The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1881-12-23

II
sentence upon him, Rapine said:
"'My Lord, will you permit me to
make few remarks before you doom
mel?
"Be brief, them said the Judge,
CURLY.
"'WLile will not attempt to deny
having committed the offense, said the
prisoner, nor see4 to justify the act,
you will nevertheless perceive that there
are ameliorating circumstances con-
nected with this unfortunate affair when
you hear my story.
"'I am connected with wealthy and
refnel family, the ancestral name OF
which, for obvious reasons, shall not
mention. A villain-a monster In the
guise of the human form divine-by
artful insinuations and subtle fattery,
only too eagerly received, betrayed my
idolized, my only sister. He fed from
the scene of his wrong-doing, and pur-
sued him in vain for six months before l
discovered his hiding place.
az charged him with his vile work
and he Knocked me. grew desperate;
and in that mood took his dastardly life.
"'The hourds of justice were soon
upon my track. For brief period /
successfully eluded them, but in an evil
moment l fell a prey to their tireless
pursuit, and was tried and condemned.
"'But while 1 lay in durance vile my
much-wronged sister ended her career
by self-destruction, which 80 preyed
upon the mind of my mother that she
sank under the accumulated miseries,
and was soon laid beside her unfortu-
nate child.
"'Justice appeared to be satisfied
then, and assumed lenient mood. 1
was pardoned, and once more breathed
the pure air of freedom. l was free to
do-what? To fall into still deeper
degradation. All hands and hearts
were turned against the convicted felon !
1 was treated with scorn and derision
by those who were wont to be proud to
be recognized by me.
az was deeply Inundated, and de-
bated the matter in my mind for fort
night. Then L came to a decision. L
resolved to be revenged on society,
since society refused me its countenance.
/ would make an indiscrlminate war
upon it, and L have kept my word.
"'This Is the only excuse L can offer
in defense of my crime, said he In con-
clusion, as he drew forth his pocket
handkerchief and buried his face In it.
"There was profound silence, and L
saw by the faces around me- that his re-
cital had made deep impression on his
auditors that he had enlisted their
deepest and most heartfelt sympathies.
There was one exception, however.
ga country looking fellow, in smock
frock, and smelling of the stable,
laughed audibly when Rapine's head
sank upon the railing before HIM.
CT turned on him with frown, but
he met my gaze with preceptible
giggle, as he remarked:
"'That fellow do have the gift o CAB
now wonderful, doant he ?
60 He is an unfortunate victim of cir
cumstances, remarked 1, in tone of
rebuke for his levity.
"' Yees, he be, sure an it will go
hard WI him, warrant, heremarked, as
he wendell his way to the Judges bench
and handed that worthy sealed note
then. with his hat in hand, waited until
mis- Lordship had perused it.
"During all this time the unfortunate
prisoner had not lifted his head, but
kept his face hidden in his cambria
handkerchief.
"iWhen the Judge had read the note
handed him by the countryman, he
held out his hand to him and shook it
warmly, to the intense surprise of all
present. what did this mean? was my
mental inquiry.
"They conversed in q low tone for
some time, and once both directed their
gaze to where l was sitting. More
mystery I thought.
cat this moment the prisoner raised
his head and gazed mournfully around
the room, taking in the Judge and
countryman in his apparently aimless
glance. Tears were actually streaming
down his cheeks, which he brushed
away with his handkerchief. A murmur
of commiseration went around the room,
and all eyes were turned toward the
Judge, as if in one unanimous appeal for
mercy for the unhappy prisoner. But
the next moment a murmur of reproba-
ton rang around the room. The learned
Judge was smiling-actually smiling, as
if highly amused at sight of the tear
stained face Of Rapine, while the low
but distinct chuckle of the countryman
was again heard
His Lordship now beckoned to me to
approach. l went up to the bench, when
the Judge introduced the man to me as
Mr.. Edmund Darke, Scotland Yard de-
tective.
eve shook hands. of course. but l
was still dazed, as it were. by the sud-
den change of scene. Mr. Darke noticed
this, and facetiously asked
Be you still angry wi for laughing
at yon knave ? nodding in the direction
of the prisoners dock.
"' Knave y echoed I, more and more
mystifed, while the worthy Judge en-.
joyed the joke, and laughed heartily.
"'Aye, knave as well as rogue
rejoined Darke, assuming his natural
manner of speech. He is the most
adroit thief in the three kingdoms, and
his talent at humbuPging an audience
Judge included added he, mischiev-
ously, glancing at his Lordship, is
scarcely exceeded by his pilfering ex-
ploits.
&c came here to look for him, for he
n ~