Wyoming democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Wyoming Co., Pa.) 1867-1940, 1868-11-18
TUNKHANNOCK, WYOMING CO., Pa WEDNE

"Well, mother" he said, sit everything
is ready we'll eat, for I'm as hungry as a
bear, and after supper I've something i'm
portant to tell you."
These last words he!spoke hesitatingly,
but was glad to know that be was about
! to unburden his son Of what ever secret il
! contained
/ So we sat down 10 the table | Was Just
pouring ont the tea when there came a
loId and unexpected wrap at the door. /
opened it, and found Mr.. Heating, the con-
stable, lie lived not far off, and had been
friend to my husbands.
"Good evening, Mr. Heating" said.
"Good evening, madam" he replied
''does James Riley live here?
"And don't you know he lives here ?" |
answered.
"Is he at home ?"
"Supposng he is-what thens"
81 must see him / have an order for his
arrest"
"What do you mean by thst?' asked
angrily. Surely you re joking, Mr.. Keat-
ing You certainly wouldn't carry Jamie
TO jail You know he's never done any
evil deed
ats a sad duty" answered the consta-
BILE, ''but arrest him / must, if he's in the
house"
"Wel, he's not in the house, nor has he
been tonight"
Before these words were fairly out of
my mouth, jamie himself stepped to the
door
He had listened to all orr conversation,
and now he spoke, in his clear manly
voice:
"I'm ready to accompany you, Mr.. Keat-
ing but with what crime am charged {"
Mr. Heating spoke very low SO as that
should not hear, but hear did, and the
words made me faint and sick. tried to
Danish the horrible suspicion of my sons
guilt, but l could not forget how the bells
had cIangged the night before.
"Mr keating," | said as calmly as |
could, though my voice trembled, "will you
let me speak 20 my son alone one minute"
Certainly, Mrs. Riley"
Then the lad came into the room, and
the constable stood without the door, and
took my boy, hand in niue, and looking
up into his face | spoke these words -
Jamie Riley by the love you bear me
BY the memory of your dead father by
the hope of your souls salvation, speak
truly--are YOU guilty or innocent!''
''Innocent, mother-before God inno-
cent = and lie bent down and kissed my
wrinkled forehead, and lifted the great
load of doubt from my mind.
"Ther 60, darling said, "and may
the Lord in his mercy watch over you
and bring you forth from this tribulation.
So JAMES went away with the consta-
bic, and sat all night by the fireplace
moaning and crying as thought of my
poor boy in the cold stone cell Of the Jail
When morning dawned | tried to rouse
myself for the duties of the day, but, Oh!
how lonely and desolate the little kitchen
looked, and when laid the table and put
Jamie's plate in It's accustomed place. and
thought how, perhaps, for long days he
would not be there to eat any more, my
eyes filled with tears and could do nothing.
The news of JAMES arrest spread
quickly through the village When they
told it to Maggie Bryan, the brsve girl tied
on her hood, and going straight TO the Jail,
demanded an interview with her lover.
She never doubted his innocence for a
moment and there, with the bleak, dreary
walls surrounding her, she vowed 10 re-
main faithful and true to him always, and
devote every energy to secure his vindica-
tion and release.
Her presence cheered Jamie, and she
came from the Jail to my cottage bringing
many hopeful messages from the dear boy
From her first learned fully the charge
against him.
|, seems that on Sunday night Jamie had
been seeu near the Presbyterian Church
shortly before the fire was discovered
there.
Nor was that the worst. Joseph Mil
ward, whose father owned the factory,
where my son worked, WAS ready to swear
that he saw Jamie rush from the vicinity
of the vestry, where the fire broke out, md
that he spoke to him as he passed. Da-
vid Butler wealthy young man, was Mil
wards companion, and his statement was
the same.
jamie eAallllnatiou-lH pTcuullIaTy
examination they call it-took place on
Tuesday The magistrate heard the evil
dences and said that he must commit the
prisoner TO await the action of the Grand
Jury. We might bave got him out on
bail, but there was no one to become his
bondsman, for though Jvmie had plenty of
friends they were all poor. The boy spoke
no harsh words, whatever.
Twill make 10 difference MOTHER" he
said, when visited him in his cell, "ior
the jury is in session, and if they find an
indictment against me shall DO tried in a
few days. You have money enough saved
up to live on these many weeks, and they
will acquit me in the end"
"But JAMIE" asked, "what does young
Milward mean by his evidence He has
perjured himself has he no,
Jamie hid his face in his hands for
moment, then looking up he said resolute-
ly:
II can't answer your question, mother,
God must Judge between him and me"
Then changing the subject, "Can you
,,a, v,a q lam, or rnother ~