The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1877-05-05
Ishnael.

"The man is very importunate, sir"
The speaker was the turnkey of the city
jail, who had come to the governor, with
a request for an interview, from prisoner
under sentence of death.
81 have already said, replied the gov
ernor, resolutely, "that / cannot accede to
the request. have laid the case before
the attorney-general, who tells me that the
prisoners guilt is undoubted. have here
tofore, refused pardon. After this, to
grant an interview would be to hold out
hopes which | can never realize"
"But there is something more than CON-
mon," interposed the jailer, sin this man.
don't think he fears to die; for a more
hardened, or rather more determined char
acter, never saw and his desire to see
you arises from no unmanly terror of his
doom, your excellency may rely"
"Why, you oeem interested In this
man ?"
81 am. He is a peculiar character /;
wicked and desperate, indeed; but with
many noble traits. 1t is the wreck of what
might have been, l often think, useful
and even distinguished Citizen"
"What clergyman visits him?"
'Several, but not at his request. He
laughs at their concern for him, and says
tuCJ DuNC COlllC tOO Iuut LIB uCbtluI
is decided, and that he wouldn't be mean
enough to smuggle himself into heaven
now, even if he could"
"This is frghtful, interrupted the gov
ernor.
81 know it; l repeat his own words
however. lie told them the other day, to
go into the alleys and cellars of the city,
among the beggers, thieves and wantons,
and there labor and not wait till years of
outlawry from society had done their work,
till the ripe criminal, those were his words,
was in prison, and the gallows being built. "
''He has a strange name" unused the
governor, referring to paper he had In
his hand.
''Ishmael, your excellency means. !
once asked him if he had Arab blood in
him, when he answered with scornful
laugh, and SAID that he was the original
Ishmael, whose hand had been against
every man and every mans hand against
him."
81 don't wonder you are interested In
him." answered the governor, after a
pause.
ale is evidently a man of superior
mind, but with certain savageness OF
ideas, like many criminals who think 30.
ciety has done them wrong. But / cant
| break my rule, whica is never to allow my
| Judgment, in cases where pardons are
sought, to be influenced by personal con
siderations. He has taken mans blood
and the law must have its course"
With these words the turnkey was dis
missed. But, the next day, what was the
establishment of the governor to find thai
officer again soliciting an audience, on the
| the same errand.
His excellency slightly frowned, for hi
| did not like his decisions, when once posi-
lively announced, TO be appealed sgainst.
81 beg your PARDON" said the jailer
noting the governors countenance. "Bui
the prisoner made me promise to come Il
you again, and though told him you rare
| ly revoked resolution, he insisted on my
compliance. And yet to speak frankly, ]
don't think he cares much whether l OBJ
tain pardon or not it is an interview
with you he chiefly wishes. He told me
| to say that he demanded 1t for your sake
more than for his own and that bog
pardon for what j say, but they are hi
very words-if you did not grant it, you
would repent it through all eternity"
The frown deepened on the inaexiblt
brow of the governor. al am not TO be
alarmed" he said, "by such miserable
shifts. The man must die !"
Sand your excellency will not see
himp"
"No, said the governor positively, rising
to show that the Interview was at an end
81 am less inclined to II than ever. The
wretched man must dismiss all hope, and
bethink himself of his soul. Have clergy
men about him, whether he will or not, fol
even at the eleventh hour be may repent.
1t would be horrible il he should die In the
frightful mood you described yesterday,
like wolf enashing his teeth in the trap.
The multiplicity of affairs demanding
the attention of the newly installed gov
ernor absorbed his mind for the remainder
of the day, and dismissed him 80 fatlgued
TO bed thai b, thought no more Of the
prisoner. But, on the morrow, when thu
| daath hall taoan m tolI. and h0 recollected