Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1874-09-17

and looked searchingly in the doctors
face.
GA convict ?" he said, slowly.
"Well," said the doctor, dryly, CT
don't see much society except convicts,
at present, and / can't say but what I
like them as well as / do those who
think themselves a good deal better
I've found out it isn't always the worst
that are caught by any means. I'm a
radical, you must know" he added,
quantity, land very much disapproved
of by the family
All looked out into the gathering
darkness for some minutes, and then
said, quietly:
"WelI, sir, if you care to hear con-
vict's story, sit down awhile. I've
never told It to any one, and / don't
know why I should tell it to you but
the moods on me, and might az we'll
talk as think, may be /; and then you've
guessed my secret partly-at least, you
know I'm not Jim Brown and a smile
flashed across his face. How old do
you think 1 am ?" he continued.
DR.. Harris looked at the powerful
frame of the man-at the strong, hard
lines In his face.
Between forty and fifty, 1 should
say"
Thirty-six, yesterday. 1 was twen-
ty-four the day was sentenced "a pleas
ant way of celebrating ones birthday,
wasn't it? There was lot of stuff in
the papers about my youth, and my
being so hardened Did they think /
was going to beg for mercy ?-not /.
I've been out here twelve years now,
and I've escaped twice and been caught
again but I'll try it once more, some
time"
"You ought not tell me that" said
the doctor smiling,
"Why rot They watch me all the
time any way. Just give me some water,
will you? Thanks. Well, 1 ought to
commence with my name, L suppose.
It is Edward Tracy. 1 was the second
son of a Northumberland squire, who
had just enough money to keep up the
place for nv brother, and no more. A
fire old place it was. and the only thor
oughly happy days 1 can look back to
were spent there. That was when / was
boy-home for the holidays, eager
about cricket and football, and to whom
gun and the range of the rabbit wa--
rem were perfect happiness. After
a while, it was unpleasant enough. My
brother-a lazy, good-looking fellow.
who knew how to ride and shoot, and
only that-was the idol of my mother
and sisters. All deferred to him except
little Mary, my pet, who used to follow
me round like kitten. Poor little
girl ! I wonder if she thinks of me
now. Younger sons In a poor family
have hard time of it. / only wonder
more don't go to the bad than do.
Brought up as gentlemen they are then
thrown on their own resources, to live
by their wits, either in some beggarly
profession, or as hangers-on where there
are any rich relations. They must put
up with being snubbedand thrown over,
whenever they come in the way-made
use of and then cast aside at least, such
was my experience. l was proud and
passionate, and so felt these things more
than others, 1 dare say. wanted to go
into the army, but my father said he
couldn't afford it, would be always
getting into debt etc.-and so | was
apprenticed to London barrister-a
great, pompous man, whom 1 cordially
detested before a month was out. He
had way of aggravating me whenever
we came in contact that used to make
me long for an excuse to pitch him
downstairs. believe in presentiments.
1 knew that man would injure me some
day. saw more trickery and under
hand dealing while in that Office than /
had ever seen in my life before. Mr..
Pierson was a man of tact, not talent.
He had gained several good cases, which
made his reputation, and he had a way
of making people believe that if black
was not just white, it was certainly gray,
which proved very useful to him.
81 was about twenty-five when /
went into Kent for few weeks, partly
on business for Mr.. Pierson, and partly
to visit an uncle of mine. Am / firing
you, sir, with this long story?"
+" Not at all, Tracy go on"
All started at the unfamiliar name,
which the doctor slightly emphasized.
His breath came quickly, and his voice
was husky when he spoke again
Would you think, now, that a man
could hear his own name so seldom,
that when it was spoken as you spoke
mine, it could make the past come back
like the great wave, almost blotting out
the present? haven't heard my name
for more than tea years." he went on
musingly. 81 don't wonder it sounds
strange to me. 1t was in the summer
when went to Kent the time for fall.
ing in love- as it is called, and, of
course, did it. don't wonder at my
self. even now, when l remember all
that has passed. We were thrown very
much together. Lucy was an orphan,
living with rich maiden aunt, whose
place abjoined my uncle's. 1 had al
ways fondness for playing the part OF
protector and she was a clinging, de-
pendent little thing, with long golden
curls and delicate pink-and-white dai
sy face. I had never cared for any girl
before, and from the first I loved hel
madly. It's the old, old story, and ]
needn't make fool of myself again by
telling it to you. Before I went back
to town, we had exchanged rings, and
she had promised to love me through
eternity. A lengthy eternity it proved
"Our engagement was to remain 6
secret until 1 should become a great
lawyer, and then 1 was to claim her