Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1896-01-11

hidden for 30 years now you must
share it, feel | should not be doing
right if let you choose to-day with.
out telling you Of il. When you
have heard my story, You must choose
for yourself and he assured your
choice, whichever it is, will please re-
main your secret and mine | shall
keep it rs before. and must beg OF
you 10 do the same all your life. even
from your husband
Emily sat in doubt and fear, sure
that her kind father who had So loved
her would not tell her anything to
distress her, il he could help it and
vet anxious rs to what such an awful
secret could he The master OF Olton
sat in chair with his face away from
the light, watching intenlly that dear
sweet face OF his daughter, upon which
the full sunlight shone.
"Thirtv-five wears ago convict
ship was sailing from England for
Botany bay, under the command Of a
brave captain and crew. There were
no fewer than 10 convicts on board
desperate fellows Of every description;
thieves, highwayman, manslayers, all
kinds of Williams. Among them was
one whose case had excited much in
terest at home. since many people be-
lieved him innocent morally, at any
rate-of the crime he was said to have
committed. Among Il gang Of proach-
ers one night he, their superior in rank
bad the misfortune to shoot one of the
keepers who had watched for them
and attacked them. The shot had
killed the keeper, but there was some
doubt as to whose gun il had come
from, and when the convict in ques-
tion was arrested and charged the
keepers swore that he had fired the
shot For himself, he knew not
whether this was so ; several of his
fellow preachers said he was innocent,
and that the real culprit had escaped.
His sentence, however, was that of
penal servitude at Botany bay for
hfe-probably the doubt alone saved
him from being hanged.
Naturally hi spirit was CALLED; he
became morose, wild, severe in aspect
as in temper, and his reputation on
the convict ship was that of the worst
criminal on board. He rebelled at
his jailors, at his food, at his conline-
ment, and felt ready for any dark
deed. The chance soon came. The
vessel was off the Cape OF Good Hope,
some miles away, when he first got
knowledge OF projected mutinIty, i'll
which the captain, crew and jailors
were all to he murdered and the
successful mutineering convicts were
then to steer for some unknown point
in Africa and land there.
1T was desperate scheme, and
with the mutiny he was thoroughly in
unison. but not with murder. He was
not yet rs black As that. and tried
hard to dissuade his fierce companions
from it, but in vain. As they persist
ell in their plans, he felt that all he
could do was to keep quiet till the
time for action came but the captain
and his wife had been really kind 10
him. and he determined they should
not die. Yet he would not betray
his companions, like coward.
"On September s the attack was
made. He stood near the captain :
cabin to protect its unsuspecting in
mates. When the mutineers, having
seized the watch on deck and killed
them, came rushing down, he ordered
them back from that cabin: they re-
fused to 90, and fight ensued. The
captain became reused, the alarm was
given, and, after desperate resistance,
the rebels were overpowered and put
in irons. The captain begged Of the
guards to set the convict who had
saved his life, at liberty, but they de
clined, pretending that, in reality, he
Was as bad as the rest So he was
closely guarded
1T was on touching at Perth that
the captains opportunity came. llav-
ing secured the cooperation Of his
mates, he entertained the whole OF the
guards To dinner one evening. and
made them hopeleSsly drunk In the
meantime, one Of his party contrived
to secure possession of their keys, and
in few moments the convict's irons
had been loosened and he was free.
The captain himself came and shook
hands with him ere he sent him off in
the boat which was waiting for him
~ know laid he, that what