The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-02-05

was dressed got up and followed her to
the parlor.
My uncle sat 10y glowing fire; he was
deeply nterested IN a newspaper and was
probably reading report OF the trial.
Aunt" | said speaking for the first time,
and in voice so harsh and unmusical that
my uncle not knowing had entered looked
up with gesture OF surprise and dropped
the newspa per. II wish TO so home"
mo, dear, not yet"
/ was about to speak; to say | believed
my going to the house where my father
AID mother had lived, to the house tnat was
full OF old associations, where thought 10
dwell with Tom when we were married,
would soothe and do me good. / was about
to tell her this but could not for giving
away; and hiding my face In my hands i!
bowed my head upon the table. neither OF
them speaking nor attempting IN any way
TO arrest the passion of tears
felt better after this dreadful outbreak
it seemed TO have cleansed my head and 10
give room for my heart to beat and Tor my
spirits to stir in. | looked at the good things
upon the table. the eggs and bacon, the ham
and the rest, and said, How do they leed
prisoners in jail?'
NOW, don't trouble about that. Marian.
said my uncle. Captain Butler has been a
sailor and lie has been bred up on food COM
pared to which the worst fare in the worst
Jail in England is delicious.
w nat VIII IDeN 90 with HIN
Until they dispatch him across the seas
they'll keep him in prison. at Newgate per-
haps, or they'll send him TO Mlllbank or 10
the HulkS. No man can tell.
Don't fret yourself now with these in
quiries. Marian" said my aunt
How do they treat convlcts in jail.
uncle?"
VERY well indeed. Better than the major
ity Of them deserve. They feed them, clothe
them and teach them trades TO enable them
to live honestly by and by.
'In what sort Of ships DO the convlcts
sail?"
"Oh, in average merchantmen Owners
tender and ship Is hired. There were
twenty-one of them chartered last year at
about four pun'ten ton"
"Twenty-oneP cried my aunt. II wonder
there are any rascals left in England
Twenty-oneI Only think! And perhaps
200 r0gues in each ship"
AT least" exclaimed my uncle.
"Are they passenger shlps?" | asked.
"Hany of them"
Gould one take ones passage in con-
Wet shp?"
Love you. no! no more than one could
take ones passage in a man-of-war."
Marian, you are making no breakfast
| said my aunt.
what do they do with the convicts when
they arrive at their Gestnation?" Inquired.
why" said my uncle, passing his cup
| for more tea, Il can only tell you what
| have read. The cOnvicts are lent out as
servants TO persons in want OF labor on
their farms, houses. shops and so on; some
Of them are sent up country to make roads +;
don't know whether they are paid for
their work. They are we'll fed. 1t COM
! monty ends in their setting up in business
for thems elves. and ninety out of every 100
felons. alter they have been out in the colo
MES for a few years, wouldn't como home,
to stay at home l mean, on any account
whatever. II L were poor man / should
| not at all object to being transported"
Don't say such things" exclaimed my
aunt
81 shall follow Tom wherever lie is sent"
| said ], pushing my chair from the table.
what! TO Norfolk Island for instance
What would you do theres" said my uncle.
Far bet er wait in this country. my dear,
| until Captain Butler returns. They'll be
giving him ticket OF leave before long.
He's bound to BEHAVE himself we'll"
| stepped to the window and looked out.
| There had been note OF GOODNESS in my
| uncle'S pronunciation Of the words Captain
Butler" | had also caught startled look
which was nearly horror in my aunt when
| said that | would follow my sweetheart
| wherever he was sent. [ turned presently
and said. When shall l be able to see
| Tom?"
"Once only every three months. l am
afraid" answered my uncle. The rules
| vary Will the pIlobuS, uut L lHlHk AOu Will
find that letters and visits are allO wed once
every three months only. I'll inquire"
"Shali we hear If ho Is sent TO another
place %
I'VE shall always be able to learn where
| he is"
He was growing tired of my questions
and left the table, having finished his break
| fast
IL shall want TO know what his defense
| has cost" said |. II wish 10 pay"
| He nodded, and pulling out his watch said
| that be must go to business downstairs.
| ran after him as he was leaving the room,
| and crasping him by the arm cried impetu
| ousiy. Uncle. do you believe Tom guilty ?"
I'D not say so II | thought so" he an
swered. looking at me, and guessed by my
feelings that my eyes spaTkled aud my
| cheeks were red Let me 60 my girl
| Everything passes. and to all of us comes a
| day when we discover that there Is nothing
| under the sun that deserves tear"
j dropped my hand and he walked out of
| the room. My aunt eyed me strenuously as
| paced the floor. / could not sit my heart
| was full Of rage, and all the while q resOlu-
ton was forming and hardening in me; IN
! deed, ] caught myself thinking aloud, and
often Ia halt with my hand clencbed like
one dlstraught. Ny aunt presently said {:
"Why not sit down, dear. and nurse your
strength a little. You have been sorey
tried. Cannot We arrange Tor another trip
10 the seasiGe?"
And leave" cried and broke short
off, and forced myself TO say softly, mo,
aunt"
but what do you mean to do? wish to
act as mother to you, Marian. / thank
God you ara not his wife,
Don't say THAR
But must say it," she exclaimed, brid-
ling up. Tvs through me that you are not
his wife, and / rejoice heartily that | ad-
viSed you as | did. What Would you
with your means aud your beauty and your
opportunities be the wife Of a convict"
felt the temper in me swelling into mad
ness. burst not stay. for | dreaded myself
then, and flung out of the room, leaving her
talking. ] ran upstairs TO put on my out
door clothes, and when 1 returned my aunt
was on the landing. She exclaimed that
she had not meant what she said. | looked
her earnestly In the face, for l did not be-
lieve her, but already my temper was gone,
ill-temper lives but short time when there
is great misery. | kissed her and thanked
her for her kindness aud love- and telling
her | must 20 home TO look after things, l
left the house.