The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1870-11-24


execution, has confession 10 make To
you in regard to that afFair-a very hor.
ribie one, fear
Ii you will call at the prison any
time today, you win not be too late
TO morrow will be Friday, and he is to
suffer execution at dawn. Present this.
1t you please implore you to usk no
questions nov"
Before they could say much he was
gone, afraid, think, to be the first To
tell the story, and our gentlemen ca He'd
cab and took me with them at nv re.
quest. They seemed to expect us at the
PRISON, aud We were admitted. But
In the narrow corridor Morris stopped
me
Gentlemen" he said, "you must
nerve yourselves. Have you reflected
that you p'ay see Benjamin Wade when
yonder door is opened 7"
Young Grinby put his hand upon his
heart, aud seemed turning faiut again.
1t was the first time the thought entered
my mind, and il was u blow. II stag
gered me
The next minute the turnkey flung
the door open, and VIC were iu the cell.
on the hoor lay mau-a broad should.
cred fellow, in rough garmeuts-who
seemed to have east himself down in
grlet or terror. 1t was not Ben Wade.
AT hrst | thought had never seen the
face he lifted as he rose. In moment
1t came TO me.
II was the leader Ct the gang who
had been arrested Tor the old attempt
at robbery, when we had found little
Ben in the stone vault.
You We come have you ?" said he,
sitting down on the stone seat, "and /
see you know me- They've caught me
again, aud its murder this time. and
We got to swing If it wasn't for that,
no person would have got this out of
me. But I've promised, and always
keep my word do. You remember
a young man called Ben Wade?"
What Of him ?" we cried 10 a
breath.
Not much - he didn't rob your
place, that's all. We done it-Dick
Burch. and Slippery Tom and me. Tell
you how it was You know that boy
Informed on us, aud | was locked up
for hard labor for more years than most
men live. didn't stay, thought cut
off and came home. And the first thing
| did was to VOW vengance on that boy.
Why, there he was, a gay Young buck.
in fiue toys, with the handling of money,
and thought of, and trusted, lust for
havingdon for US. Proud, too-wouldn I
speak to us in the street. Threatened
to give information if he ever saw one
Of us prowling about. heard it all
| sworc I'd fix him and it seemed to
come to me
"One night | was going to Shippers
Shades to have drink Burch was
with me; and in quiet sort ofa street
we came up to Ben, in a mighty hurry.
I'D have knocked him on the head.
but Burch stopped me-"
See what he's up to- says he.
And We followed lie weat down to
your place aud went in. lie left the
door ajar, and We made the best Of it.
He was coming out, with n book or
something in his hand, and We met
him. He was plucky, tell you. Oue
OF US wouldn't have got off so easy; but
we went two to one. We gagged aud
tied him, and made clean sweep, OF
the place that night"
And Beu-my God, did Ben think
we would not believe him 7" cried Mr..
Griuby. "He had but to come to us
to tell the truth. Where is he 7 Do you
know :? Speak p
The robber was turning the hue of
ashes. His words came slowly. His
eye glanced over his shoulder aud back.
ward up against the wall.
"We locked him up 10 the stone
vault, he said, "and took the key with
us. If you look you'll find him there"
And Mr.. Grinby tainted outright 10
my arms.
Well, sir, the robbers words were
true ne stone vault was opened that
da, aud there-uo matter. 1t was
easier to know the ring he wore, and
the keys and purse in his pocket, than
poor Ben Wa ie
The first thing Mrs. Humphries
said, was: "Thank Heaven, Lucy can.
not know it." And the next she
sobbed-"0h, but the certainty would
have been better for her, after all. Aud
then to know his name was clear"
And SO that is the story of the stone
vault; and strange ms it is, it is quite
true. You may sea his grave close be-
side Lucys any day. Aud Mrs.
llumphries-she's romantic woman.
sir-says she thinks the violets and
roses grow there of their own accord,
under the wite monument.