Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1856-03-06
NUMBER 10.

trial IN Newgate.
" Nearly ten years have passed away
since then. George plead guilty and was
transported for life; and gradually 1 be-
gan to get resources around me. From
the time that l visited him In Neweate
till this morning, / never saw him.
"This morning, Mr. Sinclair? Did you
see him this morning"
ayes. He came like an apparition.
l could scarcely believe ve'my eyes as he
stood before me, and said
well, brother, you see 1 have come
back. They let me off with eight years
instead of life, and have found my way
back. understand you are pretty well
off, and are going to be married.
"Good God George" I said; "who
would have thought of seeing you?"
"Ahp he said, who indeed But
to business. Ie1pect you to support me
now, and if you don't, shall accuse you
OF having guilty knowledge of my Grim
inality and altho' at this distance of time,
l don't suppose anything would be done
by the magistrate in the matter, il will
ruin you in reputation, mind you, l
learnt this dodge in Australia, so you had
better put up with it quietly. intend
to live in London, and to call on YOU and
your wife whom l like, and shall expect
you to supply me with money.
"'Villainf l said, 'can you look me
in the face and utter such words?'
"Oh, yes he replied. IN leave you
till two o'clock to consider it. IF you con-
sent, well and good; if you refuse, shall
go up to Bowstreet, and make the accu.
sation against you of having known all
about it at the time l was transported,
and that will be enough to get it into all
the papers, you know so you can decide
for YOURSELF
With that he left me aud 1 appeal TO
you whether under the circumstances /
ought to have united myself to Mary
Dampsey."
" 1t is most sad affair."" I said, "but
let me propose a course to you. ] will
wait here until two o'clock. The only
thing that can save you is some evidence
of disinterested character to the effect
that this is but an attempt to extort money
from you. Now if you can hide me some
where, / will listen to what is said"
"That might succeed in frightening him
away. There is a cupboard in yon corner.
into which you can introduce a chair, and
sit down, SO that you will not be uncom-
forable."
This plan was duly adopted and about
five minutes before two took the chair
in the cupboard, and waited not a little
aniously for the coming of the convict.
He was punctual to the minute, and !
heard him say to Mr.. Sinclair, in rough
insolent tone:
Well, have you decided? l have
been on the watch, and you have not left
these cham bers, so you have had NO OPP
portunity to play me trick"
You know am entirely innocent,"
said Mr.. Sinclair, "of any participation
in your crime, and that to make an at.
tempt to save you, actually ruined my
self at the period"
"Oh yes, know all that. ] don't
blink the matter, at the least. ] know
you had no more do with it than the man
in the moon, but how are you TO prove
that? You can't deny meeting me at the
Post Office. You can't deny lending me
the note to copy. In fact, you can't get
out of it, though you had nothing TO do
with il; SO hand over some cash to begin
with at once"
"Stopl' said ] as / emerged from the
cupboard; 81 shall hand you to police
man, Mr.. George Sinclair, and swear to
what / have overheard, when you will
stand very fair chance to be transported
again"
" Damnationr' he said. Done at
last p
Then without another word be dashed
out Of the place
On that day week Mr. Sinclair married
Mary Dampsey, whom ! made privately
acquainted with the circumstances have
narrated before hand. Her reply was
worthy her.
"What difference" she said, "can the
criminality of others make in my afiec-
tions? The misfortune Of James Sinclair
in having so unworthy a relative, on the
contrary, attaches me stronger to him by
the bonds Of sympathy Oh! could he
for one moment suppose that such cir
cumsiance should make any difference TO
meY
had frequent opportunities Of seeing
the Sinclairs afterwards, and will say
because can say it with truth-that a
greater share of happiness never fell to
the lot Of any human beings than was
theirs.
There was all the qualities which have
a tendency TO ensure domestic felicity in
the disposition Of Mary, and she had by
marrying Sinclair the rare good fortune