The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1891-02-28

W.oIe my hesl creep.
But you are innocent y l said,
siiddsn doubt coming, unbidden, to my
b ain.
am innocent hope you will
never doubt that Mr. Nelson.
a little later l left him, promising
not to urge a new trial l was satisfied
ll,at new trial could not I've obtained,
ai had only entertained the thought,
TO delay matters as long as possible,
It VAS two months to the 9th Of No.
vemb T. Much might be done in that
time If there had been any foundation
on hch to stand. As IL was, tried TO
dismiss the prisoner from my mind and
attend to other bueiness. Icould not do
this however, and the days aud weeks
passed, until but one day remained be-
fore the day set for the execution Of the
condemned. On this day visited Wal
lace Harper once more.
He had lost flesh, and / could see that
there was much inward suffering. 1
became fully convinced that something
rested ON his mind, and I urged him to
make a clean breast of it.
ut could do no good, he declared
II will die without speaking. Aud
then / left him.
As passed from the Jail another Wis
itor was aunounced-a yelled woman.
1t was doubtless the mans sweetheart,
come to visit him for the last time She
had Teen too i'll to appear at the trial,
and had never seen her to speak with
her since.
The night before the day set for the
vi dicaion of the law passed misera-
bly,. felt that an innocent man was
soon to be launched into eternity.
In the gray mists of the morning of
November a veiled female walked to
my door Ianswered tho bell in person,
AMI admitted the visitor to my office
room. Being seated, she thre y aside
her veil, revealing young face, pale
and thin, aud almost beautiful
Before she spoke knew that she was
the daughter of the late Donald Dun
haze
as it too late to save Wallace Har-
PERI" she asked in tremulous voice
Certainly too late, answered @Of
coUr,e, il there was new evidence OF a
pcs i've nature. going TO show that
some other person committed the crime
for winch he is to suffer, I've no doubt
we might save the young man.
But"
~ have that evidence
"You have2 Why in heavens name
did you not speak sooner, then?" cried
| in stern voice
Il dared not, she said slowly, III
must speak now; the world must know
the truth. Wallace Harper is Innocent
Il y as I who did the deed
Her whole frame shook like an aspen,
and 1 could see that she was " rought
up Co an awful pitch of excitement
could scarcely believe her words, how
ever. 1t must be that she was driven
mad on account of her lovers peril
requested Ter to speak, however and
she did so in rapid low tones
at was / who did the decd. l hated
to speak sooner I-Ioved my father,
and dill not like to believe him capa-
BILE of doing an evil decd H. did it,
however lie invited Wallace to take
wine with him that last evening.
saw him pour the wine, and l saw him
put powder into one of the goblets.
Then lie called Wallace, and requested
him to quafT with him.
Il did not know what that powder
was, but an awful fear oppressed M.
With a quick movement. " hen fathei'i
back was turned, exchanged gollets
and father drained the one intended
for his clerk. What followed you
know was Mortified when / learned
that deadly poison had been ad
ministered.
Il could not speak. My father &
murderer II was horrible. I realized
that my hand had substituted th,
poison for lis lips that had been in
tended for another. In the excitemeu
of the moment Wallace picked up tlU
folded paper containing the poison thu
lay near ly. and dropped it into Iii
pocket, as he testified at the trial. il
his dying moments my father curseC
the name Of Harper, and accused hin
of numbering him.
II tainted, think, and have beel
near to death since that have trie,
to bring myself to speak more thnl
once, but have been unequal to tla
task am now anxious to have Gu
truth known. Can you save Wallace
He is au innocent man.
There was no time to be lost
sprang ZIP at once. visited a magii
trate with Miss Dunham, and her afil
) davit was sent over the wires to th
Governor
We were none too soon. A repriev
was granted. and the facts at once IN
: vesti ated Miss Dunham adhered t
{ her story, and Wallace Harper COZ
r roborated it He saw her move IL.
3 glasses, but had refused to speak, lie.
= he should criminate the girl he loveC
2 That was his secret
3 A thorough investigation was hat
I, and the story told by the girl accepte,
!. Wallace Harper went forth free maj
1 and lie has since won an honorabl
c place in the business world.
: saw him five years afterward. Il
= the FIRST time since his narrow escap
s from the gallows
: Yes, l am married, he sail, whe
1 brought up old time. No, Mi,
d Dunham is not my wife. Do you know
Q Mr. Nelson, have always believed thi
4 she poisoned her fatherl think h,
IS mad love unsettled her mind. At an
rate she is now an inmate OF an asylum
y and hopelessly insane.
n It was a strange case. always b
A lieved Harper Innocent As to Mi
q Durham, hold grave doubts III
l. Merrill
some New Words.
A "bibliod@ nom Is a book fiendi
4bibliopoliyan, book destroyeri