Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1874-08-01

Mr.. Pierson returned to London, but
went back again to Kent in week or
two. He said he was collecting evi-
dence for an important case.
"Soon I noticed that Lucy's letters
grew shorter and shorter, and finally one
came, saying that she had been think
ing over our foolish engagement, and
as there was no prospects of my being
able to support her, she had come to
the conclusion that for the sake of us
both it had better be broken.
81 know. every word of that cool,
heartless letter now. One rememem-
bers such things. Very soon after I
heard of her engagement to Mr.. Pier
son. I was a gentleman, and he was a
snob /; but he had money, and ] hadn't"
What's a gentleman bornP Is it
shillin' an pence?" quoted the doctor,
"Eh? What's that ?"
"Only quotation from the York
shire Farmer. Go on.'a-
"Well, of course, I was furious but
what good did that do mep l thought
if I only had money, would find some
means of revenge but money was just
what I hadn't got. About that time, I
met man calling himself st. John.
He was clever and we'll educated, and
seemed to read all my wild, reckless
longings at a glance. He led me on
from bad to worse, till it ended in
forgery then he turned kings evil
dence, and I was locked up. I was
always very strong, and, finding one of
the bars loose, I wrenched it out, and
dropped from my window one dark
night and escaped. On my way to the
sea, met this man-St. John. might
have got off if ] could have let him
alone but I couldn't. I Istopped him !;
he taunted me with my disgrace told
me that Mr.. Pierson had known of the
plan laid to ruin me. 'The young lady
throwing you over was prime trump
in our hand, he added, with leer. I
warned him to be silent; but he, as if
blinded to his danger, exasperated me
in every way possible. Igrappled with
him, and, remembering trick 1 had
learned at school, soon threw him. My
hands were on his throat. A half minute
more, and the earth would have been
rid of one sordid wretch but his cries
had been heard by some men in a
neighboring field, and was overpow-
cred. This mana ruined gamester,
once a gentleman-had changed me
from an honest, honorable lad,f to a
felon, and then, disregarding the
honor which is said to exist even
'among thieves threw me over to save
himself. I would be content to give
five years of my life-nqy, more, I
would be content to add five years to my
life-could it purchase that one half
minute of which 1 was robbed.
"My family disowned me, and made
no attempt even to procure counsel for
me. All forsook me except little Mary,
from whom L got tear-stained letter
inclosing five-pound note, her quar-
terly allowance, and telling me that she
would never forget me. My father had
forbidden any Of them to write to me,
or even mention my name but Mary
had disobeyed him. 1t can't be wrong
to write to- you, dear,' she said, 4. for
you are my own brother, always
"There was a flaw in the evidence
which my counsel took advantage of
b1t Mr.. Pierson worked against him
privately. collecting evidence for the
crown, and 1 was convicted. Heaven
grant there may not be many poor
wretches who leave old England with
the feelings which I left it. If I had
had the opportunity, I would have put
an end to my miserable existence. I was
taken in cab, strongly guarded, from
the jail to the wharf. We passed one
of the parks on our way. [ had been
in prison some time, and the fresh
green grass, the trees and flowers had
never looked so beautiful as now, when
I knew I was looking on them for the
last time. 1 thought of the hedge-rows
white with blossoms, in Northumber-
land the larks singing overhead
Mary, perhaps, in our favorite nook in
the orchard, weeping bitter tears as q
last good-by to 'her handsome Teddy,
as she fondly called me. No wonder
my heart swelled when I thought o1
those. who in the sight of God were
guilty of my crime.
GAS we went down the dock, child
passed us with bunch of cowslips.
Just two years before, I had gathered
them for Lucy in the Kentish lanes.
The child looked up wistfully, as ]
passed !; presently she ran after us and
put her cowslips in my hand. That was
the drop too much in the cup already
full /; to save my life I could not have
kept back the tears which rolled down
my cheeks. was handcuffed, but one
of the guards thrust handkerchief into
my hand, with a few cheering words
gruffly said. The touch of sympathy,
and the child's gift saved me from utter
despair. That was the last saw oi
England. My life here has been the
same, day after day, except the few
nights L spent in the bush, the two
times I got off. They mostly let me
alone now. / keep by myself, and I've
never told word of this before. I had
almost forgotten I wasn't Jim Brown,
until to-day. Did you hear how I hurt
my arm ?"
;" One of. the men told me you were
helping to raise heavy stone, and thai
you let the lever slip in some way
and so got your arm crushed"
"That's true, SO far as it goes; {
gang of us were working on the road
when carriage passed. looked uI
as stepped out of the way, and who dc
you think SAW Lucy and her hus
band She was looking just the same
as ever, only prouder. I was SO near
could have touched her dress. She
looked calmly at mel was only con
vict, covered with the dust from hel
carriage wheels. Ii she had recognized
me, the color would have faded {
little from her pink cheeks, I think.
wonder if she remembers the letter
wrote her, before was transported?