Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1879-05-10

ana on us ruins grew a new anu I'LL
ferent man. Those who had known
me from childhood, and who should
have known that l was incapable of q
dishonest act, turned the cold Shout
der. ,Ay, and she, who had vowed
ever to be constant, never came near
me, nor by any sign showed that she
believed me innocent. Only my poor
father and mother-God bless them
remained true. But the shock was
too sensitive for mothers heart. l
had been her pride-her life-and my
disgrace killed her. She died eresI
had been in Jail two weeks. My ia
Their still lived, but life to HIM was
more than death, for all that he had
to live for was gone. Was not that
enough to kill met l could not die !;
/ could only think thus, and daily
grow more cynical and hard. My
trial came, but the result was fore
gone conclusion. The judge SEN
fenced me to the penitentiary for
twelve years, and before pronouncing
the sentence read me a lecture on the
way of the transgressor, the majesty
of justice, and SO on.
"Justice, bah! The anclents were
wise when they represented her as a
tickle woman, blind folded at that !!
You wonder l did not commit suicide.
That is not my nature. He who takes
his own life runs too many risks. l
do not care to take step in the dark
sooner than necessary. l did not go
to prison. The night after I was SEN
fenced l forced out some brick in the
wall of the tumble down Jail, and
escaped. That is how l came to be a
tramp. Do you wonder"
"My God! what is that ~ cried the
smith, jumping up.
Down the village street team of
fiery horses were running. No driver
sat on the box, but crouched in one
corner of the carriage, pale with ter
ror, was a fair young girl. On rushed
the team toward the steep bank of
the creek, and through the clatter of
the maddened horses feet it seemed
that one could hear the Tapping Of
the wings of the angel of death COM
ing to claim his beautiful victim.
Quicker than an arrow from a bow
shot the stranger into the street, and
selling the nearest horse by the bit
he turned the course of the team, so
that instead Of rushing oyer the bank
they ran into a strong, high fence,
and man and horse went down in one
struggling mass.
In a low, dark room in the black
smiths house lay the tramp. He was
unconscious and only by the closest
attention could any sign of life be de-
tected. The village doctor, a kind
hearted old man, anxiously stood by
his side watching intently the pale
form before him. Beside the bed sat
the girl for whom the young man had
risked his life. Anxiously she bent
her lovely eyes upon him, and ten
derby clasping his bloodless hands in
hers, she TREMENDOUSLY asked:
"Doctor, will he live7"
eff he arOuses within an hour there
is hope"
Lovingly she caressed the brow Of
the unconscious man, and laying hel
soft warm cheek beside his, she softly
called his name.
"Alfred, you must not die. Oh,
live but a day that may tell you the
great wrong you have suffered"
The patients respiration became
stronger, and his form quivered as
though he had received magnetic
shock. Indeed, life seemed to come
to him through the touch Of the hand
of his fair nurse. Slowly the eyelids
quivered, opened, and the dark eyet
rested upon the beautiful face before
him. O
''Ethel," he family whispered.
The intense look of inquiry in hel
eyes spoke what his lips could mo-
utter. She answered with look O
love which swept away every doubt
Love needs not words to express it.
self and that one look spoke volumes
Printing a kiss upon his lips, sh,
closed his eyes and babe him rest
rest that he might live for her.
Slowly during the warm summe
days the tramp regalned his strength
Tramp no longer for Persian prime
could not have asked better atten
ton than he received from his fai
nurse and the sturdy, kind-hearte'
smith. Ay, an outcast no longer, TO
little by little, as his strength woul'
allow, Ethel Mason, the cashier
daughter, told Alfred Thompson til
sequel to the story which he ha'
related to the blacksmith.
After Alfred'sescape, diligent scare
was made for him, but without avail