Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1877-06-26
The Warden's Daughter.

Marion Hyde was cripple. but for all
that she was beautiful. Her father was
warden in prison. Among the prison
ers was one at the registering of whose
name at his entrance Marion had been
present, and something in his youthful,
though sullen face attracted her pitifui
glance. He had stolen repeatedly from
his benefactor, and finally had admitted
into the house in the night time gang
of burglars who had secured considera-
BILE booty, and made off with it in safety.
save one, after severely pounding the
proprietor of the house. This one, who
was not able to escape, betrayed the
completely of the young man in the af-
fair. He was tried, convicted and sem
fenced.
There was no redeeming feature, ap-
pareptly, to the story. but somehow that
face haunted the girls gentle thoughts.
Perhaps it was because she had young
broth er who was a wild lad, wandering
just now in disgrace, no one knew
whittier, and all the more tenderly loved
by Marion, because of his sad ways.
One day, as she leaned on the window
sill, looking with wistful sadness into
the yard at the prisoners, one them look
ed up, and changed as he was in every
way, thin feature, she knew again the
black, sulien eyes that yet were some
how like an angry, obstinate cbild's.
Her glance followed him as though
fascinated, and as he passed from sight
she sighed softly, and went in to look at
the prison record for the poor lads
name.
1t was Aymer Preston.
The next she knew of him he was in
the sick ward.
For few weeks she saw him there
but the gloomy eyes never sOftened. on
ly gazed straight before them from their
hollow socket, or hid themselves obsti-
nately behind their wasted lids.
He never spoke, he scarcely ate, and
the prison physician told Marion that
he was dying of sheer inanition.
"It's my opinion that he's trying tt
starve himself to DEATH" he said.
Marion drew near the sick bed.
She bent over him. and spoke with
gentle firmness.
But she might as well have talked tt
the blank wall, for all ssign be gave o
Marion left the ward with a shocked
and anxious face.
"Let me know if there is any change
or anything that I can do" she theI
said to the doctor.
! But at dusk the physician was callet
away by serious illness in his own farni
ly, and near midnight the assistant, go
ing his rounds, found Aymer Preston
dead in his bed.
"It's either make believe or heart
break,n DR.. Putney said, sharply, whel
word was brought him, and he ordere'
that Preston's body should be KEEP
wrapped in blankets, and not removes
till he saw it,
The order was obeyed, but when thre
days saw no change in the form, Dl
Putney having meanwhile examines
it, it was removed to the dissectinl
room.
Marion Hyde's window comm ande
view of this mysterious and horror in
spring apartment. AS she stood at he
window that night she thought with
vague thrill of pain of the one colo
still tenant of that terrible room.
She was not timid, superstition
creature, nor by any means given t
nervousne ess; SO, when she saw the wiI
dow of the dissecting room slowly lifl
ed, and a gaunt, wild face appear at th
opening, instead Of screaming or rur
ming away, she stood still. She kne'
that her heart was throbbing wildl,
butsh knew also that it was no phantol
she looked upon. DIR. Putney had bee
right all the time. Aymer Preston WI