The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-10-10
wasn't afraid, that 1 felt rather soft

WASN'T alralu, tnab L leAG IaGueK SVlt
myself.
80 saws:
"Pm ready"
And they took me off to the station.
Mary was there when the case came
on, the little thing lying in her arms.
Even then, standing in the dock, could
not help thinking how she was altered
since we were married-irom a fresh,
pY-lo0king girl, she had changed
Into pale, thoughtful woman. /
hardly heard all the evidence; but l
knew that Jenkins swore that he mad
suspected me to be one of gang O.
.poachers loF a long while. Everyth
went against me. l pleaded not guilty; /;
but the magistrate said he thought the
case clearly proved, and he sentenced
me to six months hard labor.
l looks at Mary, feeling stunned like,
and sees her looking after me 50 ipitIiul
and despairing that thought L should
60 mad. How they was to get a living
WltuouC ME, 1cOuldn't think.
When tie six months was oyer, I came
back home.
1t was June when l went, it was De-
cember when l came back. Phere wa,
snow everywhere, and it was SHOWING
when l got to our cottage. see the
window while ! was some way off, the
light shining out OF it SO brighu and
warm; but al the sane, L felt kinder
afraid to 90 in, for it didu't seem likely
as 1 shuutu find them as lie It there.
Well, When | got up to the uoQr, in
stead OF knocking, went and looked IN
at the window. There was man and
woman sitting together, and children
playing about; but Pd never seen them
before.
| had to stop a bit and lean against
the wlndow-silI, ana then goes 70 the
door anu asks Tor Mrs. SmlLn as USED
TO live there.
My mother was in the workus; Mary
Was lying in the churC1.yard, with re
baby Oh her breast and the other sleeI :
ing by her side.
Ihad some sort of Illness, but dom
remember much about IL. Those peOp Q n
our cottage took care Oh ME, ana nursed
me thrOul b it, and as sOOn as could l
went TO my mother. From what she
told me, got TO feel 30 that l could
nave muruei cd Jenkins. He mad 90
me out OF the way, and then ne could
ipersecute my poor girl as much as h.
chose. He nud determined 10 make her
lrepent saying en-" 10 hlm, ana spread
things abroad about her, so that she
could get no one tU give her wJrk Of any
KIND. Sue was lolu to apply 10 the par
ish, and-Well, you can guess the rest,
sir; | can't tax about it, even now.
A day or two alter zee my mother,
some fellows asked me TO join them;
they Were going poacnHg at 'Squt I
Watts, as tUele would b. 10 moon thai
night. Once l shout4 nave been ready
| TO knock man do IN for asking me; bul
| then said l would, at once, beeaus4 /
thought should see JeAklns. We had
only just got into The wood, when We
iounu some one mad been peachlug on US
they said d aIterward it wa, me, but I
haunt thought OF sucn u thing, else Per-
maps | might, iOr the Keepers were on
tue waLcn. There was regular fight.
Some OF the men go, off; one or TWO
were caught. l hau knocked one of the
Keepers down, and was trying TO get OF
before | was recognized, Wneu some one
seIzes me BY the collar, ana says:
mot 50 fast, my fine ieilow."
knew the yuIce uirecLly, and then,
don't hardly know how, only that in less
than minute Jenkins was lying quite
still on the ground. IdIdn'tm we OF try
to get away, bu. just stood sui and leJ
LHem take me.
My sentence that time was four cen
years, Tor jenkins was half killed. Pm
out on ticket-ot-leave now, and just get
enough gardens TO do to Keep me out o!
the wUrkus. Bul, as you say, Sir, it ISM
every one would nave me il tAey'd heard
my story.