The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1874-03-26
ROMANCE or a CONVICT GEEsE.
The Pretty FfcItpocIkes who Wight
Have Been ~ Fa~Eaion "a BILE Belle.


e pretty young girl was sent 10 Blackwell
Island for picking the pocket of a lady 0
a Broadway. Day before yesterday th
: same girl, now lovely woman of tive.
i ty-four, was convicted Of the theft an
! sentenced to four years hard labor in tn
State prison Tn story of this untortu
nate woman is most interesting one
Born in Lexington avenue Of wealth
and respectable parents, she neverthe
less inherited that unfortunate tempera
ment known as the hysterlcal Oremotlonal
When the young girl was convicted tn
: first time the mother pleaded hard 70
the misguided daughter, but it was hopes
that the discipline OF two years woul,
be of advantage to her, and so the sen
tence was carried into execution
Thoughtless and gay as child she don
ned the convicts dress. She utterly
refused to work; and considerable liber
ty was given her Every body liked her
for she was pretty and winning-rlort
like a spoiled child than a dangerou.
woman. To the son Of the warden, tai
youth of eighteen, she seemed verita
bic angel, with her soft hands, deep blue
eyes, and her volatile ways. 1t took him
about three months to arrive at the con
clusiOn that she was the most admirable
being that this earth contained, and six
months more to decide that it was wrong
for such a refined little lady to be kept
in such a place. He was serving an APP
premiership as gas-fitter in New York.
| He began to neglect his work on plea OF
illness, and to STAY upon the Island in
stead Of going over to the city. 1t was
/ !, t,+ ha II
all that related to the affairs of the pris-
on.
Never was so grand a chance offered
| for gallant hero to strike grand blow
to captivate his lady. If Pauline Des-
chappelles had been convict instead of
a merchant princess, Claude Menotte
would not have had to resort to the sub
terfuge Of personifying prince. eff
get you out, will you marry me?" said
| the Claude of Blackwell's Island; and his
Pauline responded: Eyes, you or any
body else; only be quick about it, In
broken words, caught through gratings
or behind iron doors, the fugitive lovers
planned it. She should get away and
| leave the Island alone, remain in New
York three weeks and then he would ioin
her.
A proper opportunity was long in pre-
sentlng Itself, but it came at Iast.-The
warden had left his son on guard alone
The sister Of the young man was in her
room above; she was called down on
some pretext and sent 10 a neighboring
building Quick as a flash the pretty
jail bird dashed up stairs, tore off the
convict garb, and donned the sisters best
suit. She did not forget TIE veil and
parasol with which to shield her features.
and she had the wit to sober down her
usual airy gait to the more staid motion
OF the one into into whose shoes she had
stepped. Our Claude was waiting.
Here, [ want you to row my sister over
to New York, he said to the men, and
they did 50.
1t is not known how he fixed matters
with the family, but certain it Is that
three weeks later he promised to cherish
and protect for life that liberated Jas.
bird and she to love him, to honor and to
obey.
A couple aged respectively fourteen
and eighteen were rather young to begin
0use-keeping, 50 they lived in a hotel
His love for her was a real passion; she
was his angel no matter what she dil,
and he worked hard all dav and every
day to support her As for her, she GER
tainly respected her husband, she was
grateful to him, she had kept her promise,
but the stained, dark bands OF the gas
filter were always horror to her; it was
towards the light fingered gentry that she
gravitated gracefully and naturally
Having the whole day TO herself, in
the midst Of the great metropolis. the
aereditarY dormant passion was surely
and speedily reused 10 life. Thieving
is Il disease. With this poor girl it as
sumed the chronic state Before she
had been a wife two years She was ar
rested for grand larceny, tried and con
victed, and sentenced to Sing Sing for
three years. When she came out She
thought herself cured the husband, like
Douglas, ever tender and true. took her
home again. Unfortunately for her she
never loved him, and she was incapa-
bic Of keeping her promise to be hon
est.
At last she did fall in love. She tried
to pick the pocket ola rich SOutherner, and
he caught her in the act and chivairously
forgave her. Again yearning for some
thing nobler and better took possession of
her. and again she promised never to
yield to temptation; but the new love
awakened III her heart made her ashamed
of her husband. Soon she was again on
trial for larceny, and the father Of her
husband came forward and did not spare
his evidence in full. She received an
other term in Sing Sing. In time the
warden's son was divorced and married
again.
Adelaide came from prison the third
time to stand beside the death-bed Of her
mother IF you are again tempted
to yield to the fatal passion, my child,
think how much your mother loved you,
said the dying woman and again the
daughter took the pledge of abstinence.
She went to live with sister in Brooklyn.
At the age Of twenty-three she was more
of child than she had been at four
teen.
Il am going up to my home" she said
Yesterday, Sing Sing-I call it my home,
[ have been there so much l believe
like it better than New York [ suppose
its because am so hardened, and her eyes
filled with tears. Her last pledge is broi-
en; the panic came with its great excite
ment for all, and an excitement especially
calculated to aggravate a malady like
hers, She, for four more years must oc-
cupy prison cell.-New York Graph
ic