The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1867-04-18
IOWA,'APR1L IS, 1867.

subtle fea0O0ln8 00CA INK " WulCn wa
strengthened by quotation nom some
infidel writer, no though. to show how
inconsistent were my conclusions, and
how little of the unknown could be
known to any Of us. His reading had
been 80 varied, his retention was 20
good, and his sophistical style was 50
difficult to reply to, that I felt that my
argumentative powers, even with truth
to strengthen them, were no match for
sosubtle an intellect a. his, and I, there
fore, made no further effort to convert
him.
For O few moments we both sat silent.
He then saids
To be hanged tomorrow! II II not q
pleasant idea to go to bed with? At least
it would be to vulgar mind; but to .
philosophical person like myselfit mere
" opens field for speculative thought.
To be hanged tomorrow! to dangle at
the end of a rope, to feel few moments
physical pain, to swing to and fro in the
wind for an hour, and then to be buried
in some spot to be pointed at as mur-
derer's grave! it is not OIL the whole, All
agreeable picture; but how much better
than life in such living tomb as this!-
To be hanged tomorrow! perhaps in the
rain-for l used, when was in Norfolk
Island, to predict that I was to be hang
ed on rainy morning. And yet sup
pose the sun will shine out brightly
again afterwards, and people will laugh
and live, just the same as if I had never
danced out of the world upon nothing
To be hanged tomorrow! well, don't
mean to be hanged like commonplace
individual; and you may take my own
word for it too, that shall asonish the
good people very much; and, perhaps,
put their patience little to the test"
He indulged in this strain of rhapsody
for some minutes, and then, starting up
from his seat he came close to me and
said:
~ don't believe that the dead are real
ly dead; l met the idea first in one of
Tennyson's poems, and it has clung to
me ever since. Did you ever read Pyth-
agoras? and do you believe in the doc
trine of metempsychosis? Wouldn't it
be funny if were to wake up, after be.
ing hanged, a young elephant in the
Geological gardens; or crocodile on the
banks of the Nile; or, perhaps, find my
self baby in some beautiful palace, and
heir to a kingdom?
replied: II am not inclined to dis
cuss such foolish questions; but confess
l am curious to hear something of YOU
past history. Contrasting the style o
your conversation with the wretchel
position you here occupy tonight, YOU
career must, feel certain, have been {
singular one."
He made no immediate answer. HI
took drink, stretched himself on tn,
bed-board, and lay quite still for half al
hour, with his face covered with hi
hands.
He then spoke to me, and said:
"Come and sit beside me, will tel
. yon everything"
1 accordingly took my seat by his sid
!. on the bed-board, and he related to m
/ the story Of his life.
His father was q tailor living in Lon
: don, and used to work for a wholesal
house that did large military business
) On one occasion the father had entrus,
+ ed to him pair of epaulets to put on
1 coat, and these suddenly disappears
e from the fathers shop during his al
G senee for few minutes. He accuse'
his son of having stolen them, gave bir
: q dreadful beating, and turned him OF
t of the house.
:. The boy took to street life, and in
} few months was an inmate Of Newgat
: Prison, awaiting trial on the charge
!, burglary. For this offence he was cor
: victed and sentenced to term of impri
onment, but the punishment was yer
J far from having beneficial effect; 70
to use his own words, Newgate was
J school of high art, where knowlede
o was impaired on the mutual instructio
l principles" and thus he returned to IL
+ world armed with fresh power to do evi
e At the age of seventeen he was secon
time convicted of burglary, and senten
y ed to be transported for ten years.
He was in the first instance placed
l. one of the prison reformatories, but r
e peated acts of finsubordination led to h
expulsion, and he was finally sent
n Norfolk Island. He there was en-
e ployed at book binding, and subsequen
l. ly had charge of the prison library; ar
; thus, with good natural abilities and
taste for reading, he acquired consid
. rable knowledge.
After having been on the island TO,
> years he obtained a situation as mus
= master to the younger children of Il
: commandant; but taking advantage
: his position he carried on for some tin
love correspondence with the eide
daughter, young lady Of eighteen, ar
. on this being accidentally discovered, l
: was sentenced to receive one hundrt
and fifty lashes and to be worked in Il
. chain gang for year.
u During that twelve months, for rcpeate
r. acts Of refractory cOndfrcf I'm r~co;x,.