The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1856-12-04

III | were 10 tell you all, sir, they cannot
drag mc from my ,lcath-bed here and hang me,
can they. ?......... BESIDES. ! am innocent
.......... But what docs that matter? More
innocent men than have been hung for less
crimes than mur,lcr before this. will not tell
you"
Murder 2" said !, with uneigncd astonish-
mcnt. Murder. Charlton For this man
was attending in my capacity as house.surgeon
of the Marlborough work house. had known
him Tor years, ami Of all my present patients
hc had seemed the simplest and least violent ;
his anxious eyes which closed 80 lightly even
IN slccp-his avcrted looks when spoken TO. his
nervous timidity at the sight Of any strange
h.ce | hal set down as the outward signs oi "A
broken spirit and a waning brain, for he had
had enough oi sorrow 10 shake stronger mind
than bis. could remember him with wife and
children about him. IN respectable II not an
extensive, way Of business; and why It sudden
iy telI oil and was given up, AMI what mlslor-
tune had changed the couple who had been be-
fore 10 blithe, | had oNen wondered. Their
aon. Robert, was now in the Crimc,, sergeant,
thc,r daughter Clara, milliner's apprentice
IN the north; Mrs. Charlton had died few
months after the failure ol their trade. Of lin
band was inIc1d. AZ ir had said. upon hIs death
,Sd had offered to send Tor Clara at my own
charge. but hc would not hear Of it.
IL would not have "a soul at my bedside, save
,u,, dos ti.l, iOr worlds, ic said.
lie was quite frendlcss too. His chamber
xas common to five other wOrkhOusc folk, but
it was a July day, and they were snuning them
selves IN the paved court outside, the MONDAY
l-arns which poured into the long barr room
found nothing iair To rtst upon; no print upon
the whtewashed wall no commobe<t Wild flow
n 10 any of tlin few drabcolorcd mugs that
gtrewed the table; no sign Of comfort anywhere.
The sick man law upon his little iron bed, and
| VIA sitting upon the wOelcn stool beside It;
his hand lay upon mine, and his face was turn
ed towards tbs door, listening. ro-c, and
locked it, aud Is was then that b. began, a. ]
have said. 20 speak Of murder, and bis Innocence
to ask If it would b. dangerous to confess
al | said NO; nothing can harm you TOW.
What yoa say 30 me ia q secret "a long as you
shall live: you may speak A. il was the cIer.
gyman' whom b. had n f1ssd for some reason,
| knew not what, 30 see. "i il will ease your
mind to tell I'M anything say on"
You have known IDc, doctor, this twenty
years, anJ y0a will easily believe me when
,ay that ! no more eNpccted IA become Depend
eni on thc parish and to die 10 this workbouse,
than dreamt OF the possibility Of my commit
ting--any very terrible crime. was young
to the world thea aad foolish; and my wife was
not older o, wiser. We were not strong mind.
,d EDls. nor. alas even straightforward; through
plausible story OF dear TINS coming which
may yet have bs1I partly trae-wc sold many
a pound II butter AMI ounce 81 ten; and II u
VAS no, always a posnd nor always nj oance.
Il was never over the j1st weight, bat under.
Spirits, also--tbcre being no public house Close
by which we ot course hal ~ icrusc 10 sell,
We wou'd let oar best customers purcbase, and
drink N cor back parlor. which appearsd IN
their weekly bills uIskr the heal Of candi,s 90
what Doi; ~ that sreaking ie.re Our own
chlldren. W. lad to hbrieate strange siori-,
an.l give things their wrong names; ard many
ettsT ievi17s w. had. which. thnagh they got
"a. httle gains, ~,'us-i not mBch. on the whole,
10 be4sst us ! have purpo~,iy told you tlre
snr, of u becans' Il viii erplaia Our fatarc
,srsiuci tl,e more easily; bat yoa Hast not sup
pos. that We Vcrr tbEvcs, or very ~ickel E,,-
~: a. .caroiy tu.cs via; wrong 80 srr,s
iong to cthr-s. and ar tsss - onr-iycs; and
,loai think IN othsr r'spec's ~ werr had