Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1885-07-02
| I

"Mark. my words, boys, Sylvesters wife
will get him reprieved."
ofthe "Yellow Bal" in the Transvaal Road,
and his words evoked murmur of sympa-
thy.
Ever since the conviction efforts had been
made in all directions to prevent the dread
sentence of the law being carried out, and
Sylvester's wife had become the heroine of
the camp There were few who did not be-
lieve that he shot the Frenchman; but why
should he die for an offence which was light
compared with some which lay quite easily
on the consciences of not few OF thelnhab-
itants Of Kimberly?
AS the hum of approval subsidized, some
rapidly in the direction of the Jail. We re-
cognized her at once, and respectfully salu-
ted as she drew near. She stopped for
moment and spoke to the foremost man,
who, as she hurried on, turned and gave
great shout.
"Hurrah ~ he cried, "Dirk's reprieved!
The little lady had just had a telegram from
Cape Town. Three cheers for SylVester's
wifeW
Idoubt if the attention was pleasing, but
the kindly jailer told me that she smiled Tor
the first time since Dirk's conviction as that
cheer reached her ears, just as she stepped
into the prison yard. \
Three weeks afterward 1 had occasion
to call on the governor Of the Jail, and as
we sat in his cool little room, discussing
his Martell and smoking his Boer tobacco,
he looked up suddenly with a troubled air,
and said, "By-the-bye, do you know that
Dirk Sylvester goes to Cape Town with the
next lot of l. d. BIS Qllicit Diamond Buy
ers)?"
expressed my surprise, as l knew the
governor had the selecting of the prisoners
to be transferred to the breakwater at Cape
Town, and had heard that he had an idea OF
making Dirk clerk in the Kimberley Pris-
on office. There was but little chance of his
ever being a free man again, but 1t was
something that he should serve his weary
yeurs at Kimberley, among friends who
could visit him, and be close to his faithful
wife. | mentioned this, and the governor,
stepping to Il little cupboard, turned the
key and took out a little blue packet.
VISIT" he said, land when | tell you the
reason l think you will agree that | am
right in sending Dirk to Cape Town. You
see, he seemed to expect, when the reprieve
came he would be set at liberty; and so did
she, but, as you know the death sentence
has only been commuted to one of imprisOn-
ment for life and how on earth they man.
aged 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!-he
seems to be pining for freedom, he says the
convict's dress cings to him like cerecloth,
and the other day, just after his wife had
visited him / saw such a queer look in
his his eyes that l quietly turned over
his things At the bottom of the basket of
comforts's' she had brought him / found
this"
He opened the packet and poured out be-
| fore my eyes Whitish powder.
"Well 90 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 |
send Dirk to Cape Town."
There was an unusual stir 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 offi-
cials in the dark blue uniform of Cape Civil
Service.
At length there was cloud of whirling
dust on the Transvaal Road; the crowd
swayed and parted, and at a hand galop 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 soul the iron ofcaptivity
had already entered a consignment Of bat
fled, trapped, and forsaken seekers after
illicit wealth. Youth and age were there,
and the CALLING tetters 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 piteously in the corner of
the rude conveyance, bowed their heads