Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-10-21
MY LONGEST DAY.

boys in the village school. aud ~ wo
passed together into the HIGHER GRADES
we became even less friendly. We did
not use our fsta on each other, but with.
in each breast there still ranked the re-
moinbrance Of unsettled old scores.
Lnieron we bestowed our affections upon
lhe same lady Laura Marshall was not
acoquetie, but It seemed 10 take her a
long time 20 make up her mind which
one was to be the harry man. When
her choice was announced pauons was
furious aud we had bitter words before
witnessed
About the tlinc Of our marriage Par.
sons and | began busincss IN the same
line This was unfortunate. aud hal
either been aware Of the others inten.
ton, II Is doubtful II we would have b..
come competitors In 20 small a place;
a. II was we never missed an opportu.
nifty 20 iniure each other II was fool.
ish feud between IA, but such silly quar-.
rols are common In ovry country VII
hgc.
think Laura worried over the mat.
ter more than any ons else, and often
attempted to heal the breach between
rs, but 1t widcnsd every day. George.
however, was as agreeable TO her as he
was bitter 10 me.
One day our townspcoplo were startled
BY tho announcement that Parsons had
disappeared. His business affairs wcgs
prosperous and everything Ia good order
lilo was a rotlcent sort Of fellow, but had
hc left Of his own accord he would
naturally have left I0me word with his
clcrk or at his boarding place, but mono
could DO found. A. timo passed the
mysterious difappoarnnco became tho
one topic Of conversation In our village.
On the morning It became known
discharged orr servant maid for FRO
qucnt neglect Of duty. She was cha.
grined NJ her dismissal and room spread
stories that were founded partly on facts
My wife hal been seen In earnest con-
vcrration with Parsons the previous day,
we had n little til at the tea table, and
Ind not returned homo that night TIL
quite late Il was plain 90 be soon that
public opinion was forming against me.
as Il became necessary that some one
must be suspected TO give tho gosiping
Tongues nn occupation.
In lees than a week romo boys found o
mans body "a tho river iust below th1
village. /, had apparently boon Ia tho
water hut short time. but tho face had
bccu eaten 10y cells or boa'on out Of hu.
man shape Tho skull had bcrn broker
by blow. and tho medical examiner
proved. 90 his own satiriactun ut least.
tiiat tho man had been killed before h'.
iug thrown into the water It seemed
torcqulro no effort 20 Identify tho ~.
mains MS those II George pirous. ard IL
was but natural TINT my arrest should
follow.
was ns willing ns any ono that my
trial should taso place 90 once, confident
that my Innocence would somehow DO
proved, despite tho circumsiantial oyi.
dpnco which was gathering against iue.
Accordingly thl ease was entered NJ the
term Of court then IN session. A. To-.
call tho testimony do not think lin
pln witness. unlc's It 30 our former
servant, testified TO anything but tho
truth,
My wife had fallen IN. hut her iestl.
mony. even II It could have been Hd-
United, would have proved more against
than for me. II was easily determined
that Parsons and lworc unfricndly: thnt
we had quarrclel. that | was jealous u
my wife Tor speaking 20 him, and that
1, would be TO my business advantage
and domestic peace TO have him out OF
the way.
Could have proved that passed the
hours from TIL II o'clock ON the night
that Parsons disappeared in walking
upon u lonely road, all tho other tcsti-
mony would have proved worthless, but
| did not remember meeting asinglc por.
fon abroad that night after 8 o'clock.
When returned home the streets wcrl
deserted. was harassed about business
matters. vercd with my wife and suffered
from headache, but whom | explained
this It was evident that my story was
not credited.
Ny counsel was an old aud tried friend
Of my youth. but he did not possess tn,
ability 10 show tho jury tho fimsy char
acter Of tho evidence Of tho prosecution.
1t WIS against his advice that the cas-,
had been put on trial No early, Int &c
confident was | IL acquittal that did
not realize on what precarious ground
stood. felt that in some way my limo
ocncc would be proved. although stood
almost nlono In my belief. The ttia
was brief one, and tho arguments Of
tho lawyers were soon finished. 10 thcs,
aud tho charge Of tho iudgo listened
like one In trance. Tho jury passed
out and few friends came TO me witt
words Of cheer aud hope.
Harki the jury Is returning, Surely
they cannot have made mp their mind
IN 10 short time 10 condemn u fellow
man TO life imprisonment. In Response
to n request from tho judge / stand NJ
and face tho Jury. There Is not .
friendly countenancc among ths twelve
Ibarely hear tho omnous word "Guiltyl'
which tho foreman speaks The shool
Il No unexpected that | scarcely rcalif'
the meaning Of the judges cruel word
n he pronounces the sentence OF impris
onment for lie Tho hour Is late. IN,
he is anxious To DO NJ home. no has u,
compassion for me They lead me baeI
TO my cell, and, thanks 10 some unlnowi
iriond who dropi potion In my coffee
! soon fall asleep. Exhausted natur
can stand the strain no longer
aui aroused IN the early morning
aud few friends come IN to say far,
well; ihoy realize the situation NOR
fully thnn 20. A shou railway JONI
ney, ride in a bosliko carthage and IN
prison is reached. lanswer few que