Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1884-02-08

nature shrunk from even the shadow of
her misery upon his life.
But the victory was won at last, and
the lawyer walked honaa one evening
full of proud glad joy, for Maud had
then promised to be his wife.
i25 81 f you are willing to take Alexander
Hull's widow to be your wife, 2 she said, ,
II will not oppose you any longer, for I
love you with oil my heart. = ]. q s* rs
v He had no thonaht but Of that glad
triumph when he turned up the gas in
his Office. He was In the habit OF. maxi
ing q late visit there before going up TO
his bedroom, in case notes or messages
were left for him. One lay there on
this evening, shabby looking envelope.
but directed ina bold, handsome hand
which he recognized at once.
He tore 1t open. After few words
of Introduction, the note ran: + 1 /.
"You did the best you could on my
trial, but the facts were too strong tor
you. have now q last favor to ask Of
ycu. I die, as you know, at noon to-mor-
row. You, as my LAWYER, can see me at
any time. Will yo'! come as soon az you
receive this, and with the gratitude Of
the man you know az JAMES Fox"
s'The man know as James Eek, NUT
I.
ible scounGrel who actually made me be 4
lieve him innocent Of the hideous muir
der for which he was convicted. can
find extenuation for some murders, but
this cold hlooded ASSASSINATION of an old
man for money only was revolving. How
he deceived me-, though, for time.
And how he exulted in doing so when
he saw facts were too strong. Shall Isgo
to him? I suppose I must. q It is still
very early" -,
1t was not yet midnight when Gerald
Langton was ushered into the cell of the
man who, in few short hours, was to
meet the extreme penalty of the law for
the worst Of all crimes. Yet there was
nothing revolving in the. appearance of
the criminal. His dress was neat, his
hair carefully arranged, bis ,noustache
tauttless, his hands white and refined
looking. He ross from his seat upon
the bed as his lawyer entered the cell.
81 knew you would COME" he said,
courteously, though you were offended
at my want of frankness: Well, that is
all over. You will not refuse the last
request Of 81 dying man, Mr.. Langton?"
MOT il I can grant it," was the reply.
This" said the murderer, lis not
my first ohense against the law.
Some years ago / was sentenced to a
term of years for forgery. By strange
accident I escaped the penalty. Or the
same day James Fox was sentenced to
two years for petty larceny, and we
were sent together to prison. James
Fox-ny companion, understand, not
mysel!-was deranged, but his lawy ers
had not been able to save him, as his
alteration was not always apparent.
When W. were entered upon the books
of the prison, imagine my amazement
when my fellow prisoner gave my name
for his own. Like flash I saw the
advantage to be gained by the decep-
ton, and allowed the error to pass. MY
companion committed suicide, and I es-
capped with two years. imprisonment in
stead OF seven. But feared recognition
and went to Canada. There | lived by
my wits until a year ago, when l re-
turned to try and raise money from my
wife, and thought I saw an easier plan
by committing the crime for which die
tomorrow. But / want to see my wife.
I wronged her--I robbed her-but heav-
en- is my witness, I love her. When T
was in prison she dropped my name
and took her own again. So it it not for
Mrs. Alexander Hull you must ask, but
for Mrs. Maude Temple"
Was the room reeling-the ceiling
falling the wall closing around him?
Gerald Langton felt they were, as the
name fell upon his ears. Maude- his
Maude - the wife Of this cool villain
who talked of his hideous crimes as If
they we're ordinary events? Well, he
knew that to carry the mans message
was to seperate him from Maude forever.
NJ 1x,A L.
ow Of a murderer! Very rapidly all the
and he said: ''lfy you love her why add
a misery to her life? She may have
lived down the old pain. You have
caused her; why for, a selfish gratifica-
ton, will you make her. whole life a
misery?" '5:-A-$'',e
':she is my wifelI would bid her fare
we'll" ?. -, =
"she Is not your wife: Your own
crimes have released her from any al
legiance to you.
''You know herr"
eyes! know what she has suffered !,
and beg of YOU to let her still believe
you died years ago."
sac ia happ, p
Scarcely that. Such wounds az hers
never heal entirely, but it is cruelty TO
tear them open when they are quiet
.,"Has she married." -.
'NO! She IL your widow "''' r
sit is bard to deny myself one more
sight of her face and the hope I had
that she would say she forgave me-"
''Think Of her, not yourself"
There was long silence in the cell.
Every throb of Gerald Layton's heart
was pain to him, but Alexander Hull sat
in moody silence; evidently reluctant
to give up his wish. = ..-.'.---
At last he spoke. ;-'< .......
"Yon have been very good to me.
Tell me, now, if you have any personal
may love her." 800. -
PROMISED aei to I pe my s1e wi feh'S. 0ne mas
"rhen it will be James Fox who is
hanged Tomorrow! l meant to give my
real name, but will carry my secret 70
the grave. It may be in another world
that the little last self-denialz will be- q
plea for nae. Go now. You may trust
me. c- &asss < =. + A. :. ~ =
He kept his word, and Gerald Langton
his secret. .,s .E ~, E.sti 1ss& :
When Maude, d few weeks later, be-
came his wife, she little guessed the ter
rible ordeal which he had spared her, or
the added disgrace that belonged to the
name she had givenfup.-Exchange. +
The Real American Bird.
From the New. York Herald. :. n II :
When plans for our national insignia
were under discussion, DR.. Franklin adj