Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1873-12-26

IIC CtCpPC0 WV dld lCl. L dShCQ
you to give your name, will you an
swer?" he questioned in loud and angry
voice.
The prisoner seemed frightened, SO that
her limbs refused to bear her, and had I
not quickly grasped her, she would have
fallen to the floor. / placed a chair for
her and remained standingsat her side.
Spite of all our endeavors we could not
get the girl to speak. She sat silent and
utterly speechless, gazing on the floor;
but as the judge in conversation with
others declared, "This person remains
prisoner She cannot go free!o she
sprang from the chair 'ere the last word
was uttered, let her eyes rove from one to
another until they rested on him, and,
looking him firmly in the eyes, she said:
" / have suffered my seven days i'm
prisonment; tonight at half past seven it
is at an end YOU dare not detain me
longer. You have not thecright.'
"That is not for you to decide"
But, think, sir, am not guilty of any
thing; not only /, but two others will be
so miserable if you do not let me go.''
The poor child was the picture of suf-
fering and fright.
"Now," said the judge, mildly, an
swer me. Are you the Adeline Won r.
that was condemned by military court
at B?"
"No, am not the condemned. But
what of that?" she asked.
"Much, very much. You are guilty of
an act punishable by ten years imprison-
ment and fine of from one hundred to
ten thousand dollars, and until judgment
is passed in the matter you return to close
confinement"
ooh, God my Godp' she cried, wildly.
II do not understand what you say. |
did not wish to do harm"
s'That cannot avail you, even should
your intention have been of the best.
You cheated the court of a righteous
Judgment by cOnniving at the escape of
the real criminal
"No, no, / did not think of such
thing. / only desired to save another
from utter destruction. Oh, believe me,
the gentle, lovely girl would have become
insane. / am stronger than she. Never
would you have brought her alive to this
place, and if so only her corpse would
you have had to bring out"
"Even that will not clear you from this
deception or free you from punishment"
"What shall | say to soften your hard
hearts ?''
'"Ask that person" she said, pointing to
the detective. "He will tell you l have
only spoken the truth about my friend;
he knew her. Do you think it was an
easy matter to place myself here? Did |
not suffer indescribably? My strength
failed me even at the prison gate; but
thought of my friend, of her kiss, as at
parting she wept and moaned in her
anguish, and became strong again, and
when my spirits failed me during this
time, that picture gave me courage"
"Well, we'll, tell your future judges
this, as you rave told us. | have nothing
to do with it. Perhaps they will, in con-
consideration of this, give you only two
years and $100 fine"
"I will DO everything you tell me, sir;
but you will let me go now, will you not?
Imay return home this EVENING"" she
pleaded
mol" he replied, shortly.
"Must I repeat it, sir? | shall go mad
I must be home tonight; my friend
awaits me; she numbers the moments
until | see her again; she will die in her
sorrow and fear!'
"Your friend receives with you the
samegpunishment!"
"What say you?" she screamed; "you
tell me she will suffer also? Why, she
does not even know that am here; she
believes that | have gone to some one in
a distant place to intercede for her."
Examination may prove the truth of
this assertion
''My examination!" the girl repeated
ooh, I feel so strange; all is void in my
heart, and yet it seems as if it would
break from the fullness of its misery.
comprehend, and still do not realize. It
cannot be Oh, Mr.. Inspector, you will
let me go home this EVENING""
II dare not" | answered as firm as /
could
"Not?"
That word enclosed my soul in so small
space l cannot understand it. The
heart-rending cry uttered will never be
forgotten. All was silent; only the quick
breathing of the prisoner could be heard.
The judge thought she had become salts
fed further words were useless, and by
motion he bade me take her away.
l led her out by the hand she uttered
not one word; arriving at the prison she
entered her cell in the same silence; her
eyes were hard and dry; she did not ap-
pear to see me, but sat with folded hands
gazing into vacancy.
The pressure of her troubles was too
much for the spirit of the girl; six days
had she waited for the moment when she
could face her beloved friend and say,
''You are free!'
She had constantly kept before her
mind the sorrowing picture of their part
ing, and then fancied the happiness her
sacrifice would bring. Such visions had
kept her courageous and cheerful; now
with one fearful blow they were destroyed,
and only the prospect of life covered
with disgrace left her.
I appealed to the Judge in her behalf,
and explained my fears in regard to the
girls reason, but one can become hard
ened through familiarity to suffering in
every shape. He anticipated nothing Sc
rious in consequence.
But her situation did not alter; she OBJ
served neither my coming nor going. |
tried to draw her interest from her own
thoughts, without success. She neither
ate nor drank. Occasionally her eyes
would be raised from the floor to fit from
one object to another, as if in search of
something that could not be found. 1t
was the restless wandering of suffering
soul-the language of broken spirit. She
had exhibited the courage of a man; she
had offered more than her life in the act
of entering the prison; that she could not
realize the unhappy result did not detract
one iota from the nobleness of the inten
tion. She was not aware she was CON-
mitting something forbidden; she only
believed that selfsacrifice would bring
peace to her family and happiness to her
friend
My heart bled for her, and after eight
days the physician in charge pronounced
her incurabe He cOI1ld not helm her
condition, and two years later the sufferer
died in an insane asylum.
/ after time discovered that the crime