she had been harder at work than usual, getting ready for the holiday to-morrow. She had just finished all her preparations, and her thoughts were silently thanking God for her happy home, and for all the blessings of life, when Tom ran in : his face was white as ashes, and he could hardly get his words out. "Moth er! Mother! He canna get down." " Who, lad ? Thy father?" asked his mother. They've forgotten to leave him the ivpe," an swered Tom, still scarcely able to speak. His mother started up, horror-struck, and stood for a moinent as if (paralyzed ; then pressing her hands over her face, as if to shut out the terri ble picture, and breathing a prayer to God for help, she rushed out of the house. When she reached the place where her hus band was at work, a crowd had collected round the foot of the chimney, aud stood there quite helpless, gazing up with faces full of sorrow . 'He says he'll throw himself down," exclaimed they, as Mrs. Howard came up. "He's gong to throw himself." ' The munna do that, lad !" cried the wife, with clear, hopeful voice; "three munna do that. Waif a bit. Tak' off thy stocking, lad unrav el it, and letdown the thread with a bit of mor tar, jjj Dost hear that, Jem ?" The man made a sign of assent, for it seemed as it he could not speak; and, taking off his stocking, unraveled the worsted thread, row af ter row. " The people stood round in breathless silence and suspense, wondering what Tom's mother could be thinking of, and why she sent him in such haste for the carpenter's ball of twine. " Let dowVoTie end of the thread with a bit of stone, and keep fast hold of the other," cried sheilto her husband. The little thread came j t wavering down the tall chimney, blown hither and thither by the wind, but at last it reached the outstretched hands that were wailing for it. Tom held the ball of string, while his mother tied one end of the worsted thread. "Now pull it up slowly," cried she to her husband, and she gradually unwound the string as the worsted drew it gently up. It stopped the string had reached her husband. " Now hold the string fast, and pull it up," cried she, and the ; tring grew heavy, and hard to pull, for Tom and his mbthermad fastened the thick rope to it! They watched it gradually and slowly uncoiling from the ground, as the string was drawn higher. There was but one coil left. It had reached the top. "Thank God! Thank God!"' ex claimed the wife. She hid her face iu her hands in silent prayer, and trembling, rejoiced. The rope,;was up. The iron to which it should be fastened was there all right ; but would her hus band be able to make use of them would not the terror of the past hour have so unnerved him, as to prevent him from taking the neces sary measures for his safety ? She did not know the magic influence which her few words had exercised over him. She did not know the strength that the sound of her voice, so calm and steadfast, had filled him with as if the little thread that carried him the hope of life once more, had conveyed to him some portion of that faith in God, which nothing ever des troved or shook in her true heart. She did not know that, as he waited there, the words came over him, " Yhy art thou disquieted within me ? Hope thou in God." She lifted up her heart to God for hope and strength. She could do nothing more for her husband, and her heart turned to God, and rested on him as on a rock. There was a great shout. " He's safe, moth er, he's safe," cried little Tom, " Thou'st saved ine, Mary,'' said her husband, folding her in his arms. " But what ails thee ? , Thou seem'st more "sorry , than glad about it.7 But Mary could not speak, and if the strong arm of her husband had not held her up, she would have fallen to the ground the sudden joy, after such great fear, had overcome her. "Tom," said his : father, "lei thy mother lean on thy shoulder . and we will take her home." And in their hap- i pv home they poured forth their thanks to God for his great goodness; and their happy' life to- ! gether felt dearer aud holier for the peril it had been in and for the nearness that the danger had brought them unto God. And the holiday next day, was it not indeed.a thanksgiving dav? English S. S. Magazine. "Free Lotc" In this day of progress, it is well there should be now and then a check to " break up"' a little, that the train may not acquire an ungovernable speed, make ship-wreck of its freight and destroy everything in its way. Under the head of "Free Love," the Christian "Witness speaks in the fol lowing appropriate language : " Free Love" is coming into vogue, through the influence of "Spiritualism," and bid fair to be very popular, with that clas, who rejoice in every opportunity to religionize, (if we may be allowed to coin a word,) the natural passions of a depraved nature, whose indulgence the law of God and man forbids. There are multitudes who delight iu any signs of such a " progress," as wiil lend the sanctions of religion to practices which the rules of the commonest morality for bid, and which will not be tolerated for a nio- ment, in any decent society. A depraved na- ture, unchanged by the renewing power of the Holy Ghost, and unchecked by the hallowed in- fluences of the pure Spirit of Christianity, is ever longing to break over the sober