The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-04-14
The Sheriff's Daughter.
By Clark BarrOws.

One of the prettiest towns in the
while state of l. is Vallombrosa-
Its numerous neat and brightly paint
ed dwellings are half concealed amid
leafy groves of oaks, maple and cotton
woods; the straight, quiet streets, paw
ed for the most part with brick, are
everywhere shaded 10y tall fine trees,
while the well-cared for grass along
the sidewalks gives them the aspect of
city boulevard. In the centre of the
town stands the white sandstone court
house, of which the citizens may well
feel proud when they turn as
they do twenty times day, to read
the time on the great clock face in its
tower.
On a corner, not many squares from
the courthouse, stands the county Jail.
1t is of brick, the front portion, which
is built like an ordinary dwelling house,
with a wide veranda, being occupied
by the sheriff and his family, while
the rear, with its ugly grated windows,
is in sort of court and partially hid
den from the gaze OF the passing pc
destrians by high brick wall. The
whole institution has from the outside
such an air of retirement, cleanliness
and, one might almost say, of respect
ability, that to a beholder wearied with
the turmoil Of modern life, incarcera-
ton within its walls might not at first
sight seem such an altogether terrible
thing.
James Lewis, the present sheriff, who
lives in the front part of the building,
where the wide windows are, and the
shady veranda, has held his Office for
two terms, with great satisfaction, not
only to the townspeOple for his fidelity
and good management, but even TO
the prisoners themselves by his kind
ness, and his liberality in the matter of
food. He has wife reputed to be a
good cook and an excellent housekeep-
er. a son at present cashier OF local
band, and a daughter Clara, who Is
now married and living in the east.
At the time of our story, however, this
daughter was a schoolgirl of sixteen
and the pet of the family. On warm
summer evenings she often sat out OF
doors on the steps with a book in her
lap, and many a passer-by turned TO
look again at her sweet earnest face
with its setting of dark curly hair.
Clara gave little heed to the prison.
ers who came and went To her they
were simply part of her fathers busi-
ness, and she thought no more of them
than a merchants daughter does of her
fathers customers. But one day man
was brought there whom she could
scarcely help noticing, for the whole
town was talking about him. -Four
armed men came with the prisoner,
and for several nights a guard was
placed about the Jail in anticipation of
an attempt at lynching. For the man
was accused of a most dastardly muir
der.
On the corner of Main and Bells
streets, facing the courthouse square,
stands the First National Bank of Val
Iombrossa. In common with the other
banks of this town, it does not close at
one or at twelve on Saturdays, as do
the city banks, but for the convenience
of farmers and railroad hands, it keeps
open OH that day until eight o'clock in
the evening. On one of these evenings,
lust before the time for closing, the
shades of twilight having already
gathered on the summer night, "a rough
Iy dressed man was seen by those in the
street to go up the steps and enter the
bank. He was hardly inside when
pistol shot was heard and the man re-
appeared and dashed down Main street
ont of sight. 4 dozen men started in
pursuit, and when they turned the cor
ner they saw what they supposed to be
the same person, running half a square
ahead of them, with revolver openly
exposed in his hand. Some of the
fleetest soon overlook him, and as he
did not stop or attempt resistance, they
struck him from behind and he fell
senseless to the pavement. On return
ing TO the bank, they found the teller
lying dead in pool Of blood, and the
cashier, who had been out at the time
of the shooting, declared that package
of bills amounting to one thousand dol
lars had been taken. This was the
story Clara heard of the prisoner her
father and four men brought to the
county Jail late one Saturday evening
in the summer time.
She did not see him then, for prison.
ers were taken in and out through an
alley in the rear, but later, when the
time of the trial came, and he was es-
corted back and forth every day be-
tween the Jail and the courthouse, she
saw him frequently. He was young
4 a nj af Hark