Connecticut western news., 1885-05-06
ears, just as she stepped into the prison

y
 
 Three weeks afterward I had occasion to call on the governor of the jail, and as we sat in bis cool little room, discuss ing his Martell and smoking his Boer tobacco, he looked up suddenly with a troubled air, and said, "By-the-by, do you know that Dirk Sylvester goes to Cape Town with the next lot of I. D. B.'s Illicit Diamond Buyers)Y
 expressed my surprise, as I knew the governor had the selecting of the prisoners to be transferred to the break water at Cape Town, and had heard that he had an idea of making Dirk a clerk in the Kimberley Prison Office. There was little chance of his ever being free man again, but it was something that he should serve his weary years at Kimber- ley, among friends who could visit him, and close to his faithful wife. I men, tioned this, and the governor, stepping to 8 little cupboard, turned the key and took out little blue packet.
 "I have had to forbid Mrs. Sylvester's visits," he said; land when tell you the reason I think you will agree that I am right in sending Dirk to Cape Town. You see, he seemed to expect, when the reprieve came, that he would be set at liberty: and so did she, but, as you know, the death sentence has only been commuted to one of imprisonment for life; and how on earth they managed to persuade the Governor to do that can't tell. Well, since that has been made plain to Dirk, he has been a changed man. He talks hopelessly of his future and God knows. poor fellow, it's dark enough l-he seems to be pining for freedom; he says the convict dress clings to him like cerecloth; and the other day, just after his wife had visited him, I saw such queer look in his eyes that quietly turned over his things. At the bottom of the basket of comforts she had brought him I found this"
 He opened the packet and poured out before my eyes a whitish powder.
 "Well ?" I said interrogatively.
 "Poison ]" he briefly replied, as he swept the powder back into the packet. "And now," he added, ''don't think me hard if I send Dick to Cape Town"
 
 There was an unusual stir and excite ment in Kimberley; the streets were crowded with men and women whose faces bespoke every kind of emotion, from despairing rage to rejoicing malice; while hither and thither among the throng in the market square, rode off cials in the dark blue uniforms of the Civil Service.
 At length there was cloud of whirl- ing dust in the Transvaal Road; the crowd swayed and parted, and at hand gallop two heavily laden mule wagons passed through the surging ranks and halted for the escort to close round.
 A woful freight those wagons bore; a load of human misery; a company of wretched convicts, into whose souls the iron of captivity had already entered; a consignment of baffled, trapped, and forsaken seekers after illicit wealth. Youth and age were there, and the gall iug letters bound all together in the links of common despair. Chained as they were, like wild beasts, some stood up, and in agonized voice called upon friend, wife, and child, who answered not; while others, crouching in corner of the rude conveyance, bowed their heads between their trembling hands and sought to keep out the light of sun that had become hateful to them.
 Suddenly I caught sight of Dirk Syl- vester. He was sitting on the side ot the foremost wagon, his arms folded across his chest, and look of eager ex- pectation on his finely moulded face, thin and pale with confinement and sui fering. called to him, but he heard not; his gaze seemed fixed on some far away object, and smile played upon his wan lips.
 hurried on in advance of the caval- cade toward "The Oasis, which I knew it must pass on it's way to the open veldt. I remembered that the governor of the jail had told me the night before that he had allowed last interview be- fore the fearful journey to Cape Town between man and wife, and that they spoke some words in French, which he did not understand, but which seemed to have 8 wonderful effect on Dirk. E As neared the gate of "The Oasis, over which the blue gums cast their shade, and where the sweet trailing flowers were in their full autumnal beauty, I saw Sylvester's wife standing motionless. She was attired in the plain white dress she wore on the day of the trial, and also when she crowned Drk's hope and rendered him the envy of the bachelors of the Fields by becoming his own. Her golden hair foated unheeded on the lazy breath from the distant plain; her eyes were turned upward to the deep blue sky above, and her lips seemed to be moving as if in silent prayer. There was no need to tell her of the approach of the convict party; their coming was heralded by the wild refrain of dismal song chanted by the prisoners; and adown the startled air came the sound of creaking-wheels, the cracking of whips, the shouting of orders, and the responsive curses of the mob. was unwilling to obtrude my self on her notice, and therefore did not speak to her, but merely took up a position close by the gate.
 Nearer and nearer came the rolling wagons; and the crowd rushed on through the eddying dust, till suddenly they caught glimpse of the lonely watcher in the gateway. There was not man there who did not know that the slight, pale woman standing with