Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1883-10-11

and brought down a torrent Of such
great abuse that ! really expected
that Alexander would end by striking
me-
DAY after day the request was re
nowed, but | would not yield. Upon
my marriage, uncle Richard had sold
/ his city residence and took up perna-
nent abode at Grassbank, where,
/ knowing my husband TO be an unwel-
come guest, / never visited him. |
wrote occasionally, but the love Of
years, like that of father and child, had
been so sadly strained BY my persls-
tence in marrying Alexander, that
even our correspondence was languld
and commonplace. "
II would not, therefore, write to
| him TO ask favor that / knew would
not have been necessary without crlm-
/ inal recklessness of expenditure, and
each refusal made my husband more
/ furious. Then came an Overwhelming
blow. Alexander forged a check and
drew two thousand pounds of uncle
/ Richards money from the bank. !
don't think my uncle would have pro
secuted him. had he guessed who was
1 the forger: but he handed the whole
matter over TO the law as soon as il
was discovered that the check was
I forged. 1t was then traced 10 AleXan-
/ der, and at the same time it was found
/ that he had robbed in the same way
/ his former employers. He had given
up all work upon his marriage; but
when he found himself without money
his knowledge of the business enabled
him to forge the note of DerkIss ~ Co
Even if uncle Richard had spared him
for my sake this other forgery would
have entitled him to penal servitude.
He was sentenced TO seven years, and
uncle took me home, full of heavenly
pity and forgiveness for the child who
had treated him so ungratefully.
Then your husband is IN prison"
said Gerald, in a hard strained voice.
NO he is dead He died within
the first year. Uncle Richard saw
the death in a paper, and sent the
money for his burial. No, / am free
but none the less ! am the widow of
a convicted felon."
'But none the less, - quoted Gerald,
the woman | love and honor above
all others, and hope still to make nay
wife.
1t took, however, more than one in
teryicw, full of loves pleading to
win Maude from her resolution. She
so honored her lover and was SO
proud of his good name and the pos
ition he had attained by his talent
that her sensitive nature shrank from
even The shadow of her misery falling
upon his life.
But the victory was won at last,
and the lawyer walked home one eve
ming full of a proud, glad Joy, for
Maude had then promised to be his |
wife
IF you are willing to take AleXan- |
der Halls widow to be your wife,
she said, Il viii not oppose you any |
longer for | love you with all my
heart.
He had no thought but Of that glad
triumph, when he turned up the gas
in his office. He was in the habit Of
making a late visit there before going |
up to his bed-ro in case notes or
messages were left for him. One lay |
there on this evening, a shabby look
ing envelope, but directed IN a bold I
handsome hand, which he recognized .
at once.
He tore it open. After a few words |
Of introduction, the note ran;
you did the best you could on my \
trial, but the facts were too strong for
YOU | have now a last favor To- ask
of You. die, as you know, at noon
tomorrow. You, as my lawyer, can
see me at any time VIII you come
as soon as you receive this and win the
gratitude Of the man you know as
JAMES Fox"
The man | know as James Fox.
muttered the lawyer; the smooth,
plausible scoundrel who actually
made me believe him innocent of the
hideOus murder for which he was con
victed. can find eXtenuation for
some murders, but this cold-blooded
assassination of ana old man for mon
ey only, was revolving, How he de
ceived me, though, for a time And
how he eNulted over his success in
dong so when he saw facts were too
strong. Shall | 90 to him | suppose
| must. it is still very early
1t was not vet midnight when
Gerald Langton was uShered into the
cell of the man who, in a few short
hours, was to meet the extreme penal
~ of the law for the worst of all
crimes.
Yet there wis nothing revolving in
the appearance of the criminal. His
dress was neat, his hair carefully ar
ranged; his woustache faultleSs, his
hands white and refined looking. He
rose from his seat upon the bed as his
lawyer entered the cell.
II knew you would come, he SAID,
courteously, though von were Offend
ed at my want of hankness. Wen.
that is all Overt You will not refuse
the last request of a dying man, Mr..
Iangton
"Not If l can grant it, " was the re-
ply
This, said the murderer, "is not
my first offence agaiustt the law. Some
years ago | was sentenced to a term
OF years for forgery BY a strange
accident | eScapeQ the penalty Du the