Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1867-04-19

to . vulgar mind; but to philosophical per-
SON like myself It merely opens Geld for
speculative thought. TO be hanged TO- o-morrow |
70 dsstle st the end Of . rope, to feel few
moments physical pain, to swing to and fro in
the wind for IN hour, and then 10 be buried in
some spot 70 Be pointed 1t - . murderer .
gravel y not on the whole, an agreeable pic-
turs; but how much better than life in such .
living tsab - this 10 Be- hanged tomorrow /!
perhaps In ths rsin-Sor I used, When was in
Norfolk Island, 70 predict that Vas sure to Be
hanged o. . rainy morning. And Jet sup
pose ths sun viii shiss out brightly again af-
ssrwsras, ard people will lasgh and live, just
ths same - II had never danced out Of the
world upon setbisg. 70 b hanged to-mor>
rowi we'll doa't mean 70 be hanged like .
esomenplaes Individual; ssd you nay take
~ owa word for il To-, list shall sstonish
The good people very much; sad, ,psrhaaps, pu.
their patisass little to tie test"
He indalgsd In this strain Of rhapsody for
some minutes, and then, starting up from his
seat, he came clsss 10 me and said:
II don't believe the dead are really dead
I met the idea 6rst In one Of Tennyson's po-
ems, and II has clung to me ever since. Did
you ever read Pyshagorss? and do you BE-
lieve in the doctrine Of metempsy- -chosls ,
wouldn't il Be fnany II l were to wake up,
aftsr being hanged, . youg elephant in the
biological 0ardeus; Or crocodile on the
banks Of the Mile; or, perhaps, hnd myself .
baby In some beautiful palace, and heir to .
kingdom I"
Irsplied:
II am not inclined to discuss such foolish
questions but confsss Am curious to hear
something Of your past history. Costrasting
the style Of your conversation with the wretch
Cd position you here occupy tonight, your
career must, I feel certain, have been singu-
lar one"
He made no immediate answer. He took .
prink, stretched himself on The bed>board,
and lay quite still for half an hour. with his
face covered with his hands.
He then spoke to me and said:
Come and cit beside me, will tell you
everything.
accordingly took my seat by his side on
the bed board, and he related to me the story
Of his life.
shall not give it in his own words, -
cannot in this sketch attempt anything be
yond a mere utline Of it.
His father was tailor living in London,
and used to work for wholesale house tina,
did large military business. On one occa-
s ion the father had entrusted o him pair Of
epaulets to put on coat, and these suddenly
disappeared from the fathers shop during his
absence for few minutes. He accused his
son Of having stolen them, gave him dread>
full beating, and turned him out Of the House.
The boy took to street life, and in a few
months was an inmate Of Newgate Prison,
awaiting trial on the charge Of burglary. For
this ofense he was convicted aud sentenced
to term Of Imprisonment, but the punish>
ment was very far from having beneficial
effect, for, to use his own words, .Newgate
Was school Of high art, where knowledge was
impaired ON the mutual instruction principle, y
and thus hs returned to the world armed with
fresh power to do evil. At the age Of seven
teen he Vas second time convicted Of bur-
glary, and then sentenced to b transported
for ten years.
He was in the first instance placed in one
Of ths prison reformatorics, but repeated acts
Of insubordina,ion led to his expulsion, and
hs was finally sent to Norfolk Island. He
there Vas employed at book-binding, and
subsequently, had charge Of the prison library;
and thus, with good natural abilities and
taste for reading, he acquired considerable
knowledge.
After having been on the Island four years
he Obtained situation % music master, IA
the younger children Of the comman ndsnt;
but taking advantage Of his position he car.
ried on for some time love correspondence
with the eldest daughter, young lady Of
eighteen, and on this being accidently dis
covered, he was sentenced to receive one
hundred and ffty lashes and to be worked in
ths chain gang for one year.
During that twelve months, for repeated
acts Of refractory conduct, he received no
fewer than nine hundred lashes.
while telling mo this part Of his history,
10 took oR Ais coat and shirt and showed me
his bssk. Il was one nass of knottsd SCARF.
"Thsrs, !" said he, "doa't you think | can
meet hanging tomorrow atter .hatf'
At the expirstion of bic sentence hs made
bic way 70 Melbourne, and the 6rst day Of
h,s arrival met ; youag girl waaderins
through The streets homeless and friendless.
He had ssms tribe Of money himsslk and
hs persuaded her to accompany hin . HE
lodeings, whore she remained with him week
They then both succeeded in engaging them
selves 70 settler in the capacity Of shepard
sad hut-ksspsr course, passing themselves
u - married people.
Their destination vas Gipps Land very
tAiekly timbsrsd portion Of the country, but
abeuading in the lake district with Tho most
bsautiful scenery.
Msrs English readers will scarssly under
stand Whist the duties Of hut-keepsr And shep-
herd ere; and % perhaps may % we'll di-
grsss with brief explanation. TO each homo
station. or sheep farm, thsrs are attached what
~ called out stations On these men and
h3a Mia ara eAnArnllY Amnlnynd: II hAinR the