The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-01-12
THE GREAT Mill STREET MYSTERY.
Author Of AcoBs WIFE, "RoYs DIAMOND JNpR
FALSE PRETENCEs"
JAIL RIGHTS RESERVED
PART 1.
CHAPTER Ia FACE FOR PICTURE.

w QlbSCuhD6I, DUb llO iiOlo5 anu DUSLl6 OF a
Saturday nights market were in full swing.
Out of the Mile End Road-not far from
where the Peoples Palace, then undreamed
of. is now standing-ran a short narrow
street known as Baldwin's Court. This
street, or alley, opened into fairly broad
space called Baldwin's Market, where a
brisk trade in every commodity under the
sun was carried on every Saturday evening;
and thence a narrow, desolate-looking
street of mean-looking houses ran for some
distance almost parallel with Mile End
Road, crossed at intervals by narrow er
streets or lanes. This thoroughfare bore
an evil repute The tall, demonstrating
houses on either side were the haunts of no.
torious rogues; several of them were
lodging houses, where no decent person
would willingly set foot. The little lanes on
either hand were poverty-strcken ia ap-
pearance, but not more foul with crime and
vice; and, as the police of the neighborhood
could have told you. there was scarcely
any place in which mans life or property
was less secure than iH Mill street. White
chapel.
And yet two gentlemen came fearlessly
down Mill street that evening, in q quiet.
lesurely manner, as if they were accus-
toned to the place, and nobody seemed to
take any particular notice of them. Indeed,
when once stranger to 'the market as
il was generally called, showed some dispO
sition to be offensive to them, be was at
once hustled aside by his companions
with the remark: "'Old yer jaw, can't
yea DON'T yer see it's the blind parson"
And when the stranger would further have
inquired what right any parson, blind or
not, had TO come down Mill street "as if the
place belonged to him." he was met with a
volley of excavations. blasphemously ex-
pressive of the affection borne by the Mill
street residents for this parSon in particu-
lar
The blindness Of the Rev. Francis Hell
mont had its rise in a curious way. He was
a young man. not yet 80, and when he came
first as curate to Woodworking East End
clergyman, his sight was as unimpaired as
any other of his faculties He was an ardent
worker, an impassioned preacher, man of
intense and enthusiastic belief. He was
also very bold-some said very rash-in the
Remuneration of sin. The malpractices of
certain landlord in the neighborhood having
excited his Indignation, he did not hesitate
to say what he thought of them. The land
lord was man of influence in Mill street.
" ubu MI. IlSlu1OuD uGAb uOlQ al OJOn tAAA
service in BaldwIns Market, as he often did,
he was Systematically mobbed by the ten
ants Of the excellent man against whom the
parson was waging war. Dead cats and
other savorY missiles were freely dis
tributed. Not many stones were thrown;
but one-a sharp fint-struck the curate
upon the eye and injured it severely. Intiam-
nation ensued and affected the OF her eye
also, with the result that Mr.. Helmont lost
the sight of both eyes.
Many men would have retired from the
scene where he had incurred SO great mis-
fortune, on the ground that their laborS
had met with nothing but ingratitude.
Helmont did not see his position in that
light at all. He was q large-minded man.
he maintained that the feeling of the people
toward him was not bad at all, and that it
was not to be judged by an isolated act of
this kind; also, that the man who threw the
stone had not the slightest intention of
harming him, and was more repentant for
the iniury that he had committed than many
another man would have been for murder.
And that if he quilted the scene Of his
labors now, all the good that he had ever
tried to do would be undone, while if he re-
manned he might hope to do thousand
fold times as much. And in this hope he
was not disappointed. In this rougn way
the people of Balwiu's Court and Mill street
appreciated his trust in them. From the
day when he appeared amongst them, with
bandage over his eyes, and his sight COM
pletely gone, they listened to him respect
fully, how unpalatable Soever might be the
message that he had to deliver, and allowed
him to go in and out amongst them without
molestation-indeed, with something ap-
preaching Difference. And if it had been
known who threw the stone that blinded
him, that man would have been lynched,
although he had only done effectually what
other men were doing laxly at the same
moment. But they did not know. Francis
Helmont knew, and one other person in
the Court knew; but neither Of them was
disposed to betray the guilty man.
Mr. Helmont had cast off his bandages by
this time, for it was nearly two years since
''the,outrage,n as the newspapers called it,
had been committed; and casual observer
could not have told that he was blind. He
wore darkened glasses, but his step was as
sure, his manner as decided as ever, and no
trace of depression could be noted In face
or voice. His friends saw that there were
few gray threads in his hair, which had not
been present before the loss OF his sight,
and the few months of retirement and rest
which he had then permitted himself; but
he was wonderfully cheerful and untlrlngly
energetic; and his blindness, though proba-
bly, trouble to himself, was never allowed
to be trouble to his friends.
He had lad who acted as his secretary,
and he used the services Of one or two of
his choir boys as guides in his walks; but he
had also plenty of friends, who willingly
became his companions from time to time;
and it was with one of these that he was
walking now. The two men were very diff
ferent III appearance. belmont was very
tall, spare, but muscular, broad-shouldered,
deep-chested. His hair and beard were
black as night, his complexion was sallow,
his features were somewhat worn, but full
OF fire and vivacity. His friend was
shghter, shorter, and considerably fairer;
his hair and mustache were chestnut brown,
very soft and silky in texture; his eyes were
hazel or grey, his features handsome but
qelicate. He was some years younger than
nelmont-not more, perhaps, than two or
Ihree and twenty-aud there was an indie
unable attraotiveness in his appearance,
marred only by look of weakness or indie
cislon about the lower part of mis- face. 1t
was possible, however, that this expression
might be altered by force Of circumstances;
ana IN that case George Eastwood would be
very handsome man.
, Ihey halted on tho outskirt of the crowd
Inat had gathered in the little square
eastwood to look, Helmont to listen.
after few moments silence, the curate
NIhenn ha aaid tsNouu vo, cea the