Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1873-01-10


you've been asking for me" she went on
"its about Mara. Where is she?"
In prison
What, you've not got her out yet?' And
she appeared astonished.
"How should we have got her out?"
al thought you swels could have got her
out long ago." Here she laughed in a
rambling way.) money does every thing.
If I'd had some when was born, shouldn't
be here now. Well. it was who stole the
rings; but III tell you how it happened. |
met Mara one day ill., the streets, looking
rich; aud asked her to give me mon
ey for old fellowship's sake. didn't threat
en- to dog her. mind that, you. owed her
already more than could pay her back, un-
less | were to do for her what she'd done
for me years ago Well she gave me mon
ey, and did so twice again but the fourth
time, when I'd come to watch for her going
out, to see if l couldn't get lump sum from
her to take me out of the country, saw her
90 to jewellers shop. Then | though that
if | could follow her iu, and lay hold Of
something whilst the man was serving her, it
would save me the trouble of begging. |
looked through the window, and set eyes on
a lot of rings so | walked in; and whilst
the man was lifting me down clock, |
whipped up three of the hoops so quickly
that I'm blessed if Mara herself saw me do
it. But, when that man turns round, what
does he do but stare at me, so that | knew
he suspected me Of something. Then | got
into panic for | knew. if he missed the
rings, he'd follow me out and have me quod-
ded. Then it would have cen fifteen years
for me, at least for the Gu .rleys have been
wanting me for some time for other things. II
could have put back the rings into the tray,
I'd have done it; but couldn't; his eye
wouldn't have let my hand get so near the
counter as an inch. So dropped the things
into Mara's pocket, which it wasn't difficult
for me to do. as | was next her. | thought
they wouldn't suspect a lady like her"
Here she paused to gasp, and moancd, "Oh,
my poor head :"
"And the murder ten years ago. ill.,
quired
"Ah! has Mara told you about that ~
she asked, not excitedly, but with dull
glare in her eyes
Nothing about your share in it," was my
cold answer.
What she asked, with an accent OF
cunning doubt, nothing even to her hus'
band ?"
"She has kept your secret entirely" re.
piled quietly.
A flush rose to the woman's coorless face;
she covered her face with one Of her hands
and, for the first time probably for many
years, her voice apsed into something like
softness. Look here :" she exclaimed
"there are some women who are born devils
and others angels. 1t was | murdered
that policeman; but as had been good to
Mara and her mother in days before, in fact
before got to know Jem she took the muir
der on herself; because as we knew, the
judges would have hanged me, or at least
shut mG up for life, whereas she being
young, aud having never been put in prison
as had, it was easy to make it manslaugh
ter in her case Let me tell you she didn'
know Jem was cracksman. When | gave
her those Jewels he had stolen, to put in hel
box, for my own was full Of 'em,-l tolC
her he was traveller for jewelling ouse
and she thought him an honest man, and me
a pure one like herself, When heard hel
sentenced to penal serytude, though, ant
saw how pluckIy, for my sake, who WASH
worthy to lick the mud off her boots, sh,
swore it was her little bit of fist that haC
killed the Charley | was half druv to clos,
her lips with kissing EN-, and to cry, DON
believe her, my lord it was me that did 1t
But then they would have parted me all M
life from Jom; and that couldn't hay,
borne for | loved Jem then,
1t was of no use TO waste time in reproach
es. "You can repair some Of the evil yol
have done, if you will swear all you hav
just said before a magistrat, and witnesses.
$50 and fetch 'em," she murmured, sink
ing back on her mattress: "but BIO quicl
about it and you needn't be afraid abou
bringing Charleys, They may take me t
the prison, If they like. | should die NOR
comfortably there" Aud once again thi
being, who had once been woman, laughe,
hideously.
W.
In the present generous condition of GU
law, person who has not committed an Of
fence, and been imprisoned for it, can on
be discharged, on proof of his innocence, b
a pardon from her Majesty, forgiving biz
for that offence which he has not committed
In due course,-that is, after a month Q
two of official objections, correspondent,
clerkdoings and the rest of it,-Mara oil
tanned Queens pardon. The negotiation
had been kept secret from Mara. Her hui