Part 28 (1/2)

With his son, a youth of thirteen, as permitted to stay with him in the prison, colonel Haynes used often to converse, in order to fortify hiainst the sad trial that was at hand And indeed it was necessary, for seldom has a heavier load been laid on a tender-hearted youth

War, like a thick cloud, had darkened up the gay rave had just closed her mouth on a mother who doted on him; and he now beheld his only parent, a beloved father, in the power of his enemies, loaded with irons, and condemned to die

With cheeks ith tears, he sat continually by his father's side, and looked at hi tears of blood from his heart

”Why,” said he, ”my son, will you thus break your father's heart with unavailing sorrow? Have I not often told you, that we came into this world but to prepare for a better? For that better life, , rejoice with me, my son, that my troubles are so near an end To-morrow, I set out for immortality

You will accompany me to the place of my execution; and when I am dead, take and bury me by the side of your mother”

The youth here fell on his father's neck, crying, ”Oh my father! my father!

I will die with you! I will die with you!”

Colonel Haynes would have returned the strong embrace of his son; but, alas! his hands were loaded with irons ”Live,” said he, ”ood life; live to serve your country; and live to take care of your brother and little sisters!”

The nextcolonel Haynes was conducted to the place of execution

His son accoallows, the father strengthened himself and said -- ”Now, my son, show yourself a man

That tree is the boundary of my life, and of all my life's sorrows

Beyond that, the wicked cease fro and the weary are at rest

Don't lay too much to heart our separation from you; it will be but short

'Twas but lately your dear , must shortly follow us”

”Yes, my father,” replied the broken-hearted youth, ”I shall shortly follow you: for indeed I feel that I cannot live long”

And so it happened unto hi his father in the hands of the executioner, and then struggling in the halter, he stood like one transfixed and motionless with horror

Till then he had wept incessantly; but soon as he saw that sight, the fountain of his tears was staunched, and he never wept rief, like a fever, burnt inwardly, and scorched his brain, for he beca around him, and often wandered as one disordered in hisht the murderer of his father But he who made him had pity on him, and sent death to his relief He died insane, and in his last moments often called on the naht tears from the hardest hearts

I hope my reader will not suppose, fro him about the British and tories, that I look on them as worse than other ainst them No, God forbid On the contrary, I have no doubt on my mind, that the British and tories are men of the same passions with ourselves And I also as firmly believe, that, if placed in their circumstances, we should have acted just as they did

Upon honor this is my conviction now; but it was not always so: for I confess there was a tiainst the as those of any other man, let him be who he would But thank God those prejudices, so dishonorable to the head, and so uneasy to the heart, are done away froh the divine goodness, principally indebted to eneral Marion, of whose noble sentiive the reader some little specimen in the next chapter

Chapter 26

Short and sweet -- or, a curious dialogue between general Marion and captain Snipes, on retaliation

”No radiant pearls that crested fortune wears, No geht stars that night's blue arch adorn, Nor opening suns that gild the vernal morn, shi+ne with such lustre as the tear that flon virtue's antic form is that which stalks thus awfully before the eyes of h and dark as the cloud of winter, and his eyeballs burning like coals of fire? 'Tis the impetuous captain Snipes He is just returned from the quarter house near Charleston, where he and captain M'Cauley, with Macdonald and forty e party of the enemy

He looks as if the fury of the battle had not yet subsided in his wrathful countenance His steps are towards Marion, and as he presents a packet, he exclairy tone, ”There, sir, is a Charleston paper You'll see there how those villains are going on yet

Not satisfied with all the one now and raceful act, seasoning his speech every now and then, as he went along, with sundry very bitter imprecations on lord Rawdon

”Ah shah, and shaking his head; ”shame upon lord Rawdon!”