Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1881-04-30

laid out the few feet of ground behind
with exquisite neatness, and had made
little bed In the center that looked, by
the by, like grave. The taste and in
genunity he had displayed in 6yoryth164
were most extraordinary; and yet more
detected, heart-brOken, wretched crea-
ture it would be difficult to imagine. I
never saw such picture of fOrlOrn af-
Fiction and distress of mind. My heart
bled for him, and when the tears ran
down his cheeks and he took one of the
visitors aside to ask, with his trembling
hand nervousIy clutching at his coat to
detain him, whether there was no hope
of his dismal sentence being COMMITTED.
the spectacle was really too painful to
witness. l never saw or heard of any
kind of misery that impressed me more
than the wretchedness of this man."
The great novelist wrote this i'm the
year 1S41. And yet the prisoner, with
all his ''wretchedness," lives and still
occupies his lonely cell. For 40 years he
has been in prison, living life of moody
and. for the most part, voluntary con-
fnement. A Philadelphia correspondent
OF the New York Tribune has been visit
ing "Dickens's prisoner" as the old man
is called, and gives some interesting
facts concerning him. We have no
doubt if the cOnvict's history were writ
ten out it wOnld make strange reading.
We gather from the Tribune's letter that
the unfortunate man whose name is
given as Charles L.-cOmmitted the
crime of larceny and was first sentenced
for five years in the year 1880. 1t was
during this time that Dickens interview
ed him. To him liberty was not so dear
as Dickens imagined. He has been SEN
fenced seven times since. The last time
was from September 10, 1879, for three
years. He is now 70 years old, and while
he looks forward to the day of his release
with some interest, he is fearful that he
may not fare as we'll outside as he has
Jared inside of the prison walls. He in
dulges in the hope that after "his time
is up his friends will help him to get
home. He talks very freely of his past
life. In giving him his first senteE ce
the judge reminded him that it was not
made more severe because his Offense in
vOlved the character of an innocent man.
The idea of going to prison for 50 long
term as five years, and of being separat-
ed from his wife and child, was hOrrible.
He could not endure to think of it. and
actually attempted to commit suicide by
plunging shOemaker's knife into his
bowels. mo blood flowed" he said, land
L took this as token that / was not to
die yet" Afterward, however, he de-
termined to end his misery by cutting
huge gashes in his. arms. The blood
now come, and his life was almost ex-
tinct when the keeper found him. After
a few weeks he was restored to health.
and then news came of the infidelity of |
his wife. This caused him to abandon
all hope of living outside. and he deter
mined tOf'make the.bestiOfit it" by remain |
ing in the penitentiary, In the course |
Of years he actually became accustomed |
to this sort of life and loved it. When |
his time of confinement has expired he |
has managed in some way to get back
again. "And so it has come to pass"
says correspondent, shat for the greater
part of twO-and-fOrty years the old SIN
ner has been boarding on Cherry hilI
at the expense of the Keystone state"
This singular story suggests Dumas,
Dantes, the Chateau DIFF, Monte CristO,
and all the marvels of that wonderful
romance. After all, "trutA is stranger
than felton," |