Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1865-01-14

what you were, IT this is your reception OF an
old friend, Charles Lawrence M
Hush g" he exclaimed, Selling me by the
arm, g Never mention that name again.
Charles Lawrence died the day that Richard
Thompson, the burglar, found himself in Jail ="
{" Do you mean TO tell me that you had act
or part in that robbery"
"A Jury of my countrymen have found me
guilty of it," he answered, modify; "is not
that enough ?"
"Why did you not write to me! Why did
you not defend yourself? Why, oh! Charley
=" l stopped, not knowing what to say.
"What is the use ?" he replied, in a softer
tone than he had hitherto used, 81 was caught
in the act What could l say"
"Charley," said, look me in the face"
He did so.
"Now, tell me-" continued, "and tell me
truly, implore you, by the memory of our
old friendship, what were you doing that
night at Thornbury Hall"
$50 and ask the judge"
"No; l ask you"
"And will not indulge your curiosity !;
wait till tomorrow, and you will find all about
it in the newspapers. Confound it, man! is
it not enough for one day to be tried, con-
victed, and condemned to be transported for
the best part of ones life, without having a
confession wrung out of one like this?"
"Then you refuse to tell me the truth ?"
al do"
"Then it is not true that you participated
in the burglary ?" / demanded suddenly.
He flushed crimson, then turned deadly
pale and stammered, "I-you-I did not say
So"
but | am sure of it," answered; so
sure that mean to seek Arnold, and find out
what you really were together about He
can have no object in concealing the truth
now, and then"
"Well?"
swell, shall beg an interview with the
Judge, and tell him what / suspect"
"And what do you suspects"
"That you were at Thornbury Hall at the
time that the burglary was committed, but
were in nowise engaged in its commission"
Star-gazing, suppose ?"
"Ne; you were there to see that false wo-
man."
"What false woman ?"
"Laura Tregarven that was, Lady Thorn
bury that is"
"Bah ~
al am sure of it certain" y
swell, then, look here, Jack Smith," he
replied, " think so if you like; say so to 9TH
ers if YOU dare but remember this-what-
ever story you get from Arnold will be fatty
contradicted by me on the first opportunity.
1t will be only the word of one felon against
the word of another" he continued, bitterly
"and so it will end. Better leave it as it is. !"
Charley l exclaimed, "you are the no.
blest fellow in the world; but pause, i'm
pore you. Think of the life in store for
you; think of the sacrifices you are about to
make :"
81 have weighed all that"
haV will 10 20
hulks?"
eyes"
"For twenty years?
Forever, if need be-"
"a woman who Tilted you"
a woman whom-God help me IL love,
in spite of ALL" And here his forced reserve
gave way; his long pert up emotions burst
! forth, and he sank upon the prison seat,
buried his face in his hands, and sobbed like
a child
For three hours I remained there, expostu-
! lating, arguing, entreating him to give
| up his rash resolve, but in vain. He admit
/ ted that my suspicious were correct, but was
| determined to play out to the last the part he
| had begun Sooner than he would breathe a
word that would compromise Lady Thorn.
| bury, he was prepared to end his days as a
| felon Six months afterward, when he had
tasted some of the horrors of his situation,
tried again, and again failed utterly to move
I him.
/ At last the time arrived when, under the
/ regulations then in force, he should be ship
ped off to some penal settlement; and In de-
| spair of saving him by other means, re-
solved to see Lady Thornbury, appeal to hel
humanity-if she had any-and implore heI
to save my friend from himself. She had left
| England shortly after the trial, having evinced
a preference for continental life, and was
living at Paris; not upon the best terms-sc
scandal said-with her lord. He was madly
Jealous of her, and kept her in constant ter
ror of even personal violence. There were
those who said that she had gone beyond
threats, while he recommended his old way
of living / sought her in Paris, and founC
that in one of his jealous fits he had spirited
her off to Lisbon. / followed but found thai
they had left in his yacht for a two years
cruise, and no one knew where they had gone
1t might be to Constantinople it might be tC
| Copenhagen; no one could say exactly; anC
when | returned to London, discovered thai
the convict ship with Charley on board haC
sailed two days before for South Australia.
The undeserved reputation that | had gain
&C in the case of SlOperty Ggt. Moss procured
me permanent appointment as clerk, and 9
promise of future partnership with Sharpus
Ward, Andrews & Co., and business poured
in upon me so fast, that am ashamed to say
forgot poor Charley; when one day, about
two years after his exile, lady in deer
mourning was ushered into my private room
and the first words she said were, "0h, sir
oh Mr. Smith, something must be done
do pray tell me what to do for Charley-fol
Captain Lawrence"
Captain Lawrence" l replied, severely
for after the first moment of surprise at be
ing thus abruptly appealed to, l recognized
nv visitor-"Captain Lawrence" l said
years. 1t is somewhat late, / think, to en-
auire what can be done for him."
go, yes, yes" she cried, sit is so; but you
do not know the life | have been led.
would have changed places with him willing
ly. Look here and here" and she turned W
her sleeve and threw back her hair, disclos
ing two deep scars, one on her arm and the
other on her temple. He struck me there
for no cause at ALL" she said bitterly; she
has often struck me. If he had known about
Charley, he would have killed me-"
Then she told me her miserable story. II
appeared that-lacking courage to tell poor
Charley of her falsehood, and the approach
ing marriage into which she had been lured
| by the dazzle of a coronet, she had written
| to him up to the time of his departure from
India; that having landed at Falmouth, he
rode to her fathers house, and there learned
the truth; that, actuated by mad desire to
see her once again, he had betaken himself
to Thornbury Hall that having seen her in
the grounds, and not daring for her sake to