Hanover; Or The Persecution of the Lowly
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CHAPTER XXII.
A Ship Sails.
When on the evening of December 1, 1898, the old Clyde steamer driftedout from her docks into mid stream in the harbor of Wilmington, amongthe host of passengers that stood upon her deck, with tear-dimmed eyes,to bid adieu to the dear old town was Molly Pierrepont. Leaning upon theshoulder of her foster mother, whose heart was too full to speak, shefrantically waved her handkerchief and cried "Farewell, old home! Dearas thou hast been to me, I must leave thee for ever; for thou art in thepossession of the wicked. The spoiler is in thy borders. The blood ofinnocents has flowed freely in thy highways, and the murderer and theassassin stalk abroad in thy streets. But it matters not where I go, thydays of equity, when every citizen, it mattered not how humble, wasfree, shall ever live with me. Days of childhood innocence, the shoutsof the children, the clang of the school bell, the rippling of therills, the hum of bees will be the means of helping me to forget thylatter days of turmoil and strife. Good-bye, old home! Good-bye!"