Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-11-08

| nOuse-DreakerS when we took him IN,
and many declare the character to be
formed at six years old. He was
nine. [ believe be has been won
back to his old ways"
"You will not express your belief
to others" said Mr. Grinby.
"Not as yet, most certainly" said
Mr.. Morris.
Well, sir, that was bitter day to
me-a bitter day. We could learn
nothing of young Wade after eight
o'clock on the previous night. Then
several had seen him. He had taken
tea at little coffee-house, as he some
times did when he did not intend to
return home until quite late, and had
said to some one there, II must go
back to the Office. l have forgotten
something"
Half an hour afterwards Mike, the
porter, had passed him in the street,
and young Wade had said:
"What's the time, Mike 2"
The porter told him.
Il shall be too late" he said. Il
have an engagement, and must go
back to our place for a parcel I've
forgotten"
An apple woman on the corner had
seen him enter. He often bought
fruit from her for lunch, and she knew
him well by sight.
There the news ended, until Mike,
going in 20 light the fires, found the
place a scene of confusion-desks
and safes riaed, papers strewn about,
and every mark of systematic ourgla-
ry.
Later in the day Lucy Evans came
down. Her brother had sent her
word of what had occurred. She be-
lieyed some terrible accident had hap
pened to Ben, and begged the firm to
spare no efforts to discover him. She
was almost distracted, and who can
wonder. They had been going to-
gether, it seemed, to see some play
the night before, and she bad been
sufficiently alarmed by his falling to
keep the appointment to be in a meas
ure prepared for worse. She knew
he intended to bring her book. He
had spoken Of it. That must have
been the parcel he went back for. Of
course she never doubted him, and no
one dared to hint at what had been
whispered in her presence.
For weeks, sir, the authorities were
at work. Immense rewards were Of
fered for the burglars, and for the re-
covery, alive or dead, Of young Ben
jamin Wade, bat without the least ef-
feet.
We were notified of everybody
washed ashore, and of every unknown
man found dead for months, and ct
last there were few who did not
laugh at poor Ben's friends for their
credulity.
1t seemed plain to them-and may
heaven not judge them as they judged
their brother-Ben Wade was guilty.
Poor Lucy never looked up. 1t
was easy enough to see that her heart
was broken, and in a year she died,
Just a week too soon to hear what l
shall tell you.
One morning | was very busy at
nv desk in the Office when a gentle
man came in and asked for Mr.. Nor
ris or Mr.. Grinby. Old Mr.. Grinby
was home with the gout, but Mr..
Morris and the young gentleman were
in. | saw the gentleman was a cler-
gyman and tancied he had called to
solicit subscription for some mission
to the heather, or Sunday school, or
new church. But his first words
made me start. They were these:
"You remember, OF course, a bur-
glary committed here year ago, or
more"
| could not keep my seat then, but
went forward, trembling like a leaf.
Young Mr.. Grinby had turned quite
faint, and was leaning against the wall
for support.
"You are agitated.n said the cler-
gyman; Il fear you will be still more
affected by what you must soon hear.
A person now in custody, condemned
to execution, has a confession to make
to you in regard to that affair-a
very horrible one, | fear"
He took a card from his pocket
and wrote a few lines.
'If you will call at the prison any
time to-day you will not be too late.
Tomorrow is Friday, and he is to suf-
fer execution at dawn. Present this,
ii you please, and, implore you, ask
no questions now"
Before they could say much he was
gone. Afraid | think, to be the first
to tell the story, and our gentlemen
called cab and took me with them
at my request. They seemed to ex-
pect US at the prison, and We were
admitted. But III the narrow corri-
dor Morris stopped US.
"Gentlemen, he said, "you must
nerve yourselves. Have you reflect
ed that you may see Benjamin Wade
when yonder door is opened ?"
Young Grinby put his hand upon
his heart, and seemed turning faint
again. 1t was the first time the tho't
had entered my mind, and it was a
blow. 1t staggered me.
| The next minute the turnkey flung
the door open, and we were in the
cell. On the floor lay a mana
broad shouldered fellow, in rough
garments-who seemed to have cast
himself down in grief or terror. I;
was not Ben Wade. At first | tho't
| had never seen the face he lifted as
he arose. la moment it came tC
me.
1t was the leader of the gang who
mad been arrested for that old at
tempt at robbery, when we had found
little Ben in the stone vault.
"You've come, have you ?" said he
sitting down on the stone seat, "and
| see you know me. They've caught
me again, and its murder this time
and I've got to swing. If it wasn'I
for that, no person 'ud have got this
out OF me. But I've promised. and
always keep my word, do. Yor