Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1896-11-19

E11d SUG lu6Ie, anu u16u db y U CLOCK bDlS
morning.
My heart sank / felt faint and gid
dy. 1t was some minutes before could
move. You will never know how it
feels, Howson, unless you should have
such blow. which l hope you never
will. But / am bound to say that my
one thought was my poor, lonely dar-
ling. Ella.
There were no more details to be
learned about Miss York's death. She
was buried in Lowmarket churchyard.
Ella was i'll for weeks and could not see
even me. When she was well enough to
attend to business, it was found that she
inherited all her aunt's money, and as
she had already accepted me we were
married a twelvemonth afterward. She
had been awfully lonely, she said, since
Miss York's death. but no couple had
ever lived happier and been nearer and
dearer to each other than Ella and I
May God bless herl''
"AmenI" said I solemnly and rever-
emily.
ELLA and I, pursued Jim, could
never give the remotest guess as to her
aunt's objection to our engagement,
and 1t would probably have remained a
mystery to me, as it has to Ella even
now, had it not been for the following
circumstances. Some time ago I was
sent for at the prison to see a rather des-
perate character, whose end was very
near. He had been sent to seven years.
penal servitude some three years before
for forgery, and after serving two years
at Portland had been transferred to
Lowmarket. His appearance was supe-
rior to that Of the ordinary convict,
even when a forger. Although had
seen him several times, and certainly
been struck with his face and appear
ance, we could not be said to be friend
", as he had been Indifferent to all my
advances
II found him lying in the hospital,
and ] soon saw that he would not live
very long.
lyon seem pleased to see mef' l
said.
Eyes, sir, replied No. 152. 4 am
glad you've come. hardly expected
you would, considering how stand offish
I've been. But wanted to see you, as
the doctor says I'm not likely to last
much longer-perhaps not till tomor-
row.
There, well, never mind. Keep
your courage up. and you'll probably
deceive the doctor
Il talked to him about his soul and
spiritual things. That we may pass by,
Howson. believe he was thoroughly
penitent. asked him if there was any
thing / could do for him.
+" Yes. sir; there is one thing, if you
will It's such curious one, l hardly
like to ask you. His eyes looked eager
ly at me.
"'Go on, said I. I'll do it if posi-
ble.'
I've had queer life, sir, said the
convict. 4 might have been somebody
and done some good, but I got led
astray after marriage and broke the
heart of my wife, who died soon after
ward. Yes, I've led bad life, and it's
precious few friends I've had lately any
how. But hope l may be forgiven, as
you say God will pardon even the worst
Of us. And if you'll promise me to dc
one thing when I'm dead I shall die
happy.
"'I'll promise as far as l can, said
/. What is it?'
=" It's to take care of your wife, an.
swered No. 152. 'Ah,' said he smiling,
] thought that would astonish you.
"'Take care Of my wife. l gazed at
him in amazement. Why, of course
shall. But what Is that to your
"a great deal, said he.
"'WhyP
Because she's-my daughter.
II looked at him in terror and aston
ishment and was about to send for the
nurse and for the doctor, feeling sure
he was rambling, when he said slowly:
" Sit down, sir, please. l can't talk
much longer You need not send for DR..
Darton. I'm all right Ifeared it would
give you o shock, sir, as it gave me one
the first time I saw her here with you.
Ella York-you see, know her name
all right-was taken when quite child
by her aunt, who disowned me and
never told the child what her father
was. In that she was quite right. She
changed her name from Wilson to her
mothers name of York and completed
the disguise. Whenever / desired--and,
oh, sir, did often desire-to see Ella,
my darI1s 7 Miss York has always
threatened me with the police, and /
knew better than to have them on my
track If could help it. Yes, sir; see
you can't realize it yet, but you'll find
Ella Wilson'S birth and baptism in the
registers of Northfeld, and l give you
my word it's true
i sat In dumb silence. What could
I say9 Ella, my Ella, convict's daugh.
teri
Please, sir, don't tell her. said
he. She has never known. Don't let
her know. But / felt must tell you,
sir. and you'll not think any worse Of
herf' and his eyes looked pleadingly and
wistfully at me-
My senses had somewhat returned.
NO. said /, of course not. l am
half dazed, but feel what you say is
true. But Ella is my own now, and al
ways shall be while I live. 1 wish had
not heard this, but it cannot alter my
love for Ella.
" Thank God,'. he said. And, sir,
there's one thing more. The doctor says
/ shall sleep myself away. Do you
think it could be managed for my dar-
ling to give me one kiss ere / die-iust
one?'
"'I'll try. Yes. said l, she shall, if
you'll leave 1t to me.
will. God bless you, Mr.. Bourn.
II left him. When / got home, Ella
thought ] was i'll, and indeed l was
overwork, pleaded. In another hour
they came to tell me he was asleep and
would not wake in this world.
II took Ella with me to the hospital.
Ella, said /, a prisoner who is dy-
ing, and who has no-few-friends,
told me today how he had seen you and
would like you to kiss him ere he died,
ss his own daughter would have done
Will your
" Certainly, my darling
sAnd with ewes fr1ll Of tears she did