The true northerner., 1880-07-30
II TALE BY MARK TU.7E.y.
n CieUer satire on Some Of TIE Current
SentfBscRtdiiiy.

The Atlantic Monthly contains the tale OF
Edward Mills and George Benton by Mark
Twain, which is as clever satire on the sent
mentality over crime as that sort OF gush has
received. Edward Mills minded from boy
hood, 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 il was her duty to save George. Hard
times threw Edward out OF regular work, and
he relapsed 10 common labor a while but
George became tlourshing drunkard We
give the last part of the story:
| grand temperance revival was got up, and
after some rousing speeches had been made.
the chairman SAID, impressively, 1--WE are now
| about to call for slgners; and L 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 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, but was faithfully rescued and wrought
with every time, and good situations were found
for him. Finally, he was taken around the
country lecturing as reformed drunhard, and
he had great houses and did an immense
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
a large sum Of money at the bank. mighty
pressure was brought to bear 10 save him from
the consequences OF his forgery, and it was
partially successtul-he was 'sept 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 pris
oners friend society met HIM at the door with
situation 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 q situation, when in dire need, but
the question. Have 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 re-
cept of steady and sufficient salary, as the
respected and trusted cashier OF bank. Geo.
Benton never came near him, and was never
heard to inquire about him. George got to in
dulging in long absences fnom the town. there
were i'll reports about HIM, but nothing definite.
One winters night some masked burglars
forced their way into the bank, and found Ed
ward Mills there alone. They commanded him
to reveal the combination 80 that they could
get into the safe. He refused. They threat
ened his life. He SAID his employers trusted
him. and he could not be traitor to that trust.
He could die, il he must, but while he lived he
would be faithful; he would not yield up the
''combinauon' The burglars killed him.
The detectives hunted down the criminals;
the chief one proved to be George Benton. \
wide sympathy was felt for the widow and
orphans OF the dead man, and all the newspa
pers IN the land begged that all the banks IN
the land would testify their appreciation Of the
fidelity and heroism OF the murdered cashier
by coming forward with generous contrlbu-
! ton in AID OF the family now bereft OF support.
, The result was mass OF solid cash, amounting
| to upwards of S500-an average OF nearly three
| eghths of cent for each bank in the Union
! The CASHIERS own bank testified its gratitude
by endeavoring to show (but humiiatngy
failed IN it) that the peerless servants accounts
were not square, and that he himself had
knocked his brains out with bludgeon to es-
cape detection and punishment.
George Benton was arralgned for trial. Then
everybody seemed to forget the widow and
orphans in their solictude 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 Communication or
pardon; they were brought by fearful young
girls; by sorrowful old maids; bv deputations
Of pathetic widows; by shoals of impressive
orphans. But no, the GoverLor-for once
would not YIELD
Now, George Benton experienced religion.
The glad news flew all around. From that time
forth his cell was always full of girls and wo-
men and fresh flowers all the day long there
was prayer and hymn singing and thanksgivlngs
and homlies and tears, with never an interrup-
ton except an occasional five-mnute inter-
mission for refreshments.
This sort of thing continued up to the very
gaows, and George Benton went proudly home
in the black cap, before waillng audience OF
the sweetest and best that the region could
produce. His grave had fresh flowers on il
every day. for while, aud the maidstone bore
these words, under hand pointing aloft lie
has fought the good fight"
The brave cashiers maidstone has this IN
scription: 4" Be pure, honest, sober, industrious
considerate, and you will never"
Nobody knows who gave the order to leave
it that way, but it was so given.
: The CASHIERS family are IN stringent circum
stances now, it is said but no matter; lot o
/ appreciative people, who were not willing ar
q act so brave aud true as bis should 60 unre
warded, have collected Sl2OO0-and built