The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1857-01-09
Misfrllnnruns.
Two Hundred Pounds Reward.

"If were to tell you all. sir, they can
not drag me from my death bed here and
hang me, can theyH Besides, am
innocent. But what does that mat
ter? More innocent men than have been
hung for loss crimes than murder before
this. will not tell you"
Murder ?" said |, with unfeigned as
tonishment. "Murder, Charltonr" For
this man was attending in my capacity as
house-surgeon Of the Honborough' work
house. / had known him for years, and Of
all my present patients he had seemed the
simplest and least violent; his anxious eyes
which closed 50 lightly even IN sleep
his averted looks, when spoken to, his ner-
vous timidity at the sight Of any strange
face, had set down as the outward signs
Of a broken spirit and waning brain; for
he had had enough of sorrows to shake q
stronger mind than his. could remember
him with wife and children about him, in a
respectable, if not IN extensive, way Of busi-
ness and why il suddenly fell of and was
given up, and what misfortune had changed
the couple who had been before so blithe, l
had often wondered. Their son, Robert,
was in the Crimea, a sergeant; their daugh-
ter, Clara, millincr's apprentice in the
north; Mrs. Charlton had died q few
months after the failure Of their trade, Of u
lingering and somewhat strange disease /;
her husband was, indeed, as he had said,
upon his dcath-bed. | had offered to send
for Clara at my own charge, but he would
not hear Of it.
al would not have soul at my bedside,
save you, doctor, for worlds" he said.
He was quite friendles, too. His cham
Der was common to FIVE other workhouse
folk, but it was July day, and they were
summing themselves in the paved court out
side. The sick man lay upon his little iron
bed. and was sitting the wooden stool
beside il /; his hand lay upon mine, and his
face was turned towards the door, listening.
rose, and locked il; and it was then tha,
he began, as have said, to speak of murder,
aud his innOeenee-to ask If il would be
dangerous to confess all. l said, " No
nothing can harm you now. What you say
TO me is a secret as long as you shall live
you may speak as If was the clergyman"
whom he had refused for somo reason,
knew not what. TO SEQ. "lf il will ease
your mind to tell me anything, say on"
"You have known me, doctor, this twen-
ty years, and you will easily believe me
when say that no moro expected to be-
come dependent on the parish, and to die in
this workhouso, than I drcamt of the posi-.
bility Of my committing-any very terrible
crime. Twas young to the wsrld then, and
foolish; and my wife was not older or wiser
We were not strong minded folk-nor, alas
even straight forward; througha plausibl,
story OF dear times coming-whieh may yet
have been partly true we sold many ,
pound Of butter and ounce Of tea and If i
was not always pound nor always al
ounce, |. was never over the just weight, bu
under. Spirits, also-therc being no pub
lie house close by-whieh ws Of course has
no license to sell, we would let our best Gus
toners purchase, and drink in our back par
lor, which appeared in their weekly bill
under the head Of candles or what not $
that, speaking before our own children, W
had to fabricate strange stories, and Civ
things their wrong names and many othe
devices we had, which, though they got u
little gains, seemed not much ON tho Who'll
to benefit US. have purposcly told yo'
the worst Of US, because il will explain ou
future conduct the more easily; but yoI
must not suppose that we were thieves, o
very wicked people We scarcely knew wha
wrong We were doing to Others, and far les