The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-05-16

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 expressed my surprise, as knew the governor had the selecting of the prison CTS to be transferred to the breakSater at Cape Town, and had heard that he had an idea of making Dirk clerk in the Kimberley prison office. There was little chance of his ever being free m an again, but it was something that he should serve his weary years at Kimberly, among friends who could visit him, and close to his faithful wife. l mentioned this, and the governor, stepping to little cup board, turned the key and took out lit- tie blue packet.
 have had to forbid Mrs. Sylvester's visits, ," he said, " and when tell you the reason think you will agiee that l am right in sending Dirk to Cape Town. You sec, he seemed to expect, when the re- prieve came, that he would be set at lib- erty and sn did she, but as you know, the death sentence has only been com muted to one of imprisonment for life :; and how on earth they managed to per suade the governor to do that can't tell Well, since that has been made plain to Dirk, he has been 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 dress clings to him like cerecloth, and the other day, just after his wife had visited him, saw such queer look in his eyes that l quietly turned over his things. At the bottom of basket of com 'orts she had brought him found this"
 He opened the packet and poured out before my eyes whltish powder.
 We'll ?" said interrogatively.
 Poisonl" 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 Towr." 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 j; while hither and thither among the throng in the market square rode officials in the dark blue uniform of the Cape Civil Ser vice.
 At length there was cloud of whirlng 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 load of human misery; company oi miserable convicts, into whose souls the iron of captivity had already entered a consignment of baf1 ed, trapped, and for saken seekers after illicit wealth. Youth and age were there, and the galling fet- ters 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 corner of the rude conveyance, bowed their heads between their trembling hands and sought to keep out of the light of the sun which had become hateful to them.
 Suddenly l caught sight of Dirk Syl- vester. He was sitting on the side of the foremost wagon, his arms fslded across his chest, and look of eager expectation on his finely moulded face, thin and pale with confinement and suffering. called to him, but he heard not; his gaze seemed fixed on some far-away object, aud smile played upon his wan lips. hurried On in advance of the caval- cade toward The Oasis" which knew it must pass on its way to the open veldt. l remembered that the governor of the all had told me the night before that he had allowed last interview before the fearful journey to Cape Town between man and wife, and they spoke some words in French, which he did not understand, but which seemed to have a wonderful effect on Dirk.
 As 1 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, saw Syl- vester's wife standing motioniess. She i was attired in the plain white dress she wore on the day of the trial, and also when she crowned Dirk's hopes and rem dered him the envy of the bachelors of the Fields by becoming his own. Her golaen hair foated unheeded on the lazy breath from the distant plain her eyes turned upward to the deep blue sky above, and her lips seemed to be moving as it in silent prayer. There was no need to tell her of the approach of the convict party their coming was heraided by wild refrain of dismal song chanted by the prisoners and of creaking wheels, the cracking of whips, the shouting of orders, and the responsive curses of the mob. was unwilling to ebtrude my self on her notice, and therefore did not speak to her, but merely took up a posi- tion 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 a man there who did not know that the slight, pale woman standing with her hands clasped convulsively together, and her whole soul concentrated as it were in one long gaze, was Sylvester's wife. Even the officials knew his history they knew he was no midnight purchaser of stolen l gems, bat enly passionate. hspless man and, as if by instinct, the melan-