Semi-weekly south Kentuckian., 1885-05-05

so he was put into prison for life. You see
twas three against one, and justice amt
for poo" folks any way. The Governor
won't listen to me. He saws he'd have to
let everybody out of prison If he took their
wives stories, 50 can't do anything only,
Just 20 and be near him. Ive been stayin'
with my folks in CHICAGO and they believe
that Inns guilty, and couldn't stand that,
so Pm gon' to jackson to stay somewhere
in 81 hit o. the prison as long as he lives.
The LIES waarin' on him, he can't last long,
and | ought not to be sorry when he's
gone" sha concluded, with pitltul re-
pressed sob.
Fred Vernon believed every word of this
narrative as might have been expected Of
n man unused to contact with criminals
AMI as it happened this statement was
true. "A cunninsly devised fable" would
have been as readily credited, for at this
sta ,e of his life he had great faith in hu-
mainly, particularly in the unfortunate,
down.t tr5d len classes. Aftar-eXperience
forced upon him the knowledge that with
portion of thcm their misiortunes are their
stock in trade.
Nov his chivalrous nature was fully
aroused; ho felt siblimely indignant with
the LIichi gan Governor, whos1 name he
could not recall, AMI he registered vow
that that dignitary should attend to the
pale l5tle wo.nan's petition. Thinking OF
Gertrude surrounded by every comfort and
luxury AMI shield ID from trouble, made him
mora than ever tender and pititul to all less
fortunate women. He soliloquized: In
thu sad vicissitules of lie my darling
NAV sometime need champion il were
no5 able 10 protect AMI care for her."
When the train stopped at jackson he
escorted the convicts wife to carriage,
pail the driver, gave the little girl two
twenty dollar gold pieces, then, strange as
| il may SO I'm, within week he utterly for'
got the existence OF these unFortunates,
and year passed before he remembered
them again. The encounter, however, had
served to restore him to his usual kindly
interest in humanity.
The train sped on through the bright
| summer evening, over flower -bordered
streams, throu gh meadows adorned with
newly-cut grass bearing this passenger
toward the calamity that was already pro-
| jecting a shadow over his life.
II is startling for comparatively rich
man to be suddenly confronted by poverty,
| as Mr.. Vernon learned when his uncle's
death disclosed the fact that the business
had somehow gone to ruin. Still he was not
so much dismayed as might have been ex.
pected Making his own way in the world,
the inexperienced man anticipated, would
be quite easy, and he felt strong enough to
conquer adverse fate. Gertrude, too, bore
the tidiugs ot reverse quite bravely, and
had an unreasoning faith that everything
would eventually turn out all right.
Mr.. Vernon might have retained por.
ton of his fortune, which hal never beer
invested in the business. but his high senst
OF honor forbade that subtnrfuge, anC
everything was given up, even to the house
furnished with loving care for his bride
| This exceptional mani estatiOn Of integrity
produced quit furor of admiration
among the ere litors, but their enthusiasm
| did not take any practical form. Ii was
not convenient for amy OF them to offer the
ruined merchant suitable situation
Some of them were sure that "such "A nobl,
Young fellow as Vernon who had always
been helping everybody" was sure K
prosper; while others expressed the opinion
that the Lord would reward him, which
was n comfortable and easy way of ac'
quitting themselves of obligations to ofRel
a helping hand to fallen man. Each On'
expected some generous action OF hi
neighbor, so it happened that nobody die
anything.
The man to whom everything desirabl,
had hitherto come could not readily grasI
the means of helping himself, so the tw'
Young people, who had no care in the worlt
beyond buying everything that they nigh
happen to desire, soon found themselve
confronted with the very serious problem
of life.
Two years after the interruption of thei
wedding tour, Mr.. and Mrs. Vernon ha'
removed to the Western city where the ia
tai telegram had reached them. The!
were both considerably changed by tim
and circumstances. They had cherisher
an exceptionally lofty ideal of life, bu
-. L.. LII, 90, k,v
banded in the study of art and literature
had become partially engrossed in the con
sderation of petty economies; and the ex
istence which was to have been so gran
and free, had Of necessity become crampe
by the Limitation OF poverty. Ii was, per
haDs. too early TO estimate the effect OF til
Transformation upon their characters, bu
neither of them had grown selfish, as man
kindly deeds to others more I'M
fortunate than themselves testified
By some fatality they had bee
requited by more than the average shaI
of ingratitude. They had lost out of thei
lives something of the sweet romance tina
they always meant to cherish.
"But when from youth the dream depart
8 1t takcs something from our hearts,
= And II never comes again"
Still these young people were not hope
, less nor comtOrtless. Any life shared t.
| glther held compensations, and they wei
} still young enough to expect a favorab
; turn in fortune. Their most importaI
I service had been in securing the release {
the man unjustly condemned for murde
: BY the time Mr.. Vernon recalled til
events of that strange journey, ne
, Governor had been installed in Michigan
l His wife, like Linda Gilbert, was 18th
s prisoners FRIEND" and her memor
e is still gratefully cherished, thoug
4 it is many years since she die,
p The investigation she instituted Statistic
her of the prisoners innocence, and so !
y was set free. Though year had pass,
t since this event, Mr.. and Mrs. Vernon ha
Q received no acknowledgment of their inte
r, position. They were little surprise
It at this but not at all embitterel, ar
d were still Jealous champions of the OF
pressed. Being genuine philanthrOpist
t they obeyed sympathetic impulses from
r higher motive than desire to win graf
o tude.
< Five years passed an the Vern lns fouu
a | =. T. 4. l..