The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1874-04-14
Romance of a Convict Girl.

Island for picking tho pocket of lady
on broadway. Day before yesterday the
same girl, now lovely woman of twenty
four, was convicted of tho theft and sen.
fenced to four years hard labor in State
Prison. The story Of this unfortunate
woman is most interesting one. Born
10 Lexington avenue of wealthy and res.
pectable parents,sh nevertheless inherited
that unfortunate temperament known as
the hysteri;al or emotional. When the
young girl was convicted the first time
the mother pleaded hard for the misguided
daughter, but it was hoped that the dis
cipliue of two years would bo Of advan-
tage to her, and so the sentence was
carried into execution. Thoughtless and
gay as a child she donned the convict's
dress. She utterly refused to work, and
considerable liberty was given her.
Everybody liked her, for she was pretty
and winning-more like spoiled child
than a dangerous woman. To the son Of
the warden, tall youth Of eighteen, she
seemed veritable angel, with her soft
bands, deep blue eyes, and her volatile
ways. 1t took him about three months
to arrive at the conclusion that she was
the most admirable being that this earth
contained, and six months moro to decide
that it was wrong for such a refined little
lady to be kept in such a place. He
was serving an apprenticeship as gas.ftter
10 New York. He began to neglect his
work on plea of sickness. and to stag upon
the island instead of going over to the
city. 1t was astonishing what an interest
he took in all that related to the affairs Of
the prison.
Never was so grand chance offered
for gallant hero to strike grand blow
to csptiyatc his lady IF Pauline Des
chapeles had been a convict instead of a
merchant princess Claude Melnotte would
not have had to resort to the subteriuge
Of personifying prince. "If I get you
out. will you marry NE 2" said the Claude
of Blackwel's Island and his Pauline
responded YES you or anybody else
only be quick ABOUT it, In broken
words, caught through gratiugs 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 join her.
} A proper opportunity was long in pre-
sonting itself but it came at last. Tht
: warden had left for time his son OF
, guard alone. The sister Of the youn(
/ man was in her room above; she wa
! called down on some pertext and sent t
a neighboring building. Quick as a fast
the pretty jail bird dashed up stairs, tori
of the convict garb, and donned the sister
best suit. She did not forge. the vail aut
parasol with which to shield her features
t and she had the wit to sober down he
usual airy gait to tho more staid motion
9 ofthe one in whose shoes she had stepped
3 Our Claude was waiting Here. wan
: yon to row 10y sister over to New York.
! he said to the men, and they did so.
z 1t is not known how be Gxed matter
with the family, bn' certain it is ,ha
, three weeks .ater ho promised to cheris
r and protect for life that liberated jail
; bird and shc to oy, him. to honor, and /
| obey.
y \ couple aged respectively lourtee
: and eighteen were rather young to begi
|, housekeeping, so they lived in hote
u His love for her was a real passion sh
|. was his angel no matter what she die
t and he worked hard all day aud ever
c day to support her. As for her, she cer
tainly respected her husband. she wa
grateful to him. she had kept her promise
but the stained. dark hands OF the ga!
Z filter were always a horror to her it wa
:. towards the light fingered gentry that sh
:. gravitated gracetuliy and naturally.
r Having the whole day to herself, ia th
4 midst of the great metropolis the hered
tary dormant passion wss surely an
5 speedily aroused to life Theving is
i disease, With this poor girl it assume
i the chronic state Before she had bee
P a wife two years she was arrested f
4 grand larceny, tried, convicted, and SOL
d fenced to Sing Sing for three year
IS When she came out she thought berse
r. cured the husband, Ike Douglas, evt
y teuder and true. took her home agail
i Unfortunately FOR her she never loved biz
It and she was incapable Of keeping IL
/. promise to be honest
:, At last she did fall IN love. She tre
to pick the pocket Of rich Southerne
It and he caught her in the act and chiva
e rously forgaye her. Again a yearpir
1t for something nobler and better toe
n possession Of her, and again she promise
9, never to yield to temptation but the ne
g. love awakened in her heart made b,
ot ashamed of her husband. Soon she W,
r. again on trial for larceny, and the faith
IN of her husband came forward and did u
lie spare his evidence in full. She receiv,
le another term in Sing Sing. In time Il
| warden's son was divorced and MARI,
as again.
es Adelaide came from prison the thil
l. time to stand beside the death bed of h
~ mother. "If you are again tempted
ID yield to the fatal passion, my child. thiI
" how much your poor mother loved you
g. said the dying woman and again Il
d, daughter took the pledge of abstinenc
It. She went to live with sister in Brookly
is At the age oftwenty.three she was mo
'y Of child than she had been at fourtcc
ne IL am going up to my home," she sai
lie "Siug Sing-I call it my home, l ha
er beon there SO much. | believe | like
as better than this New York. l suppo
=. it's because | am so hardened" and b
eyes filled with tears. Her last pied
=. is broken the panic came with its gre
IL excitement for all, and an exciteme
VI especially calculated to aggravate nal
50 dy like hers. She for four more yes
must occupy prison cell.
N.,r O,,raor, roa D,v IL