Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1892-10-18

N-NN
SM MNtN
-Remain snin . como, and remembe'
yos arc al,oavs O1'isa Chai'asrs.
George Chalmers at uTon his cot hall
dr,ssssi.
"You hav. come hack. he said mood
ily.
EYES, as ! PROMISED" answered the
other; "and can help You now"
"YOu don't mean that you have -
cur.,i pardon returned the youngei
man. with sudden interest.
"No. but eau help you now; movs
quick and ask no questions. Put on my
clothes"
''Bu, what viii you do, What u the
guard comes backy'
Never mind ine. The guard will no'
darc make trouble. lie has already
bruken his orders In bringing rne here,
Drr-s and We can talk af,erwarl."
A. be spoke he was already dive-iing
himself of his clothing and helping "a
place them upon his brother When
this vas don. b. drew on q portion VI
the cunyict's dress and sai down uIou
the eide ~ the cot.
"Now look at me" he saii. "So one
conld say that am not you: and you r--
seinhle exactly the man who jus, came
In here. YOu ar- free man. TO out
with the guarl when he comes"
But what will l-come of your
Have no trouble about that. They
canno, harm ine. Bu, you must take my
name" lie spoke low and hurrssily.
but every wori was distinct and forcibl..
~ II he had studied how to say the
mot In 'h. bricfesi possible time.
"Ta.;e INV KEYS. 20 to my ruom nj th.
kotel and oI-n my trunks. Examine all
my IaIers. they will tell you how 10 put
yourself in I.~s.ssion of my fortune.
yoa will dnd full instructions. Go Ia
Oh. City 10 Mexico You will End gcpl
opportunities there; .ngag, In business.
io ih. 0rzi YOU can ani remain until ]
oome. and remember you are always
O.rle. Chsliaer.
George grasr>i his brc'her'. hand
"Ihi. l. t0o tnnch; ! canbot d. ihi.
Ogden. have no, deserved a. Whal
N ,ou have h. remain here In my place
1T will noi matter much II viii no'
H. 49, very long. and maybe ] should AZ
If,-riais life l-tisr then
TIE guarl "a. coming hack: his step
were very nfir now. Chalm.rs put hi'
arm scrrs. hi. brothers shouller an
Nh.sI-r,l very earnestly
DO no; try o. communicate with ms
make new start. Uc0rge. u. gcol
uan. AMI DO not 20 or write q
Lima remnant until YOU can DO - ir
your own nains. when your scnisnc'
Ia. expired. Then ~ 81 her: L. hones'
With her. tell her the whole truth. sh'
dessrYe. u ani she ~ill forgive yOu.
Ther- was no tim. for anything NOR.
The graicl deor of-n~i and cio-e''
again. anil two men paced .'csiil,
down the dim corri,lor. and one % then
was Geprgs Chalmers. the criminal. h'
uJ.,n whom the state hal lieu fOr tea
% the l--i ycar. - his manhood. And
be- was guing forth again Ia freedom.
And behind. In that drcary tomb NJ
there. was Ogden Chalinen-man Of
fortune and 20 leisure. lie hal beyr'
wronged any man nor the state. Wei
be- AT there throughout Oh. slow hour
% the nigh, looking hopelessly down .
long vista ~ years wherein b. could -e'
himself reduced 10 an auioinaton. shori
% his identity. labeled merely ''convic'
humb.r thirteen hundred and seventy
,is." mcckcd at and despised among
men. Aud yet there was no bitterness
Ina his heart.
II l. one of the coinTensaiions ~ thu
life that we ar. enabled "a adapt our
selves 90 whatever environment we ma,
L. placed amidst. Some succeed In thi'
better than others. not becanse the,
possess less virili'y of character. les
pc-itiyeness In pursuing q set course
but because they are able to perceive IN
due season the utter fu,ility of an une
quail combat with fate or with circum
stance. The weak character. forc~i
from its accustomed or congenial en-
vironmen, and into lower plane of Ell
is,snce. becomes maudlin railer against
the world: while the stronger one. with
like occasion. sets himself with griir
determination to ~ ft himself TO this
new sphere as to receive the fewe-'
knocks possible. On the other hand the
weak character. thrown amid broader
environment. would fail to seize It's op
portunitie-. while the strong character
would rise "a the occasion and becoins
the leader % great movement or the
hero Of q forlorn hope.
In this respect the two brothers were
opposites. the elder representing the lat
ter and more fortunate class. From thi'
It must not be inferred. however. thai
prison life and discipline sat lightly upon
him. Yet II was not In regard to u,
physical ASPECTS that he was COMPELLED
10 summon all his fortitude In order u
endure without complaint II was only
when he found himself reduced 10 q
mere machine with number. robbed OF
his own volition In even the cominones'
acts Of life. his days and hours and min
uies ordered at the will Of another. thai
the spirit Of revolt surged mp In hi'
breast. but Chalmers recognized the
folly Of such thoughts and curbed them
with masterful will. In the whole
prison there was no man who see,ned "a
fall more easily into his place. Even the
"lockstep" seemed natural enough q
him. Have you ever seen the lockstepl
Have you ever seen chain each link ol
which wss human beingi Have you
ever seen some fifteen hundred men.
bound together with invisible coris'
march ~ one nani
You say that you have seen your crack
regiment ON dress parade! They drill
like the awkward squad or band ol
country militia compared with thi'
striped coil that winds through ths
prison yard.
Each link In this coil has allotted 10 u
some fifteen inches Of space. This linh
has two hands. and they are placed
squarely on ths shoulder Of the link In
front. The link has two fest. and they
rise. swing forward and fall precisely
I'm line and time with thoss Of the linh
IN froat, and they fall prscissly In th<
nlscs from which thono a tho Huk n