Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-09-26

ductiOn TO them, unless he should find
himself garTOted in some dark street or
suburb or his home Tified some dark
and windy night. As for Ben Burnley,
/ he was from the North country. i'm
prisoned for conspiracy and nlanslaugh-
Ter in an attack upon nOn-Union miners.
Toward the end of his time he made an
attack upon a wardeT. and got five years
more Then Monckton showed him he
was fool, and explained to him his
own plan Of conduct, and babe him
observe how popular he was with the
warders, and reaped all the favor they
dared to show him.
"He treated me like dog" said the
man. suIlenly.
Il saw it" said Leonard. and if I
had been you I would have said moth
ing, but waited till my time was out,
and then watched for him till he got his
day out, and settled his hash. That is
the way for your sort. As for me, kill
over. Do you think I don't mean to be
revenged on that skunk BARLEY, and
above all on that scoundrel Hope, who
! planted the sWag in my pockets, and let
me into this hole for fourteen years?"
Then, with all his self-cOmmand, he
burst into torrent of curses. and his
pale face was CHASTITY with hate, and his
eyes glared with demOniac fire, for hell
ragged in his heart.
Just then warder approached, and to
Burnley's surprise, who did nOtSee him
coming, Monckton said, gently; "And
therefore, my poor fellow, do just con-
slider that you have broken the law, and
the Warders are only doing their duty
and earning their bread. and you were
a Warder tomorrow, you'd have to do
just what they do"
"Ay," said the Warder, in passing,
you may lecture the bloke, but you viii
not make a silk purse out of soW's
ear"
That was true, but nevertheless the
smooth villain MOnckton obtained a
great ascendency over this rough, shock
headed ruffian Burnley, and he got into
no more scrapes. He finished his two
sentences, and left before Monckton.
This precious pair revealed to each
other certain passages in their beauti-
full lives. MOnckton's were only half
condolences, but Burnley told MOnckton
he had been concerned with others in
burglary at Stockton, and also in the
death OF an Ov2rSeer in anime in Wales,
and gave the particulars with sort of
quaking guStO, and washing his hands
nervOuSly in the tainted air all the time.
To be sure the OverSeer had earned his
fate; he had himself been guilty of a
crime-he had been true to his employ
er.
The grateful Burnley left Portland at
last, and promised faithfully to send
word to a certain friend of Monckton's,
in London. where he was, and what he
was doing. Meantime he begged his
way nOrthward from Portland, for the
! southern provinces were dead letter
| to him.
Monckton's wife wrote to him as Oft
! en- as the rules of the jail permitted,
"nd her letters were full of affection.
| and of hope that their separation would
| be shortened. She went into all the de-
tails of her life, and it was now credi-
table one. Young women are educated
practically in Germany; and Lucy was
not only good scholar, and almost
| linguist, but excellent at all needle
work, and, better still, could cut dresses
and other garments in the best pos
sible STYLE After one or two inferior
! places, she got situation with an Eng
! fish countess; and from that time she
was passed as a treasure from one mem
| Der of the ariStocracy to another, and
received high stipends, and presents of
at least equal value. Being a German,
she put by money, and let her husband
| know it. But in the seventh year of
her enforced WidOwhood her letters be-
| gan to undergo subtle changes, one aft
CT another.
First there were little exhibitions of
impotence. Then there were signs of
| languor and diminution of gush.
Then there were stronger prOteSta
lions of affection than ever.
Then there were mixed with these
prOteStatiOns queries whether the truest
affection was not that which provided
for the interests of the beloved person.
Then in the eighth year Of Monck-
tons imprisonment she added to re-
| marks of the above kind certain confess
siOns that she was worn out with anX-
ieties, and felt herlOnely condition; that
youth and beauty did not last forever;
that she had let slip opportunities Of
doing herself substantial service, and
him too, if he could look at things as
coolly now as he used to; and she began
to think she had done wrong.
This line once adopted was never
| given up, though it was accompanied
once or twice with passionate express
siOnS of regret at the vanity of long
| cherished hopes. Then came letter
or two more in which tie fair writer
described herself as torn this way and
that way, and not knowing what to do
for the best, and inveighed against
| Fate.
Then came long silence
Then came short letter implOring
him. if he loved her as she loved him,
to try and forget her, except as one who
would always watch over his interests,
and weep for him in secret.
"CrOcodilel" said Monckton, with a
cold Sneer.
All this showed him it was his inter-
est not to lose his hold on her. So he
| ALWAYS wrote TO her in q haalItiful strain
Of faith, affection, and cOnStancy.
But this part of the comedy was cut
short by the lady discontinuing the cor
respondence and concealing her address
for years.
"AhI" said Monckton, "she wants to
cure me. That cock won't fight. my
beauty
A month before he was let loose upon
society, came surprise-a letter from
his wife, directing him to call at the
Office of certain solicitor in Serjeant's
Inn, Fleet Street, when he would re-
ceive $50 upon his personal receipt, and
a similar sum from time to time, pro-
vided he made no attempt to discover
her, or in any way disturb her life. oh,
Leonard" said she, 'yOu ruined me
once. Pray do not destroy me again.
You may be sure / am not happy; but |
am in peace and comfort, and | am old
enough to know their value. Dear Leon
pray do not despise them, and, what
ever you do, do not offend against the
law again. You see how strong it is. J"
MoncktOn read this with calm indif-
ference. He did not expect a woman
to give him a pension Internationally,
or without some little twaddle by way
of drawback. He called on the lawyer,