Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1866-12-07
Capital Punishment.
MARROW ESCAPE OF AN INNOCENT MAN
FROM THE GALLOws.

NN DOOu away lIOiu uOult lLT0o
years. In that time l had oyster sup
pers in New York, polkaed at Sara
toga, taken lonely and romantic walks
at Niagara, caught delicious white
fish In the translucent waters of
Mackinaw, and shot a buffalo on the
pralrieS of Nebraska. | might have
dug for gold in California or Colum-
bia, had | not been taken suddenly
with great and inexplicable longing
to see again the white cliffs, the green
fields and ledges, and the quiet, pret-
ty and most comfortable villages of
dear old England.
The feelings that had driven and
kept me away were gone. When the
force that had sent me off ceased to
act, | felt and obeyed the attraction
which drew me to land, that, to the
Englishman, wherever he may wander,
must always be his home.
| can now speak of the reason of
this long absence. My father, who
had saved me small property, which
he hoped | would increase, had edu-
Gated me for the noble profession of
the law. l was reading through the
terms with usual industry, and was
quite insensible to the Establishments
Of society, when it was my misfortune
to fall in love. The expression seems
to me an appropriate one.
Isabel Goodwin was certainly one
Of the most beautiful of those who
are, in their own right queens of soci-
ETY.. To the fairest types of English
beauty she added graces, accomplish
ments and a boundless ambition.
| Without rank or wealth she held her
place, and aspired to rival those who
had both. l was dazzled by her
beauty; | admired her queenly bear
ing; and | became her ardent wor-
shipper.
She was fond of admiration. Twas
sometimes grieved, maddened and
Jealous at the encouragement she gave
to one and another of the crowd that
huttered about her charms; | still
had a sort Of pride in her attractive.
ness; and a tender look, word of
tondness, sign, or a soft pressure
of her hand, would send me home in
toxicated with delight | believed
B. myself to be her favored lover; the
admiration she received was my tri
umph.
The best friend ! had was Arthur
Mellon. He was two years Older
than was in government Office
with fair prospects Of advancement
and some expectations beside.
We were true friends. Arthur haC
saved my life when we were at schoo
$ together. lay cramped and para
lyzed at the bottom of a deep pool il
the river where we had been bathing
We had been trying our skill will
: other boys in diving to see which
could remain under the longest; 81
when | had remained under for lOn9
I. period, no one was surprised. The,
waited to see my comrades on thu
r, bank. | could even hear them talk
- The sound of their voices grew faint
er and fainter, but [ was not afraid
| knew that as soon as they under
e. stood the matter, Arthur, if no other
would come and save me. He wa
already dressing on the bank, whe
he exclaimed: where is Harry ?"
u His voice sent thrill to my heart
as | lay paraIyzed in every limb. L
- a moment more he stripped his clothe
, and plunged into the pool. He wa
" cool and cautious, even in his hast
# to save me. He swan round an
took me by one of my ankles. | fe
an impulse to grasp him, so stron
II that it might have given me the pow
-. er; but with an effort of self-cOntro
IT. | did not even try to help myself.
og was drawn into shallow water, an
re- quickly taken out, and after stru'
nd gle far more painful than the hal
&c. drowning had been, recovered.
Need | say that Arthur was, henc
e forth, more my friend than ever?
nd London he spent half his leisure hOu
in my chambers, or in the excursion
we took together to the mountains
to the sea. He had been away {
or or public business when [ first becan
IRIS acquainted with Isabel. | wrote
mt him about her. | was impatient
have him see her the earliest nome
sc after his return. Not less had | to
her of Arthur, and | had excited t
.RD expectations of both.
There was a party on the night
his return to London, and | had
.no sisted that he should 60, tired as
lps, was with the journey from Dubl
nls' nes and be presented to her whom l NJ
dared to call my Isabel.
/ saw, with a twinge of jealou
e which felt to be ineXpressibly me
mn land contemplate, that Arthur a
his Isabel were much impressed with ca
sine iRe other. They polkaed and waltz
and together. How narrowly | watcf
- them! Arthur was excited, brillia
TIP fascinating. Isabel danced as | /
never seen her dance before, q
showed, by her nervous manner
1t .0d OF delightful color, how much she '
25tf interested and fattered by his att
tions.
and Arthur congratulated me; but
, embarrassed. Isabel was far m
Al. selfpossessed. She said he wa
xam- splendid fellow-she had no idea
would like him so well, and she
- her best to blind me with her ten(
ness but | had watched them
too jealous an eye not to see my
lie .;vdn ID sition was in danger.
e in Why 90 on with this mlser'
with with story? Isabel was, | cannot say +