The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1879-09-05

4
he was arrested four years ago. when
charged with forgery, and the woman
who was sentenced as his accomplice
and who is still undergoing sentence
OF five years penal servitude at Working. y
1t was hot summer afternoon. and
the court was densely crowded. The
blinds had been pulled down to shut out
the hot sun, and there was but a dim
light, which made the red robes of the
judge and the scarlet uniform of the
sheriff stand out in bright relief. The
atmosphere was sitting.
The first witness who appeared-the
landlady-had not much to say. She
could not indemnity the prisoner because
OF his scars, and would like, she said. to
hear his voice. Henry Bennion object
ed, and the judge agreed with him that
the prisoner ought not to be made to
speak.
WELL" said the Crown counsel. ex-
citedly, "this witness has broken down,
but don't think the next will. The
prisoner was her husband or her para
mour; at all events, she was convicted
under the name called Maria Burt.''
| Two policemen cleared the wav
through the court for a woman in blue
check dress and an ugly poke-bonnet of
brown straw, who was attended by a
wardress from Working. The convict
was ushered into the witness box, and the
clerk of arraigns was about to administer
the oath to her when Henry Bennion.
who had caught sight of her features,
started up with a torrent of blood suf-
fusing his face and leaned across the
solicters' table to get . closer view of
her. "Great Heavensi'' he was heard to
falter. Who Is that woman? Mable
-"
The prisoner stood perfectly collected.
1t may have been that her lips twitched
for a moment, and that as she bent for an
instant on the counsel for the defense
there was fiash-just flash and no
more. Then she righted herself and
took the oath. My name is Maria
Burt" she said, calmly
Now. tell me whether You know that
man ?" said prosecuting counsel, pointing
to the prisoner.
Il have never seen him BEFORE she
answered after minutes steady gaze at
the occupant of the dock.
Were you not convicted with him
nearly four years ago of uttering forged
notes? ~
"He is an entire stranger to me-" re-
peated the convict, quietly.
why, heavens, it is her voice. There
is no mistake about itr' exclaimed
Bennion, who had sunk back in his
seat to hear the prisoner speak, but now
rose again, paid and trembling.
Mabel, look at me. How is it you
are lhcre?'
What is the matters" asked the
judge, leaning forward in his astonish-
ment and reckoning Bennion to speak
to him
"My lord, she is my wife, gasped the
barrister, and struggling forward to
leave the place, he uttered an awful wall
and fell across the solicitors table sense
less.
The trial was adjourned amid a scene
of indescribable confusion.
III.
In the cell number Al 10, at the Fc-
male Penitentiary at Working. Maria
Burt sat, some hours later, with her head
buried in her hands and her elbows
resting on her little deal table, 1t was a
dismal place, that cell, with its white
washed walls, red floor, and odor of oak
UNI, and the prisoner who was Gagged in
it looked neither graceful nor pretty.
Perhaps she had been comely once, but
four years of penal servitude had lent
her gray, sickly complexion. Her
hands were coarse and wrinkled from
occupation in the laundry, and the locks
of chestnut hair which prOtruded under
her white cap were short as boys. A
blue check gown, thick worsted stock
ings and heavy-nailed shoes formed her
costume, which was covered with a
number of broad arrOwheads and had
nothing in the way of ornament but a
red badge on one of the sleeves good
conduct badge. Maria Burt had had
almost completed her term of servitude,
for she was to be discharged in a few
days with ticket of leave.
Apparently the recollection of this oc-
CURED to her, for, starting from the ia
BILE, she walked to a corner of the cell on
which hung card bearing a record of
her conviction with the date of her coIa-
ing release, and she took look at it.
There were no tears in her eyes, but she |
pressed hand to Ler brow and sigh |
escaped her like a moan of pain.
Suddenly wardress, who had been
watching her through the peephOle in
the door, turned key in the lock and |
entered the cell.
'Tell us the truth, twelve" she said,
brusquely. WAS that gentleman your
?"
1--WE told you no. answered. twelve
indifferently.
swell, he and another gentleman and
two ladies have come to the prison about |
you. They are in the governors room
now, and they have asked to see the
clothes you had on when you were
brought here"
"And have they seen them ?" asked the
prisoner, whose cheeks became over
spread with faint tinge of color.
mo. for convictS' clothes are sold |