Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1872-08-30

prudent and did not trust so delicate a
business to clerk, as | had done.
| However, at the end of year had
| gained his confidence to such an extent
that he proposed to initiate me into its
mysteries But | had SO many reasons
for regarding such a custom with horror
! that honestly declined, at the same time
| showing deep repugnance to fraud of any
kind. Wonderful to relate, probity,
which is too often neglected in this world,
proved for me, as it always is, an element
of success. And, by the way, let me as
sure you that this element is not yet worn
out My master, seeing that l was an
honest man, said TO me-.
Herman this was the name had as
sumed], now appreciate you fully we
shall never part"
He contided his cash box to my care,
and at the end of his second year he made
me marry his daughter. She was very
quiet girl, twenty eight years of age, and
endowed with all those qualities which
distinguish the woman of Holland. Her
name was Trudje.
| | was happy, when toward the end of
the third year my patron, who was now
my father-in-law, and of whom I had be-
come the partner, gave dinner in honor
Of his son, Captain Thomas Cromme, who
had Just returned from Batavia I had
never seen him. My wife could not re-
tain her joy, for she deeply loved her
brother. l was much surprised when, on
being presented to Captain Cromme, [
recognized the face of an old acquaint-
ance. | concealed my emotion, but the
sailor was more frank.
"Hallo is that you, Pochinet ?" he
cria6 for ba boI fWioa franco otad h11ci-
ness with me at Lausanne, and had even
sold me some very bad tea.
| feigned astonishment. His father
told him that my name was Herman,
and that in me he beheld his brother
in-law. Thomas Cromme appeared to
be convinced. But my voice troubled
his mind, and my Swiss accent added
to his perplexity, and it was with
very bad grace that he consented
to admit that [ was not Pochinet. This
singular incident disturbed my tranquil
ity. The Captain remained month at
Amsterdam, and always regarded me
with suspicious air. He told his sister,
who repeated it to me, that | resembled a
grocer of Lausanne as nearly as one drop
of water resembles another, and that he
was surprised to find in Germany two per-
sons so exactly formed after the same
model. had said that I was from Stras-
bourg and that my parents were Swiss,
which accounted for my Swiss accent.
He asked questions which put me to the
torture. At last was relieved to learn
that he had gone
But it appeared that his suspicious had
extended to his family, for they told me
that he had returned to the Indies, when
in reality ne had gone to Lausanne. The
investigation which, unknown to me, he
had made at Strasbourg had convinced
him that had told falsehood, and he
determined to learn the exact truth.
Arriving at Lausanne, he learned that
Claude Pochinet had been hanged a few
weeks previous to my first appearance in
Holland So clear fact would have been
sufficient to any other man; but Captain
Cromme had the obstinacy of a true Hol-
lander He found that my first wife,
whom they told me had died while [ was
in prison, had on the contrary recovered,
and was yet living, which, of course,
made me guilty of the crime of bigamy.
He visited me, and by dint of question
ing learned that my throat was ossifed.
This gave him ray of light, and pur-
suing his investigation still further he
discovered the young surgeon who had
saved me, and from him obtained a full
confession.
He returned to the widow Pochinet, as
she was called, and abruptly offered to
restore her husband to her. The poor
woman, who well knew that l had not in
tended to poison her, was nearly over
come. The Captain. on his part, began
to feel the difficulties into which he had
thrown himself. He thought of his sister,
his father, his family. He remembered,
also. that he was rendering very unwel-
come service to my first wife, for it would
be necessary to inform her that | was
married again. He could not bring him
self to tell her this, so he contented him.
self by saying:
"Madame Pochinet, am just starting
for Amsterdam. If you wish to accom-
pany mel do not deceive you'll will
show you your husband"
His proposition was accepted, and one
day I, who suspected nothing of all this,
beheld before me Captain Cromme, who
said to me:
''Come here moment; there is some
one who wishes to speak to YOU"
These were his very words.
''But," said 1, in astonishment, II
thought you were in Batavia"
He did not answer, but conducted me to
Gu0 I1ObGl OCS AIIuSO 4NdSScuj
was a few steps from our house. We en-
tered room, and there saw woman,
who threw herself on my neck. | was so
surprised that l could not restrain an ex-
clamatiOn.
''Why, Rose ! you are alive !"
I did not then observe the movements
of the Captain, who fastened out. My
wife and had about quarter of an hour
for explanations, during which had not
ventured to tell her that, believing myself
a widower, had married again, when the
Captain returned. He was followed by
four policemen, to whom he pointed me
out, saying:
There he is" Then, apostrophizing
me, he said "You might have murdered,
pillaged, robbed you might have given
Batavia up to fire and blood, and / would
have pardoned it all but to have been
hanged, that is too much. To think that
my poor sister married man who has
been hanged to think that | have drank
and eaten with him, that my father has
had him for a son-in-law ; that our house
has been kept by him ~
He uttered these words in so loud
tone. and those who heard him repeated
with such an air OF horror the words, "a
man that has been hanged" that | could
not uGter SlHSIe WoAu III u0Aoih00 W NY
innocence.
"Take him away" said the Captain.
The four men seized, and without any
pity for Rose, who had tainted, they
dragged me to prison.
Twas tried more quickly than at Lau-
same, and once more condemned to be
hanged; this time for the crime of big
amy; had no hope of escaping again,
Tor Cromme knew what had saved me the
trst time. sadly made my adieu to life
IN my dungeon, when one night Gt was