The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1877-03-01


Declare and confess that the for
gerry for which George Warneford was
tried, eight years ago, and sentenced
to twenty years of penal servitude, was
not committed by him at all"
"Oh Lord groaned the writer,
mot committed by him at ALL"
That he was entirely innocent of
the ofiense: that it was committed
without his knowledge; that he was
wrongly found guilty; that the real
criminal il still at large
''Still at large said Pringle. "Oh,
miss, help him to stay at large. Help
poor, miserable, rspentant man."
"But Helen's'face showed no pity
The abiect nature Of the man filled
her with disgust.
"Still at large. That the other for
gcrics and embezzlements laid to
George Warneford's charge were one
and all the work of the same man, whs
has hitherto escaped punishment"
Escaped punishment, the clerk
echoed. "Oh, young lady, help him
TO escape altogether. 1t can't do
George Warneford any good 10 see
him punished. He's dead now. /
know he's dead, else hs would have
come home
~ further declare that the real for
ger"
81 cant write it," calculated the
man. ''Mr. Wybrow, let me run
away, let me escape, let me go this
once. It's pitiful to have a giants
strength, Sir. as Shakespeare says, and
| it's unchristian TO use it. Oh, Mr..
Wybrow! what are we If we are not
Christians"
That the real fcrger was myself, and
no other"
Helen placed the pen in the nerve
less fingers from which II had drop
ped.
Write the words" she said.
II can't, can't. It's all true, as
you know, Mr. Wyhrow; but | can't
write the words. | feel as though
they were sentencing me to a prison"
Very likely they will said John.
but confession is better than detec-
ton, as you will find. Come. you have
no choice"
With heavy groan he obeyed.
Myself Oh Lord! oh Lord. What
have written""
Sign il now"
Reluctantly he signed the paper.
Now, Miss Elwood," said John,
I'VE two will witness this signature"
Ii was Helen S turn to tremble when
she signed her name as one Of the wit
ncsses. For what did il mean to her,
this scrap Of paper? The self-rcspect
Of her lover, the restitution Of his good
name, the recovery of all that made
life dear, the bearing hack to George
of her golden sheaves, victory worth
to her all the other victories in the
world.
She signed. The wretched man
went on whining and pleading in the
same key about repentance, about the
wicked waste of trouble in raking up
cid matters, abont the certain death of
George Warneford; but his words fell
unheeded on her ears She was think
ing only about the Joy and thankful
ness which should he theirs when she
bore to George the papers SO precious
to them all.
John folded up tho paper and
laughed. I'VE have won, Miss FL
wood he said "You shall tell me
afterwnrd, if you will, what you have
won. You know what is nay prize"
Then he turned to Priuglc, and his
voice changed:
IF had words ii there were words
in the language TO express the unuttcr-
able loathiug and disgust that feel
for you. | would use them. But there
are no words strong enough. You
have signed, however. We have you
now utterly in our power. II you are
TO expect any thing at all from us
the slightest mercy-you will tell us
the whole story without evasion or
concealment Out with il; ~
You will be merciful, then ?" cried
Prngle, n he saw the paper folded in
Johns pocket book, and deposited in
place OF safety. III | tell you par
ticular- that you would not get from
any one else, you will have a little
pity Think Of it, Mr.. Wybrow, a
whole life spent in prison. II l
thought ii would be only ten years,
should not mind SO much. But life
never to get out again never to be
free; never to do what like; never
to be without the dreadful convict |
dress, Oh! I've dreamed Of it night !
after night till know it all by heart, |
and the misery OF it. Oh, Mr.. Wy |
brow, he merciIuln'
''St down again, ana tell u., in as
few words as you can, the whole his
tory
Does the story need to be told at |
length The situation is known, A
weak and cowardly lad, in the hands
Of his unscrupulous brother, was made
to do any thing. A chccN-book was |
purloined and kept in safe place by |
Tom; from time to time, whenever
the opportunity seemed favorable, a
check was drawn with the name of |
the firm forged so skillfully that the
signature was passed without the
slightest suspicion. Detection was
difficult, because the crafty Tom took
charge of the checks; Samuel, need
less to say, getting nothing of the pro-
ceeds, but obedient partly from habit,
and partly from compulsion.
But the check, the last check how |
did that get into the envelope?N
~ put it there" said Samuel. tom
told me to. | overheard Mr.. Baldwin
talking to the manager of the bank; |
knew that the forgeries were going to be
found out; ] watched from where | sat;
| could see Mr. Baldwin through a
corner Of the curtain; ] saw him draw
check and place it in an envelope.
That was the lay before Warneford