The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1881-01-22
taken no thought as to the place wher,

tence of five years in the State prison.
thinking how small part of my punish
ment it would be. But with the not
over large amount of money my parents
had been enable to lay aside during their
honest lives, together with generous
amount contributed by my friend. who
looked upon himself as having been the
cause of all my misfortune, three years
of liberty was purchased for me. My
sentence became two instead OF ti:e
years imprisonment.
My parents visited me as often us pos
siblc. and Fred Allen came often to see
me. The girl to whom was engaged
she had refused to take her freedom
was almost daily caller in my cell.
Among them all | was made as com
Portable as one can he made in such quar-
tiers. When l was again at liberty
realized what wrctched thing it is to
lose the confidence and respect Of one $
fellows. But few would give me any
employment and everybody distrusted
me thoroughly.
\ year after my release was married.
Six months after my marriage my father
died of fever. My mother. worn out by
anxiety for me, and the care and hard
work which his sickness brought. only
survived him Il few weeks. We We're
alone 5ut for each other. Matte and |,
for she like myself was an orphan. and
had been an only child. l sold the old
place, and with the money it brought
sought the West. where. in a secluded
village, away from those l had known.
made home for myself and the woman
| loved.
Truly and bitterly had | repented my
sin and rashness. | asked forgiveness of
God and my friends; and both, | am
sure, granted it. AS the weeks and
months formed themselves into years,
found peace if not happiness. | was be-
ginning to fold a leaf over the dark page
in my history, when the book Of my ex-
stence was turned backward. by 4 hand
which seemed to me cruel in it's careless
ness.
Some ingenious brain and cunning
hand had given to the world new pat
ent. and agents were sent to all parts of
the country to effect its sale. One of
these agents came to our village, and
proved to be a person who had known
me in the unhappiest time of my life.
\ few carelcssly spoken words opened to
the gaze Of the people, among whom
had lived SO peacefully, the dark chapter
in my history. The man saw and recog-
nized me. He did not speak to ne. but
heard him say to one Of my neighbors:
You said his name was John Ellis;
thought so, although he has changed
considerably since | saw him. Well. if
a certain physician had been less skilled,
he might have been looking through
CRATES now. He looks very respectable
for Il freed States prison bird
did not stay to hear more. but | knew
that could no longer hope for peace or
comfort in that place. | was much less
'
dear, true, Matte. Time proved that
my fears were not groundess. \ man
who had been in prison was 4 monster in
the eyes Of those simple, honest people.
and our neighbors Stunned our dwelling
as they might have done plague house.
Bravely my wife bore upunder this atllic-
ton. but | saw how unhappy and rest
less she was and one day sold my place
for not two-thirds its value, and soon
moved away, a long distance.
1t would make story of which you
may already be weary too long to tell
you how we moved from place to pace
and how some one came to tell my story
and lose us cur home.
Gradually. but surely. my property
Slipped away from me until nothing re-
manned. At length the burden of life
became too heavy for my never strong
Matte, and she quietly laid it down.
Do not reproach yourself. John. she
said. when l stood by her couch and
cried out that had been her curse; you
have done the best you could, and been
a good husband to me. l have been hap
pier in sharing your hard lot than
of any other man.
l was very poor, but I managed to get
money enough together to take all that
remained of my Matte to the place
where my father and mother are buried.
and to buy headstonc for her grave.
| The idol-venerating pagan of the east
seeks not at more regular intervals the
shrine at which he worships than those
| three grass covered graves. 1t is the
, thought of them that keeps my life from
! being wholly bad. | am drifting any.
where, everywhere, into all sorts OF
company, all sorts of places. but | never
, steal. curse or drink. Sometimes fancy
| am going mad, but it is my constant
wish that | may be kept pure enough to
e drift into the heavenly kingdom where
: my parents and Matte are waiting tc
A welcome their ~ander l.. am glad the
: man who spoke the words that drove Il:
= from our homes does not know the result
e of his information. There are unhappy
+. ones enough now
e The story was finished. Three pair o
= eye lashes were wet. three hearts full O
II one desire: to comfort and help this wal
: of humanity. Perhaps he read that wisl
on the faces before him. for he said as h,
arose:
NO one can help me. should not
y be content to remain in one place long
! God bless you | venerate all womcl
for mothers and Mattie's sake. Fo
:, your Kindness. thank you
Out in the darkness in which the shor
November afternoon was ending h
. strobe, and again in the world which la
been So unkind to him. he is drifting.
% If we are expected to believe the dy
Il ing word of all murderers that have bee
Justly hanged during the past twent
u years. heaven would be the boss place 70
general international murdercrs' re
J. union.
81 Lieutenant Commander Corning
IL SAYS the obelisk will endure in our climat
for 500 wears BY that time we vii