River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-12-20
DOCTOR DEANE.

stars shining brightly.
DIR. Deane sat before the fire.
He was young man of about eight /
and twenty years of age, with a pleasant |
and good looking face of ford complexion |
and, as yet, unmarried.
He satthis freezing winters night, with |
his feet resting upon the brace fender, a
medical book upon his hands, and a pipe |
dangling from his mouth.
The contents of the book did not seem |
to entirely enhance his attention, for
every few moments he would raise his
eyes and glance up at the clock on the
mantel.
The clock struck twelve.
midnight" muttered the doctor aloud.
"The men are fully an hour behind their
appointed time. What can detain
them2"
The words had scarcely left his lips
when the bell pealed loudly.
Doctor Deane laid down his book upon
the table.
He unlocked and opened the front
door, and beheld two men standing before
him in the clear moonlight, carry
ing between them something long and
heavy, which was concealed in canvas
bag.
The two men Immediately entered
with their strange burden, and Doctor
Deane followed them into his private
room.
They laid the heavy canvas bag upon
the long table, which stood behind green
baize curtain, that was hung by rings on
brass bar running from one end of the
room to another.
Without uttering a word, the men slow
ly drew off the great bag covering and
human form half nude was disclosed to
view upon the table.
THE fellow said to the last that he
was the wrong man, sir" exclaimed one,
winking his eye, "said and swore that
he was innocent. He died like a man,
| sir"
A moment later the two body bearers
babe 'good night to the physician, and
were out in the cold street.
| Deane, having bolted and locked the
door after them, returned to the room
and having pushed the green bsize cur
tain aside to the wa l,stood looking at the
form upon the table with his hands clasp
ed behind him.
The body before him was that of man
of perhaps thirty years of age, well form
ed and fine featured face which even
death could not rob it its manly beauty;
but a dull blue circle stained the skin of
the neck, where the moose of the hang
man had pressed, and frightened, and yet
the eyes closed and unswollen, gave TO
that dead face the appearance Of calm re-
pose.
A dark murder had been done eight
months before.
For the crime a man had met muir
derer's fate upon the scaffold that same
morning, and there he lay this night in
the room of Doctor Deane-for the I'M
fortunate man had been poor and utterly
friendless in life, and so in death the
body had found its way to where it now
lay.
! For a few minutes Deane stood silently
looking at the corpse, and then he turned
upon his heel, walked over to an open
chest of drawers, and drew out his box of
instruments.
He took up the candle, set it beside
the box on the dissecting table, and, roll
ing up his sleeves, opened the box and
drew forth long, slim and sharp-bladed
knife.
With the first gentle touch of the knife
upon the cold body, the young physician
started suddenly back step or two, and
dropping the knife upon the floor, stared
at the body before him. A slight SILVER
had passed through the form upon the
table, and the eyelids were trembling
even ROW.
Deane comprehended the truth.
The man was not dead.
The doctor Immediately set to work to
revive the man who the world believed
had died upon the scaffold that same
morning.
His efforts were soon rewarded; for
within twenty minutes living, breath
ing being sat upright on the long table,
and swallowed the brandy that Deane
held to lis lips.
"A live man. said he, in husky
voice, as he gazed about him, and then
fixed his eyes upon the doctor. Thank
God, was not buried alivew
Deane shuddered.
"You will not give me up to the cruel
law again. You will not have me taken
back to prison? My God. will you not
be mercIful.'
''You were found guilty of murder,
George Leighton. You were brought TO
the caffold to-day, and. by a most clumsy
mistake, were cut down before life had
entirely left your body. BY giving you
up to the justice from which you have
for time escaped, only do an impera-
tive duty" said Deane.
Gas am now living man, as there is
Heaven above, | am an innocent manp
cried George Leighton, fervently. Il
never committed the deed of which | am
accused-never, never l was condemned
upon evidence which was purely circum
stantial, and no murder rests upon my
SOUL
Something in the look of the man,
something in his voice and manner,
caused Deane to think that, after all, this |
being might be the victim of circumstan- |
tial evidence.
Don't give me up" pleaded Leigh |
ton Don't let them kill me in earn
est Give me my freedom. Allow me
to leave this place free nan, and the /
mercy which you will show to an unfor-
tunate man this night shall ever remain |
as close a secret with me as with you. |
You NAV live to bless the hour when |
such mercy was shown me; for If the /
old saving that murder will out" was /
ever a prophetic one, it shall be in my /
case, doctor say again, l am an in
nocent man; and the time will come |
when you and all the world shall be |
firmly convinced Of the fact
" / will be merciful. ! do not know |
why it is, but l am strangely forced to /
believe your declaration that you an in
nocent man. have an old suit of clothes /
here. Arise and dress yourself, and let
the coming of another night see you upon
the ocean: Remember faithfully the be-
lief | have in You, and never abuse the /
mercy thus shown you"
The man, descending from the table,
fell upon his bare knees before the young
doctor.
The clock struck the hour of two in the
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