St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1880-07-30
A Tale by Mark Twain.


A Tale by Mark Twain.
The August Atlantic contains the tai,
of Edward Mills and George Benton by
Mark Twain, which is as clever satire
on the sentimentality over crime as thai
sort of ush 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 engaged to dropped
him, as it was her duty to save George.
Hard times threw Edward out of regu-
lar work, and he relapsed to common
fOnrishing 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 rob-
berry :
A grand temperance revival was
got up, and after some rOusing speech
es had been made, the chairman said
impressively, 1--WE are now about 10
call for signers and l think there is a
spectacle in store for you which not
many in the house will be able to view
with dry eyes," There was an eloquent
pause, and then George Benton, escort
ed by red-sashed detachment of La
dies of the Refuge, stepped forward
upon the platform and signed the
pledge. The air was rent with APP
plause, and everybody cried for joy.
Everybody wrung the hand of the new
convert when the meeting was over !;
his salary was enlarged the 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 res
cued 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 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 for
gerry, and it was partially successful
he was "sent up" for only two years.
When, at the end of year, the tire
less efforts of the benevolent were
crowned with success, and he emerged
from the penitentiary with a pardon in
his pocket, the Prisoners Friend So
he e.f
ton aud comfortable salary, and all
the other benevolent people came for
ward, and gave him advice, encourage
ment and help. Edward Mills had
once applied to the Prisoners Friend
society for situation when in dire
need, but the question, "Have you
been a prisoner :" made brief work of
his case.
While all these things were going on,
Mills had been quietly max
ing Roadway against adversely. He
was still poor, but was in receipt of a |
steady and sufficient salary, as the re-
spected and trusted cashier of 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 def
mite.
One winters night some masked
burglars forced their way into the bank
md found Edward Mills there alone.
they commanded him to reveal the
combination" so that they could get
nto the safe. He refused. They
;rusted him and he could not be a
,raitOr to that trust. He could dle, nj
le must, but while he lived he would
De faithful he would not yield up the
The burglars killed
lin.
The detective hunted down the Grim
mails; the chief one proved to be George
Benton. A wide sympathy was felt for
nan, and all the newspapers in the
and begged that all the banks i'll the
and would testify their appreciation
Of the fidelity and heroism of the muir
lered cashier by coming forward with
4 generous contribution of money in
aid of his family, now Oereft of support.
The result was mass of solid cash,
to upwards of $500-an av-
erage of nearly three-eighths of a cent
for each bank in the Union. The cash
ier's own bank testified its gratitude by |
to show (but humiliating-
ly failed in it) that the peerless ser
wants accounts were not square, and
that he himself had knocked his brains
out with bludgeon to escape detec-
ton and punishment.
George Benton was arrested for trial,
when every body seemed to forget the
widow and orphans in their solitude
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 petit
lions for Communication or pardon; they
were brought by fearful young girls
by sorrowful old maids by Populations
of pathetic widows; by shoals of i'm
pressiye orphans. But no, the govern