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THE LOCK OF HAIR In a notice
of the behaviour of Colt, who was tried
in New Y ork, for the murder of Mr.. Ad-
ans, we find the following remark:


"CoA behaves with self possession.
Once, however, on Saturday, when the
Mayor, among the articles he had found
in Colts room, exhibited some hair, la
belled, .hair Of my mother,' and read the
label, Colt was deeply agitated, and final
ly burst in tears"


Mysterious sympathy! sacred influence
that opens upon the sluices of the affec-
tions, when vice and sin seem to have
dried up the fountains Of all better feel
ings.


The man, if not murderer, and it
would seem difficult to doubt it if not a
blood stained homicide, is, at least, amen
able to heaven for a continued vicious
course of life. The early counsels of
friends, the monitions OF his church, aud
the conventional usages Of society had lost
their power to affect his conduct, or to
touch his feelings. The cold, damp dark
ness of the criminal cell, the loud exc
crations Of the people, the solemn array
of justice, the gravity of the bench, the
busting activity of the bar, and the quiet
waiting OF the jury, had not stirred a iea-
ture OF the man; nay the agonized feelings
of the widow, in her mourning weeds,
and even the presence of her, the sharer
of his shame, had failed to touch a chord
that reached the deeper feelings. They
were all of the present; all had to do with
his days of guilt, and his hour of trial
times and events for which he had steel
ed his heart But when there was laid
open to him, and to the world, that little
memorial Of mcther, his emotion show
ed that he was not prepared for trial-fol


that trial at least.


Memory went back to scenes of lnno.
cence and childish love, with flowers hung
on every bush, and sweetness borne OF
every gale; when the confidence of hi:


heart never trusted to stories of lhorns


beneath the flowers, or poison lurking or


the breeze. lie remembered of the les


sons of virtue which affection moulded tc


his inlantlle understanding, and made


profitable by adaptation. lie shrunk a
way from the inquisilive of the multitude
and in Imagination, nestled himself anew
in that bosom, where years since, he hat
sought an asylum against the soaring
creation OF childish fancy.


He lifted up his eyes. and the hair loci


of that mother was witness against hi


life; and perhaps she looked down, an,


saw shame and guilt, the portion of hin
for whom she had borne mothers pains
and exercised mothers affections. II
wept. The agonlzing drops were testi
monies of feelings yet alive proofs tina
all is not lost; andif blood guilt be foun'
in his skirts, or he be acquitted of that
and only shame be stamped upon him 70
others sins, let him who seeketh the goo,
Of his fellow, follow this offender to hi
1, closet or his cell, appeal to that last evi
dence of lingering virtue, and that relic
which brought it to light, and he shal
turn wicked one from the error of hi
ways, and hide a multitude of sins.
u. S. Gazette.