Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-09-05

Chanlcally, anu HuulHk pm Hau
secreted l stood on the little wooden
bench, and impelled by some spiritual
but irresistible force Iscratched On the
wall the message had resolved to leave !:
In the reprooN OF chance
Lies the true proof OF mon.
Then thought of my friends and my
promise, and like one in dream took
the i'll smelling and dirty little Bible
from the shelf, and turning to the first
chapter read;
"And the spirit Of God moved upon
the waters And God said let there be
light, and there was light. F"
Then the book fell from my hand.
and remembered no more. My mind
had gone whirling into the abyss.
was sentenced on Wednesday. For
three days, from Thursday to Sunday,
my mind was blank. have no recol-
lection of my removal under escort from
Newgate to Pentonville. On Sunday,
the fourth day of my sentence, like ono
rousing from trance, / awoke to find
myself shaven and shorn, dressed in
coarse convict uniform, in a rough cell
Of whitewashed brick. The small win
dow had heavy double bars sot with
thick fiuted glass, which, while admit
ting light, foilod any attempt of the eye
to discern objects without. In the cor
ner there was rusty iron shelf. A
board let into the briokwork served for
bed, bench and table. A zinc jug and
basin for water, with a wooden plate,
spoon and salt dish--no knife or fork
for 20 years-completed the furnishings.
As was looking around in helpless
way a key suddenly ratified in the lock,
and tho door opening uniformed ward
er stepped in, and giving me search
ing look said in rough voice: Come
OH. You'll do for chapel. You have put
on the balmy long enough" His kindly
face belied his rough tones, and 1 follow
ed him out of the door and soon found
myself in the prison chapel None was
present, and was ordered to sit on the
front bench at the far end. The benches
We're simply common fiat boards ranged
in rows. Soon the prisoners came in sim
gly, marching about two yards apart,
and sat on the benches with that inter-
val between them-that is, in the divi-
sion Of the chapel where 1 sat, it being
separated from the rest by high parti-
tion. Soon white robed, supplied
clergyman came in, and the service be-
gan, but had no eye or ear nor any
comprehension save In dim manner as
to what was going on. My brain was
trying to connect the past aud the pres
ent, feeling that something terrible had
befallen me, but what it was l could
not understand.
When tho services were over, / re-
turned under the escort Of the warder,
who, when | arrived ut my cell, ordered
me to go in and close the door, which
did, banging it behind me. 1t had a
spring lock, and when l heard the snap
Of the catch and looked Mt the narrow,
barred window, with its thick, futed
glass, admitting only dim light, re-
membered everything. Like flash IL
all came to me, and realized the full
horror of my position. Sitting down on
the little board fastened to the wall
serving as bed, seat and table, l buried
my face in my hands and began to pom
der Regrets came in floods, with re-
morse and despair hand in hand, when,
realizing that it was madness to think,
sprang up, saying to myself the hour
and minute had come for me to decide
either for madness and a conyict's
dishonored grave, or to keep the prom
Use had made to my friends-neyer to
give in, but to live and conquer fate.
determined then and there to live
In the future, and never to dwell on tho
horrible present or past. Then remem.
oered the last scene in Newgato and my
promise to accompany my friends step
by step, day by day, in our readings.
Finding Bible on the little rusty iron
shelf in the corner, and this being the
fourth day of our sentence, / turned to
inc fourth chapter. 1t gives the story of
cams crime and punishment, and /
read the graphic narrative with an in.
tensity of interest difficult TO describe
When read: And Cain said unto tho
Lord My punishment is greater than
can bear. Behold, thou hast driven me
out this day from the face of Che
earth l felt that the cry Of Cain in
All its intense naturalness, In its remorse
ana despair, was my own, and was
overcome. Laying the book down.
walked the floor for an hour in agony.
until fantastic images came thronging
thick and fast to my brain. Ireaiized
mat my mind was going and felt must
MISERY.