The record-union., 1895-05-18


terrible, terrible! 1 was not frightened
ID spite OF his devil-like countenance, and
told him to sit down and restrain himself.
DE seemed to gain some control after
little, but suddenly, turning again, threw
himself on his bed in paroxysms of Sob
bing. l thought it best to leave him for
a time, So telling the jailer that L would
be back in a couple of hours, went home
and slept
"On awaking and after light break
fast l returned TO the jail. Beebe was sit
ting on the edge OF his bed, looking very
drawn and haggard, his elbows on his
knees and his chin resting on his closed
hands. He made no motion as l entered
beyond a faint recognition with his eyes.
L sat down on the stool, and after few
minutes. waiting for him to speak, said,
'Beebe, do you think you did right?' [
was not at all sure that he had not, but
wanted to know his motive.
= Y es, DOCTOR he replied in a hollow
but otherwise natural tone, it was best.
How could L let him know his son was
to die as disgraceful man? That's put
ting it mildly he continued. Would it
have been any comfort to find out that
the son VINO ran away, after robbing his
aunt, was hanged finally as villain
worse than murderer? No. it is better,
even if repented at the last, which l do
not. Should / get free this instant l
could not be good. l sometimes think
Pm the very devil himself. The dear old
man will go home, and after his burst
has passed away he will wonder after all
If he had not been mistaken. He and my
mother will in the end reach the conclu-
sion that he had been, and will 60 on
hoping that perhaps Hubert may yet
turn up reDentant sinner to comfort
their last days. AT any rate they will not
know that he was hanged
Having no advice to offer that would
be much better, ON the whole, than the
course he had pursued, tried to use the
incident as lever to at least bring him
into better spiritual state. l urged the
lngratltude OF repaying such saint-llke
love and devotion by scoting inwardly
at those that had produced them. / urged
HIM to join with me i'll the prayers l al
ways offered, hitherto by courtesy rather
than respect for them, hoping that they
might recall his innocent days and to
bring about change in his present char
acter. l used every appeal and argu-
ment, but it seemed all to no purpose.
On my leaving the handsome, the care
less smile came again to his face as he
said:
"'Well, doctor, am deeply grateful to
you, really. l have not rewarded you as
we'll as l wish could have done, but this
will say, that were l now free l PROM
ise you [ would keep my wickedness as
much as possible from doing harm to
others. More l cannot nor ever could
do.'
II went direct from the prison to the
house of Beebe's father; though l had in
tended merely to inquire after his health
and go home, l found him eagerly await
ing me. He asked me at once. in voice
trembling with grief and fear:
"'Doctor, do you really believe he was
not my son?'"
The old gentleman here wiped his fore
head with his handkerchief and paused.
Il have never been quite sure what I
told him in answer, but God forgive me
if said anything wrong and that was not
true"
He unused q minute and then contin-
ued:
LAS I was lying half awake in bed,
early next morning, l thought | heard
the courthouse bell ring an alarm; sup
posing it was a fire, but seeing no glow
| shining in the neighborhood, [ turned
over and went thankfully back to sleep
again. While l was dressing, some
hours later, my wife came running in
very excitedly crying, 'Beebe has escaped
ana the servants say he cannot be
found
II finished my toilet in short order,
and, hurrying through breakfast, went 10
the jail. l was told on the way there that
the reports were true, and learned the
particulars on my arrival. AS strict a
watch was not kept in those days over
criminals condemned to death as is now.
Early next morning, whom the turnkey
made his rounds, everything was fast.
Beebe was evidently sleeping, so the
turnkey said. and he did, not disturb
him. When daylight came, on passing
l.; l, n ha Nor
the window; entering to make a further
examination he found dummy in the
bed, a rope made OF the bedclothes hang
ing from the window and Beebe gone.
The prison-keeper was nonplussed. How
he could have dug out those bars cannot
see. He was only allowed spoon with his
meals, and that was always returned, and
he had no visitors who could have brought
him any tools; in fact, had he any they
would have been found, as there was no
place to hide thing. He left no trace
behind him, and, | may add, was never
seen nor heard of again by the prison au-
thoritIes
son my way home [ turned into a
street where no one could see me and
took out my penknife. The big blade
was broken short off at the hilt.
''It all turned out in regard to the old
couple as Beebe had predicted. For
little while the idea that he was their son
held strong with them, but as time faded
Beebe's face from the old gentleman's
memory, and his escape gave way to
some other wonder in the public's talk,
they fell back upon their old hope, and
while they lived, which was not very
long, they fully expected Hubert to come
back as the comfort of their latter days.
During his last illness the old gentleman
said to me:
"'Doctor, I suppose it's wrong, but 1
am very glad that poor wretch got away.
l felt very much drawn to him-and TO
think l could imagine that he was my
Hubert!-I suppose it was hope born of
my SORROW
Several years passed away. I had
moved from that parish TO one in another
city, and was crossing the ocean for
short vacation on one of the early At
lantic steamers. Beebe, who had so in
terested and excited me, had become
memory. The ocean trip had brought
him to my mind afresh, and | often Won
dered if he had been faithful to his prom
ise that he would keep his wicked incll-
nations as much as possible from doing
harm to others.
II was walking the deck one sunny
day when my attention was called to "a
man on a yardarm, who, while doing
some sailor work, was cycling me in
tently. When l looked up at him and
caught his eye, he turned his head SO that
l could not see his face, yet there was
something in the movement that recalled
person l had known in the past. | was
sure of it, when l caught glimpse Of his
tace, but with that certainty came no
more definite intimation. L waited for
some opportunity to see and speak with
the man. and met him once as he came
along the deck to do some hauling
with the other sailors. He had heavy
| fair beard like a Norwegian, his features
were we'll cut, and mass OF shaggy blonde