The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1877-03-17

MY mind. The only method l hnd OF re-
lieving myself from the penalty Of my
crime would be by perpetrIting others;
and this, / felt conyiuced, would only be
to prolong for short time the misery I
was in. "a feeling Of recklessness then
came on, and I resolved to let things
take their course. Just before the office
was about to close, one day, jackson en-
tered and told one Of the junior clerks
he wished to speak with the senior part
ner. Although he remained iii my room
during tho time tho youth went with the
message, he took not the slightest notice
Of me, but, with perfect command Of
countenancc, looked about him till his
eye fell OH me, when he showed no more
appearance OF recognition than if I had
been total stranger. He was soon after
usheretl into the senior partners Office,
and I, closing my desk, put on my hat,
and, in state of terror it would be i'm
possible to describe, returned home.
The state of my mind that night would
battle all description. I tried to sleep, if
only to close my eyes for q short time to
l,the danger J. wns in. All was useless;
and I turned over in my mind innnmer-
able schemes OF the vaguest description
bywlich to save myself. When I think
over them now, and can estimate their
utter wortlilessncss and absurtlity, | can
easily understand Twas in the condition
Of the drowning man who catches Mt 4
straw. % isBis sSsBl tlaa e. gs.. 81
The next morning, entirely forgetting
my breakfast, iu n, fit Of rccklcssncss l
dressed, and went to the Office. Shortly
after my arrival, the senior partner enter
cd, aild in passing through the Office he
looked steadily at me for some moments,
and then went on. A few minutes later
Ia messenger came to me md told me the
senior partner wished to speak with me.
AT TINT moment q powerful, respectfully
attired, common-lo looking man entered the
office, bearing letter for the firm. Hc
glanced ut me ms went out Of the room,
and I slluddercl as 1 looked Mt him, for
Ifelt persuaded lie was a detective officer
On entering the senior partners Office,
he raised his eyes from the desk, antl
looked steadily at me. I was surprised
to find there was no sternness nor inlig-
nation in Ills conntennnce. n SO. "a
az - he stiil, in kind tone, lyon
do not look at al well this morning. [ Is
there anything the matter with yoN?"
| I caught At the idea, mid said 7 had
not felt well for, the last few days. p 81 ~
"I Thought not, "he said; "and only
sent for you to say, il it were the case,
you Ind better return home and take Il
day or two's rest. You will tllcn he bet
ter, andwo can ilo very well without You
for tint time."ss .islps ,7sl '0 .1n6I q
A reception SO different from what /
Ind expected, made srch m impression
on me that tic tears came into my eyes,
md felt half inclined to, confess the
whole truth. The senior partner, how
ever, putting out his hand, aud shaking
mine warmly, said: "a l. balHst3
"Now go home, aud keep up your
spirits, aud You will 10 very well. ~ ~
! At that moment one of the clerks cn-
tered the room, and I left it and proceed
cd homewurls, tho man whom I had
imagined to be n detective being no
longer there. For wlint purpose Jack-
son visited tho office the evening before
I know not. Certainly it was not con-
ncctetl with MY business. ,.tsg D X ,sF.
II will be too painful for me. to go fur
thcr into tho matter. I plunged deeper
and deeper hlto crime 1 attempted to
coni,lrc up reckless frame of mind, and
in the daytime t0'a considerable extent
succeeded. But then the Mights-how
can I describe their misery ~ l could
not sleep without opium, aud the moro l
took Of the dung the grcatcr.tl quantity
I required, till at length I was obliged
to tnkc cacll evening MS much as would
have killed any ordinary man. It had
also its effect on my col,ntcnaucc, which
assumed the palil hue Of the regular
opium cater. At last tho forgery was
discovered, Jackson having sold my
note; L was arrested, my defalcations
came to light, and soon after / found my
self here, 10 i9l7i aIF.1s .l ,s!-tI.0 a o.
One worl more, in Justice to myself.
I hearl that in the newspaper report Of
the trial it wns stated that when, after
my sentence, / left the bar, it wns with a
,jaunty step and indifferent expression Of
cot,ntenance., Never was there n truer
remark. II, indeed, any, objection can
be taken to il, it is that it did not go far
enough, for the imprisonment to which I
was condemned, and the utter ruin Of
my prospects iii life, were but n feather
| III the balance, when compared with the
weight lof! horrible mental torture and
doubt I Ind been lnboring under for
months before the termination of my ca
reer Of criine.sg ,4nIl rtlr r.a' Ss.,5
Where is Thornton, yon ask ?" 81
He occupies the cell adjoining minc.-
Illustrated Weekly. ''.''..- +-5 a'''. .