The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1877-02-22

geon, a hard-hearted old gentleman,
not easily imposed upon.
"a fit, Ell! Bring some hot water
-scalding hot-from the boiler sharp's
the word it's the only chance He
spoke in loud, peremptory tones.
'''Stay I'll 60 with you - and present
ly he returned, followed by nurse
carrying huge can and a sponge.
"Try it with the Thermometer what
does it register-on hundred and nine.
ty-two degrees? That will do. Now
Hoskins, mind your fingers !; throw it
over him. There p
Splash went the contents of the can
over the PROSTATE Twoshoes. The ef-
feet was instantaneous.
He jumped from the bed, yelling,
screaming, swearing, threatening, all
in a breath. He was burnt, scalded to
death, the skin was peeling from his
body /; he could not live IN such tor
ments.
'Cold water! 1ce!'' he cried with
stentorian voice.
'You've had it, said the doctor,
coolly. ''That water wasn't hot. It
came straight from the pump; and
you're humbug, Twoshoes you're
only trying it on -
He had been trying to "best the
croaker," but the ''croaker,'' as the
doctor is styled, had got the "best" 50
far. Twoshoes suffered a long deten-
ton on short allowance for this unsuc.
cessful trick, and then they put him
on his chains again and sent him back
to his work.
z Two days later they found him hang
ing by the neck in his cell. He was
cut down promptly. Life was not yet
extinct. A few simple remedies re-
stored consciousness, and, after he.
had been left for an hour to reflect
calmly upon the crime he had nearly
committed, the Chaplain came to COM
fort him.
Twoshoes was penitent. He saw
his error, he said. 1t was remorse,
bitter rcmorse, for past sin. The
memory of a great crime-an undis-
covered crime, which he had com.
mitted a few years before-pressed
down on him, with weight so awful
that he could no longer endure to live.
His life was burden to him, so sorely
did his conscience smite him. When
he lay alone in his narrow cell in the
silent night watches, the terrible rec
election of the deed he had done
goaded him nearly to madness.
"Last nights torture was the keen
est, sir, of all ever endured. NV de-
spondency and self-reproach rose to
such an agonizing height that I de.
termined to make away with myself.
You know the rest. But it is better
so; it is better that I should live till 1
meet the extreme penalty of the law,
which is no more than I deserve for
my crime,''
Then he proceeded with tears of
cOntriti0n, to confess it all.
That Tooley-street murder-did his
reverence remember it? The hideous
details, the mutilatiOn, the absence of
motive, and the terrible mystery
which hangs over it, battling every eff
fort of the police even to this very
day?
sit was my act SIR went on Two.
shoes, burying his face in his hands.
II murdered her in cold blood; the
brand of Cain is upon me; can never
have a moments peace again, never
again, never, not on this side of the
grave"
The good man, true to his sacred cal.
ling, poured in consolation, and tried
his best to soothe the anguish of this
erring but repentant soul. Then, when
TWoshOes was somewhat calmer, the
Chaplain left him and went to make
his report to the Governor of the pris-
on.
Il don't believe a word Of it, said
the Governor, shortly.
but the story is so circumstantial,
all the details are so complete. The
man himself is so evidently under the
influence of a strong feeling The
Chaplain pleaded hard.
"It'a an old game my dear Mr.. Bish.
op, old as the hills. have had dozens
OF such cases before me; and they are
all alike-mere shams.'
''But what object could the man
have in assuming guilt that is not
his?''
''Object? To avoid work; to get
moved to a county prison to be tried
over again-to escape the cross-irons
he is just now wearing on his legs
What is it, Mr., Bayliss?'' This to a
warden who came to the door.
1.-The moose, sir; that which yon
Twoshoes wanted to hang himself
WITH
"What of it!'
"D'ye see this knot, sir? The rogue
never meant the moose to run tight"
*'He never meant to hang himself!"
inquired the Chaplain, eagerly, but his
face fell.
"No, sir; he was only trying it on. ,"
Once more Twoshoes had missed his
mark, although the Chaplain was not
satisfied about the Tooley- street crime.
At his persistent representation, a
full statement of the confession was
forwarded to the Home Office. Mean.
while, Tw0shoes returned to his work
and chains.
A week or two later, the warden,
who had special charge of him spoke
as follows:
81 don't know what to make OF
that Twoshoes gets talking to him.
self all day, and, when I check him.
he looks that wicked hardly burst
trust him to handle a pick or sioyel.''
The mans conduct was certainly
strange sometimes moody and silent.
at others perpetually jabbering to him.
self generally his head downcast and
eyes on the ground, except when, now
and again, he upturned white CLEAN
ing eyeball, with a wicked side.lonp
glance. Once or twice he yelled with
derlslve laughter, then stood on his
head, SO that his leg chains hung like
necklace round his neck; anon he
took to devouring clay last of all he
came to Mr.. Tghtlock, and said he
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