The Osceola times., 1880-09-11

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night, seeking work. He begged for it,
but il was really not 10 be had lie was
astonished to see how soon his face be-
came unwelcome; he was astonished and
hurt to see how quickly the ancient in
terest which people had had in him
faded ont and disappeared. Stll, he
must get work; SO he swallowed his
charrin and toiled on in search of il.
At last he got a job of carrying bricks
IN ladder in hod, and was grateful
man in consequence, but after that no.
body knew him or cared anything about
him, lie was not able to keep up his
dues in the various moral organizations
to which he belonged. and had TO en-
dure the sharp pain of seeing himself
brought under the disgrace of suspen-
sion,
But the faster Edward died out of
| public knowledge and interest, the faster
| George rose in them He was found
ragged and drunk, in the gutter, one
morning. A member of the Ladies'
Temperance Refuge lished him out, took
HIM in hand, got up a subscription for
HIM, kept him sober a whole week, then
| got situation for him. An account OF
1t was published.
General attention was thus drawn TO
the poor fellow, and a great many peo-
| pie came forward and helped him to-
ward reform with their countenance and
encouragement. He did not drink
drop for two months, and meantime was
| the pet of the good. Then he fell-in
| the gutter, and there was general sorrow
| and lamentation. But the noble sister
l., Il.
him up, they fed him, they listened to
| the mournful music of his rcpentances,
they got him his situation again. An
account Of this also was published and
the town was drowned in happy tears
over the restoration of the poor beset
and struggling victim of the fatal bowl.
a grand temperance revival was got up,
and after some rousing speeches had
| been made the Chairman said, impress
| siNely:.
"We are now about to call for signers,
and think there is a spectacle in store
for you which not many in this house
will be able to view with dry eyes"
There was an eloquent pause, and
| then George Benton, Cscorted by a red
sashed detachment of the Ladies of the
Refuge. stepped forward upon the plat
form and signed the pledge. The air
was rent with applause, and everybody
cried for Joy. Everybody wrung the
hand of the new convert when the
meeting was over, his salary was en-
larged next day, he was the talk of the
town and its hero. An account of it was
published.
George Benton fell, regularly, every
three months, but was faithfully rescued
and wrought with every time, and good
situations found for HIM. Finally, he
vas taken around the country lecturing
as Il reformed drunkard, and had great
houses and did an immense amount OF
good
He was so popular at home and so
,rusted-during his sober intervas-that
he was enabled to use the name of q
principal citizen and get large sum of
money at the bank. A mighty pressure
was brought TO bear to save him from
the consequences of his forgery, and it
was partially suCcessiul-he was sent
mp" for only two years. When, at the
end of 4 year the tired efforts of the be-
neyolent were crowned with success,
and he emerged from the pententiary
with a pardon in his pocket, the Prison
er's Friend Society met him at the door
with a situation and a comfortable salary
and all the other benevolent people
came forward and gave him advice, en-
cOuragement and help.
Edward Mills had once applied to the
Prisoners Friend Society for situation,
when in dire need, bat the question,
"llave you been prisoner" made brief
work of his case.
While all these things were going on,
Edward Mills had been quietly making
head against adversely. He was still
poor, but was in receipt of a steady and
sufficient salary, as the respected and
trusted cashier of a bank.
George Benton never came near him,
and was never heard to inquire about
him. George got to indulging in long
absences from town. there were i'll re-
ports about him, but nothing definite.
One winters night, some masked burg
lars forced their way into the bank, and
found Edward Mllls there alone. Tbey
commanded him to reveal the "combina-
safe. He refused. They threatened his
lie. lie said his employers trusted
him, and he could not be traitor to that
trust. lie could die, if he must, but
while he lived he would be faithful, he
would not yield up the combination"
The burglars killed him.
The detectives hunted down the Grim
inals the chief one proved to be George
Benton. A wide sympathy was felt for
the widow and orphans Of the dead man,
and all the newspapers in the land beg
ged that all the banks in the land would
testify their appreciation of the fidelity
and heroism of the murdered cashier by
coming forward with a generous contrl-
button of money i'll aid Of his family,
now bereft of support. The result was
a mass of solid cash amounting to up
ward of five hundred dolars-an aver
ace of nearly three-eighths of a cent for
each bank in the Union. The cashiers
own bank testified its gratitude by en-
deavoring to show (hut humiliatingly
failed in it, that the peerless servants
accounts were not square, and that he
himself had knocked his brains out
with a bludgeon to escape detection and
punishment.
George Benton was arraigned for trial.
Then everybody seemed to forget the
widow and orphans in their solicitude for
poor George. Everything that money
and influence could do was done to save
HIM, but it all failed; he was sentenced
to death. StraIghtway the Governor
was besieged with petitions for coamu-
tation Of pardon; they were brought by
fearful young girls, by sorrowful old
maids, by deputations of pathetic Wild
ows, by shoelS of impressive orphans.
But no; the Governor--for once-would
not yield.