The Portland daily press., 1880-07-19
A Tale by Mark Twain.
Containing Some Points Maine People
Will Take.

The August Atlantic contains the tale of
Edward Mills and George Benton by Mark
Twain, which is as clever.a satire on the sem
timentality over crime as that sort of gush has
ever received. Edward Mills minded from
boyhood; George Benton never did. Edward
prospered. 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 en-
gagged to dropped him, as it was her duty to
save George. Hard times threw Edward out
o + regular work, and he relapsed to common
labor while; but George became fi0urishing
drunkard. We give the last part of the story,
leaving it to readers OF the Atlantic to get the
full enjoyment OF the whole. 1t will be seen
that Mark Twain is familiar with the history
of the Dexter bank robbery
A grand temperance revival was got up, and
after some rousing speeches had been made,
the chairman said impressively, "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 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
tht 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, but was faithfully rescued and wought
with, every time, and good situations were
found for him. Finally, he was taken around
the country lecturing, as reformed drunkard,
and he had great houses and did an immense
amount of good.
He was so popular at home, and so trusted
during lis sober intervals-that he was enabled
to use the name of principal citizen and get a
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 successful he was "sent up" for only
two years. When, at the end of year. the
tireless efforts OF the benevolent were crowned
with success, and he emerged from the peni-
tentiary with pardon in his pocket, the PIis-
oner's Frierd 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, encouragement and help.
Edward Mills had once applied to the Prison
er's Friend society for asituation when in dire
need but the question, "Have you been
prisoner" made brief work of his case.
While all these things were going on, Ed
ward Mills had been quietly making headway
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 the town;
there were evil reports about him, but nothing
definite.
One winters night somej masked burglars
forced their way into the bank and found Ed
ward Mills there alone. They commanded
him to reveal the Combination" so that they
could get into the safe. He refused. They
trusted him and he could not be a traitor to
that trust He could die, il he must, but
while he lived he would be faithful; he would
not yield up the Combination. The bur-
glars killed him.
The detectives hunted down the criminals;
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 news
papers in the land begged that all the banks in
the land would testify their appreciation of
the fidelity and herosm of the murdered CASH
ier by coming forward with generous contri-
button of money in aid of his family, now be-
reft of support. The result was a mass of solid
cash, amounting to upwards of S500-an aver
age OF nearly three-eighths 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 had knocked his brains out
with bludgeon to escape detection and pun
ishment.
George Benton was arraigned for trial.
Then everybody seemed to forget the widow