The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1883-12-21
CHAPTER TX.
PROM DREAMs TO WAKING.

"Are they really slavesf" asked Ad.
rienne.
"That was the name originally given to
them. my child. They formerly worked
the oars of the galleys; thus kind Of
machinery was made out Of human beings.
You have never seen these galleys. but l
remember them when they were fitted up
as gun boats, and were sent out of the
ports to attack English vessels that might
have become disabled or hecalmed near
the shore. That was during the great
war; The galley slaves were chained to
the oars and benches in the centre of
built, with only one deck. and sometimes
they had sails as well as oars. The guns
were placed between the benches where
the convicts sat and the sides Of the
vessels"
"But they do not use such vessels now 7"
"No; these men work on the public
buildings; the government thus utilizes
their time md strength"
"And are they. then, so very badly
treated" asked Adrienne. "that they ARE
called slavesf
IL fear they are shamefully used. my
dear child. They are sent to the galleys
because they are guilty Of terrible. crimes,
and they are in the power Of brutal men,
who make life ~ hard as possible for
them"
Then their punishment Is not adapted
to make them any better than they are
when sent To prison" said Valentine. look
| inp full in the ,lu ke's fuce
'On the contrary. they must grow
worse. IL you reduce man TO the con-
ditien Of n wild beast, he is very likely to
lose every redeeining trait Of humanity.
and the possession OF mental powers will
| enable him 20 exceed the animals in
| wickedness. These men lose their identi
ty. They are given numbers instead of
their own names. They are allowed no
| intercourse with the outer world; their
nearest relatives lose all traces of them
Oh, it is All outrageous way to treat hu-
man beings, no matter Of what crimes
they may have been proved capable! 1t
is a blot on our prison sys'emV'
'And suppose some OF these men were
not guilty said Adrienne.
DO not suppose such case II is too fear
ful to contemplate. II the punishment is
an outrage even on the guiltiest wretch
| among them. do not care TO imagine
! wha, il might be TO an innocent man."
The duke seemed annoyed by Adri-
rienne's chance remark, and calling to
the girls TO follow him, be turned toward
| the house.
Adrienne seemed fascinated TO the spot.
II want TO see their faces, Valentine. /
must see what they resemble after such
| brutal treatment. Oh. Valentine. just
think, if even one Of these men should lie
suffering unjustlyw
"Adrienne, you let your imagination
make you miserable. Why give way to
these ideasY Suppose one Of them to he
innocent: what can We do for him-we
two helpless girlsr
"But We. Valentine; we are so happyj
and they. by the contrast. appear all the
more miserable"
.'You dear little enthusiast. You would
make good philanthrophist 20 teach us
our duty to our fellow creatures. really
believe they arc stopping to rest. out
there on the dusty road, with the hot sun
pouring down upon them
The girls watched the unfortunate men
as they halted in the road. + -avel
stained and weary. their dusty little red
caps were no protection from the heat
while the heavy balls which they drag.
ged after them made each walk lame.
Their powerful forms, magnifcently de-
veloped Ivy the nature Of their duties,
seemed to mock at their downcast dcs-
pairing features, aged and rigid with toll
and hopeless grief Adrienne gazed in 81.
lence, then, catching Valentines hand.
she FASTENED back to the house. The
duke was busy with his letters, which the
chanoinesse had offered TO take to Paris.
Father. those poor men are resting out
in the sun; may they comcin under the
trees3 Say yes"
The duke and the chanoinesse looked
up in amazement. There stood Adri-
enne and Valentine in their satin draper
les and soft laces, their eyes dilatng
with eager sympathy. their hands clasped
in soft entreaty.
my dear child, they are convicts--
criminals of the worst kind"
"But they cannot harm MS" pleaded
AdrienDe, her soft eyes filing with tears. !
"And they are men, and can feel the
heat this intense day as much as we do"
said the duchess, as usual coming to help |
the weaker side.
"Well, call ORourke; be was standing |
idle there "a minute since. Tell him to |
speak to the guard first, before opening |
the gates
"And, Valentine, take my purse, child. |
Money is always acceptable. 1 suppose"
my purse is somewhere there among
the worsteds, Adrienne. Make an equal |
division" said the duchess. "Adriennc
generally has favorite," she remarked, |
as the girls opened the purses. s-.5s
81 think deserve some reward" said |
the duke.
"You must take IL in Kisses" said Adri- |
enne, slipping the purse into her side
pocket and throwing her arms around !