bounds of the Gospel of Christ, and to trample under foot the sanctified restraints of the divine command. Hence, whenever any theory is broached, which, in the name of seligion, throws the "bridle upon the neck of passion," and offers to depravity a cloak of sanctity, wherewith to conceal its cor ruption, and so afford not only protection, but also a license, in the work of its gratification, that theory is quite sure of becoming very pop ular, in such a world as this. It is just the thing which the naHtral heart will be in love with. N sooner is such a system presented to theun sanctified mind, than the spontaneous welcome leaps from the lips : "That is the religion for me." TERRIBLE RETRIBUTION. A STORY OF A FAITHFUL DOG. About thirty years ago. in the western part of the State of New York, lived a lonely widow, named Mozher. Her husband hail been dead many years ; her only daughter was grownup and married, living at the distance of a mile or two from the family mansion. And thus the old lady lived alone in her home by day and night. Yet in her conscious inno cence and trust m Providence, she felt safe and cheerful ; did her work quietJv during the day bght. and at eventide lay down and slept, sweetly. One morning, however, she awoke, with an extraordinary and unwonted gloom upon her mind, which was impressed with the apprehen sion that something strange was about to hap pen to her or hers. So full was she of this thought that she could not stay at home that day, but must go abroad to give vent to it, by unbosoming herself to her friends, especially to her daughter. With her she spent the greater, part of the day, and to her she several times re peated the recital of her apprehensions. The daughter as often repeated the assurances that the good motherhad never done injury to any person, and added, I cannot think any one would hurt you, for you have not an enemy in the world. Asjjie day was declining, Mrs. Mozher sought her home, but expressed the same feelings as she left her daughter's house. On the way home she called on a neighbor, who lived in the last house before she reached her own. Here she again made known her con tinued apprehensions, w hich had nearly ripen ed into fear, and from the lady of the mansion she received answers similar to those of her aughter. ' You have harmed no one in your whole life time, surely no one will distrub or molest you, go home in quiet, and Hover shall go gith you. Here Kover," said she to a stout watch dog that lay on the floor, "here Rover, go home with Mrs. Mozher and take care of her." Rover did as he was told ; thewidow went home, milked her cows, took care of everything out of doors and went to bed as usual. Rover had not left her for an instant. When she was fairly in bed, he laid himself down upon the outside of the bed ; and as the w idow relied on his fidelity, and perhaps eluded herself for needless fear, she fell asleep. Some time in the night she awoke, being startled, probably, by a slight uoise outdde she house. It was so slight, bower, that she was not 'aware of being startled at all, but heard, as soon as she awoke, a sound like the raising of a window near her led, which was in a room on the ground floor. The dog neither barked nor moved. Next, there was another sound, as if some one was in the room and stepped cautiously on the floor. The woman saw nothing but now for the first time felt the dog move, as he made a violent spring from the bed ; and at the same instant something fell on the floor, sounding like a heavy log. Then followed other noises, like pawing of the dog's feet ; but soon all was still again, and the dog resumed his place on the bed without having barked or growled at all. This time the w idow did not go to sleep im- j mediately, but lay awake wondering yet not : (,.(.iriing it best to get up. But at last she j dropped adeep, and when she awoke the sun ( was shining. She hastily stepped out of bed, an, there lay the body of a man extended on ; toe floor, dead, with a lage knife in his hand, j which was even now extended. The dog had seized him by the throat with the grasp of death; and neither man nor dog could utter a sound j till all was over. This man was the widow's son-in-law, the husband of her only daughter. He coveted her little store of wealth, her house, her cattle and her land. And instigated by this sordid impatience, he cnuld not wait for the decay of nature to give her properly up to him and his, as the only heirs apparent, but made j nis sceailQ7 vls" uo a OI aartness m the ; gloom of the night. !! 