Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1880-08-04

MARK TWAIN'S NEW STORY AND IT'S
MORAL.

tains the tale of Edward Mills and George
Benton, by Mark Twain, which is as clev-
er a satire on the sentimentality over
crime as that sort of gush has ever receiv-
ed. Edward Mills minded from boyhood:
George Benton never did, Edward pros
pered. George always had to be helped.
They had the same adopted parents, who
left all the property to George, because
Edward could take care of himself. So
it went in all things-even the girl that
Edward was engaged to dropped him, as
it was her duty to save George. Hard
times threw Edward out of regular work
and he relapsed to common labor while;
but George became a hourishng drunk
ard We give the last part of the story,
leaving it to the readers of The Atlantic
to get the full enjoyment of the whole:
A grand temperance revival was got
up, and, after some roaring speeches had
been made, the chairman said, impress
lively: "We are now about to call for
signers; and | think there is 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, escorted by red-sashed
detachment of the ladies of the refuge,
stepped forward upon the platform 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 enlarged 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, regularly but was faithful
ly rescued and wrought with every time,
and good situations were found for him,
Finally, he was taken around the coun
try lecturing as a reformed drunkard, and
he had great houses and did an i'm
mense amount of good.
He was so popular at home and so
trusted-during his sober intervals that
he was enabled to use the name of prin-
cipal citizen and ge1a large sum of money
at the bank. A mighty pressure was
brought to bear to save him from the con
sequences of his forgery, and it was par
TALLY successful-he was "sent up for
only two years. When, at the end of a
year, the tireless efforts of the benevolent
were crowned with success, and he
emerged from the penitentiary with par
don in his pocket the prisoners friend
society met him at the door with stu
alton and comfortable salary, and all
the other benevolent people came forward
and gave him advice, encouragement, and
help. Edward Mills had once applied
to the prisoners friend society for a stu
alton, inedire need, but the question, "
Have you been a prisoner" made brief
work of his case.
While all these things were going on,
Edward Mills had been quietly making
head against adversity. He was still poor,
but was in receipt of steady and suf-
ficient salary, as a respected and trusted
cashier of bank. George Benton new
er came near him, and was never. heard
to inquire about him. George had got to
indulge in long absences from the town;
there were i'll reports about him, but
nothing definite
One winters night masked burglars
forced their way into the bank, and found
Edward Mills there alone. They COM
manded him to reveal the combination,
so that they could get into the safe. He
refused, they threatened his life. He
said his employers trusted him, and he
could not be traitor to his trust He
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 contri-
button of money in aid of his family now
bereft Of support. The result was a mass
of solid cash, amounting upward of five
hundred doIlars-an average of nearly
three-eights Of a cent for each bank in the
Union. The cashiers own bank testified
its gratitude by endeavoring to show (but
humiliatingly failed in it) that the peer
less servants accounts were not square,
and That he himself knocked his brains
out with bludgeon to escape detection
and punishment
George Benton was arraigned for trial.
Then every body seemed to forget the wild
ow and orphans in their solicitude for poor
George. Every thing that money and in
fuence could do was done 10 save him
but it all failed; he was sentenced to
death. Straitway the governor was be-
sieged with petitions for Communication or
/ pardon; they were brought by fearful
young girls: by sorrowful old maids; by
deputations of pathetic widows; by shoals
of impressive orphans. But no, the gov
ernor-for once-would not yield
Now, George Benton experienced relig-
ion. The glad news flew all around.
From that time forth his cell was always
full of girls and women and fresh flowers;
all the day long there was prayer, and
hymn-singing, and thanksgivings, and
homilies, and tears, with never an inter
ruption, except an occasional fve-min-
ute intermission for refreshments.
This sort Of thing continued up to the
very gallows, and George Benton went
proudly home, in the black cap, before a
yUailinm a16ionoa Of tba C,uoo+oe,+ o,J Ioo4