The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1873-03-13
.RAvENNA, 9. -THURsDAY MARoH 18.. ..le7a:.s.

i YOU EdES = OOCl . -Gu ~ cukGI atAG-fu1AE
severai times at dead of night. / die
mot exPoseAyou to the shame and dis
grace of public trial for you Were
my brother. L only told you .tha
4 your crime had been discovered, and
| had YOU confessed then. ard promised
/ to amend. L would have given you al
opportunity 20 have proven yoursel
again worthy of my confidence. Bul
you stontly denied, even as you do To.
to the time of its discovery. oh
| Claude, can 90 no further. / would
/ not have believed that would repay
my kinkness with ngratitude-mucl
Hess robbing. Why did you do il
Your prospects in life were all thai
you could wish. You held a lucrative
position in my employ; you enjoyed
ali the advantages OF society; you
possessed the love of a noble woman
who would have made you true and
tender WIFE y 'i'''i' 80 ...'.-1.,,,, heh,
"Yes Paul, you were very Kind tc
me; my prospects were all that !
coald desire.d AS you say, in little
while l wouId have been your part
ner, aud Mary Colby would have
been my wife. Oh, Mary do you,
I too, think me a base, guilty wretch,
unworthy the name of man? Before
God, am guiltless r. ad sla5s soil
/. He paused moment, with his face
buried in his hands, and sobbed like
child but, overcoming his emotion
at last, with a strong effort, he went
on: :o3EpR 19)RHSc. .iDtisH ygu
t. .Then,you will not give. me posi-
tion again among men, Paul Your
mo, no! thousand times no r
cried the banker, wildly. What
place you among men whose confir
dence you would abuse as you did
mine No, Claude, L can not do it.
| How am 1 to know that yon are penl1
tent, even now !? How an L TO know
that you have not spent the Interval
of two years, since last | saw you, In
crime and debauchery ,','', : - ssIs
81 swear to you that have lived an
honorable life since last saw you, !"
said the outcast in tones that would
have carried conviction TO q less im-
piacable man than Paul Benson, "but
( have been unfortunate. Sickness
and want have made me the wreck 1
am but never crime. 1 am not GRIM
inai, but very unfortunate" I'D
81 wish I could believe You, Claude,
but | can not,"e said Pan" Bensoas
ltreIiuI9usiy ..aiid l dare not assist
you while u doubt remains as to your
.honofsti =
iif.iT win go now And the outcast
drew his old cloak around him. 81
am inn ocent. May God forgive you
your base suspicious. He and Joel
Redwfck alone know who robbed
your safe. You will know some time
that1 was never guilty oflingratitude
and crime. Good by.7vo,. hao .jo
Before, the banker could speak or
move, the outcast was gone. He.
passed out through the hall and was
once more inc. he storm! which still
ragged with all lts fury. Aso he de-,
scended the steps and stood in the
wet snow, he muttered, half rdispalr-'
ingly: tis
sBut one alternative is left me now.;
and that is DEATH There is surely
rest beneath the ice. May God for
give me if I am doing wrong. j can.
not live an outcasti and a branded
criminal" s45 1863 10 -
Twenty minutes later the outcast.
stood on the iee. A great black hole
yawned before him, and through it
he could see the dark waters flowing
on without ripple or a sound. One
plunge and his troubles, would be at
an end. He stood a moment,) his pale
face upturned to Heaven, the storm,
beating fiercely and piteously upon it.
He was praying: "Oh, God, receive
my soul !"lg 4llfa5 nos1-ggp > h3dW y
The wild winds sighed and moaned
and walled, like some lost spirit, and
then howled and shrieked like mad
dened fiend.. e,s.i ~ 8fef Hea9Hu0a -
f-It is my death -knell," said Claude
Benson, and he prepared to make the
fatal plunge. - q - = q ,l4f!saf 81
!, A strange sound arrested his atten-
ton. 1t was cry for help, The out
cast paused and listened. .zf8a1ogi =
He heard it again in a moment,
sounding strangely wild above the roar
of the tempest, louder and palmer
than before. sA o3e i-.11el.fl ssgo -
"Help help! For the love of Heav-
en-, help!Y aI 20 -afI 5gGd aloii u
Il He turned and hurried away in the
direction whence the sound seemed
to proceed. 9af hallea gtias99g.
Two men were bending over a hu-
man being, living prone in the street.
They were rif1ing5 his person. sia
AS Claude Benson approached, the
ruffians ran away and disappeared in
the gloom. He .knelt down beside
the fallen man, and laid his hand on
his knee. sdi bAe II 20 guiloT p
sAre YOU much hurt ]" asked the
ioutcast, trying in vain to, penetrate
the darkness and look on the mans
face.1 e ao Ua iit8 -l9dGo1 b5lH 4
81 am dying, L think, I" ne answered,
gaspingly. 81 was set upon by two
ruffians, who knocked me down with
a keavy club, and then robbed me of
my watch and pocket-book. L tried
to resist, but one of them struck me
on the breast with a knife-and from
that knife-stroke / am diving. Ah,
DIVING, and with great sin resting
like lead OIL my soul. L can not die
Il must not die until l have seen
Paul Benson. must confess my
crime!" 5.fs.1a. ayfgsfis 1}lxJ4e -
The outcast dragged the fast dying
man to place of shelter, and then
hurried out with what speed he might
to No. lO3 Vine street which was all
ablaze with light, and sounds of nu-
sic and merry making f1oated out and
mingled with the more mOurnful ones
of the wind and storm. He flung
ODen lHG uOOf oHo PuSuCu Oy TIC
servant who opposed his entrance,
and stood in the midst of the gay COM
pany in the parlors. The gayly-dress-
ed bellies shrunk back, holding their
dresses lest they should be soiled by
contact with his dripping rags, aud
their beaux followed their example
ewing him superciliously. They evil
IDENTIFY considered his sudden advent
among them in the light OF an intru-
sion but he cared little. He forced
his wav through the crowd to his
brother. who advanced, frowning.
why are you here!" he asked, an
grily. sShali tell them who you are
what you are
mo, no, Paul, waste no time in
words. A man is dying and must
see you before his soul returns to the
God who gave it. Hurry oryou will