1.1 11 , . This is one of Uncle Toby's stories ; and is derived, as to all its facts, from a most respect able Quaker family, whose veracity he cannot doubt. Portsmouth Chronicle. Time wears on and Christmas will soon be here the time for making merry. WHOLE NO. 159 SECRET TRIBUNALS OF GERMANY. Although most minute researches have been made at different times respecting the tenable Yehinic, or secret tribunals which flourished in Germany in the middle ages, no records of tKeir proceedings, nor any of the instruments, wnich . they employed in putting to death th victims j whom they condemned have yet been discover- Jed. This has been ascribed to the fact ihat ! they were accustomed to hold their sittings in caves, aud; in the midst of forests or mountains, and that they did not deem it prudent to have I recourse to writing. The remains of one of ! these strange tribunals have at length, howejver, j just been discovered. M. de Mayenfish, Mar- I shal of the court of the Prince of Hohenzollern Sigmarigen, fancied that he perceived in the walls of one of the galleries of a museutji of rare and curious arms, the trace of a " secret" covered with plaster. He caused the plaster, which was very thick, to be removed, and 'dis covered a wooden door. The door was remov ed, and behind it was one in iron, fastened with four enormous locks. With great difficulty; the , locks were opened, and a subterranean passage, of a rapid descent, was seen. M. de Mayenfish, accompanied by the employes of the museum, entered with torches, and, after walking; up wards of 300 yards, found that the passage jwas entirely blocked up with rubbish. The rubbish was removed ; there were not fewer than ekty eight cart-loads of it. Then a vast saloon j was opened. On the walls, at certain distances, were w ooden figures, clumsily executed, off the Holy Virgin and St. John the Baptist, together with a numbor of crucifixes. Between these objects were instruments of torture, sucli as heavy chains, pincers, poignards, iron rings,, and a sort of cap in iron, with sharp points, destin ed, apparently, to be put on the head. In1 the middle of the place was a large stone slab, tir ta ble, and around it were ten stone seats. On the table was a hammer, five ' balls in black wiood,' and a copperplate, at the bottom of which Were in bas-relief a crucifix, the Holy Virgin, and St. J ohu the Baptist. On the table also was the iron seal of the St. Veheme. This seal it was which more than anything else proved'the pur pose for which the cavern had been employed. The hammer was probably that with which the initiated were accustomed to strike three times on the doors of persons whom they were ciargr ed to summon before the secret tribunal the plate and the balls were probably employed in voting, four votes being sufficient to cause a condemnation to deaths the only punishment the Saint Veheme his accustomed f o inflict. It is on record that in the principality of Sigma ringen the last Vehmic Court was held in 11417, under the presidency of Duke Ulric "of "Wur temberg. Some time after, when tlie two Counts of Zollern, who had been cited before a secret tribunal, possessed themselves of the country, they abolished the secret jurisdiction, and paus ed the place in which it had been accustomed to hold its sitting to be fastened up. It islvery likely that this place is that which has justlbeen discovered. i ! "Safe! Safe! Safe!" A New England whale-ship foundered in a gale, some years since, in the great Pacific. j Her crew took to the boats, and after toiling for several days and nights, two of the boats came in sight of an island. One of them wasi run through the suif, and the crew jumped on shore, making signs to the natives to express theiij des titute condition. But no pity dwelt in those savage breasts. Rushing upon the exhausted, seamen with their clubs, they instantly killed them, and made preparations to feast uponltheir bodies ; for they were cannibals. Seeing the fate of their companions, the other boat's Icrew pulled hastily away from that dreadful spot; and, after almost incredible suffering, were pick ed up by a friendly vessel, and saved. Some years passed "away and another j ship was wrecked in thesame 6eaa, and near that is land. Her commander had been second "mate of the former ship, and was saved with the boat's crew which witnessed the destruction of their shipmates by the cannibals. Again he approach ed the island, a wrecked mariner, and reduod by hunger and exhaustion to a feeble and ema ciated state. He recognized , the fatal shore, and told his companions of the cannibals who dwelt beyond it. But they were too weak to put out to sea again. To do so was to die. They could but die if they landed, and peibaps the ravages might be merciful. They landed, therefore, though in great fear. Perceiving none of the natives, they hauled their boats up on the beach, and sought the shelter of the adjacent woods, in the hope of finding fruits or berries for subsistence. But once in the woods, their fears increased. Tbey moved stealthily along, alarmed at the crack ling of the dry branches beneath their feet, and at every unusual rustling of the leaves. Death seemed to speak in every soun', and to leer upr on theui through every opening glade of th forest. Cold sweat gathered on their sun burned brows, and more than once jhey halted, and consulted on the propriety of returnipg't their boat But as often they resolved to ad vance, especially as tbey (bund themselves as cending a wooded hill, which they hoped might furnish, them with a nook or cave in which to hide. Thus, trembling, they proceeded. They approached its summit, which was bold and rocky. The foremost of the party ventured from the shelter of the trees to view the islands Cau tiously he stole, step by step, to the mountain's j brow, until his eye caught sight 6i the village
Southern Weekly Post (Raleigh, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Dec. 16, 1854, edition 1
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