River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1874-07-31

put ne mao money, ana nam I,
Whats a gentleman born Is it
shillings and pence" quoted the doc
tor, softly.
Eli what's that?"
Only a quotation from the York
shire Farmer go on"
"Well, of course / was curious, but
what good did that do me? thought
II only had money, would find some
means OF revenge; but money was Just
what ! hadn't got. About that time
met man calling himself st. John.
He was clever and well educated, and
seemed to read all my wild, restless
lIongings at glance. He led me on
from bad to worse, till I ended in
forgery; then he turned kings evidence
and was locked up. 1 was always
very strong, and finding one of the bars
loose ! 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
couldn't. / stopped him; he tainted
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. / grappled with him,
and remembering trick | 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 over
| powered. This mana ruined game
ster, once a gentlemen-had changed
me from Nh honest, honorable lad. 10
felon, and then, disregarding the
honor which is said to exist even
among thieves, thew me over to save
| himself. / would be content to give
five years of my life-nay more, would
be content to add five years to my life
could it purchase that one-half min
ute Of which was robbed.
My family disowned me, and made
no attempt even to procure counsel for
me. All fOrsook me except little Mary,
from whom | got tear-stained letter
inclosing five-pound note, her GUAR
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, for
you are my own brother, always
There was a flaw in the evidence,
which my counsel took advantage of,
but Mr.. Pierson work against him
privately, collecting evidence for the
crown, and | was convicted. Heaven
grant there may not be many poor
wretches who leave old England with
the feelings with which | left it. If |
had had the opportunity, would have
put an end to my miserable existence.
[ was taken in cab, strongly guarded,
from the jail to the wharf. We passed
one of the parks on our way. I had
been in prison some time, and the fresh
green grass, the trees and flowers, had
never looked so beautiful as now, when
| knew was looking on them for the
last time. / 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 a last
goodbye to her handsome Teddy. as
she fondlv called me. No wonder my
heart swelled when / thought of those
who in the sight of God were guilty of
my crime.
As we went down the deck, child
passed with a bunch of cowslips. just
two years before l 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 could not have kept
back the tears which rolled over nv
cheeks. | was handcuffed, but one of
my guards thrust a handkerchief into
my hand, with a few cheering words
gruffly said That touch of sympathy,
and the child's gift, saved me from ut
ter despair. That was the last saw of
| England. Ny life here has been the
same, day after day, except for the few
nights | spent in the bush, the two
times got off They mostly let me
alone now. keep by myself, and I've
never told a word of this before. Ihad
almost forgotten I wasn't Jim Brown,
until to-day. Did You hear how / hurt
my arm? ?"
cone Of the men told me you were
helping to raise a heavy stone, and that
you let the lever slip in some way, and
50 got your arm crushed"
"That's true as far as it goes a
gang of us were working on the road
when the carriage passed. looked up
as / stepped ont of the way, and who
do you think / saw?-Lucy and her
husbandl She was looking Just the
same rs ever, only prouder. was 50
near l could have touched her dress
she looked calmly at me- was only a
convict, covered with the dust from her
carriage wheels. If she had recognized
me, the color would have faded little
from her pink cheeks, think. won
der il she remembers the letter / wrote
her, before / was transported? / told
her some home truths then. She knows
who is to blame for my wasted-worse
than wasted--life.
Twelve years didn't seem much 70
me. looked after the carriage like
one stunned. The lever slipped from