The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-06-30

| suddenly new thought occurred to
me. l would follow them while decid-
ing upon my course. This / did, I'M
known to them.
After several turns they stopped at
the front door of a small cottage. AS
he was putting the key into the lock
stepped up to him and said:
Is this Horace Wentworth"
To my great surprise he replied,
"No, it is not. "You are Henry AL
lison; am Chester Clinton. Come in
while we talk matters over"
When he said this / gave a quick
glance at his wife, but she showed no
surprise.
L went in. 1t was four O'Clock in
the morning when left. l will briefly
relate his story.
He began by saying: "The mo-
mont beheld you come into the church
| knew you. Why / sung as did,
had never sung in quite that way be-
fore-I hardly know, except that Christ,
whose teachings l am faithfully trying
to follow, seemed to be with me. l
felt that He knew, as well as l did,
that the shadow OF great misfortune
was lowering over myself and family,
and that he had come to comfort us.
AT any rate, the fear which seized me
when / first saw you wholly disap-
peared while singing the hymn. Peace
took possession of my soul; I felt, and
still feel, ready for anything that may
be in store for me. My first impulse
was to go right to you, but changed my
mind, concluding would let matters
take their course"
L. e. - H. ~. NNlI
the old familiar story of taking small
sum to speculate with, expecting to re-
turn it.; how he lost and then took
more to continue speculation, always
meaning to make up the deficiency,
until the shortage amounted to 81 900;
then knowing detection was soon to fol-
low, yielded TO the temptation to take
$4,000 and decamped; how he was
seized with remorse and entered upon
various designations and was soon pen
niless; how young lady became in
terested in his welfare and under her
influence he had become converted;
how she had married him, notwith.
standing he had told her of his crime
and assumed name: how he had since
led an honest life and ever should;
that he was now engaged in profit
able business and also had an interest
in silver mine, which he thought soon
would be paying property. He had
already begun to lay by money for the
benefit of Mr.. Creswell, as he intended
to return to him every cent he had
taken.
This closed his story.
He had made no appeal for clemency,
but at this point his eyes closed and al
though there was no outward sign,
was certain he was sending a silent
prayer heavenward.
Was it answered? Let the reader
judge for himself. God works through
human instrumentalities.
His wife, who had been a quiet lis
tener, now turned to me with tears
streaming down her face. She told
how good, how kind and noble her hus-
band was. She then piteously pleaded,
especially for the sake of their two lit
tie ones, that leave them undisturbed
What was my duty?
think l must have felt something
as the late Chief Justice Doe of New
Hampshire did, when, on being told he
had done the right thing in sentencing
Almy to be hanged, replied
"God alone knows"
1, too, felt, when asking myself
what was my duty, that God alone
knew.
Here was happy, loving couple,
leading honest lives and respected by
the entire community. To make
known his crime would bring disaster
to the whole family, upon the innocent
as well as the guilty. On the other
hand, here was a man who had COM
mitted serious crime, and justice de-
handed his arrest.
Well, after several hours of thought,
l decided, right or wrong, to let mat
tiers rest, and Immediately took my de-
parture for Washington.
Five years have rolled around since
the events narrated in the last chapter.
Fifteen years since the defalcation.
One morning was sitting in my Office
in Washington, when fne-looking
gentleman stepped in and said he
would like to see me alone. l took him
into my private office. He said:
81 see you don't recognize me.
am Chester Clinton. Am on my way
to New England to restore the money I
took from Brandon Creswell, My min
ing venture proved even more success
full than anticipated and 1 have $12 900
to hand to him. The interest due there
on l shall give him later. l could not
wait any longer. / know my Maker
long since granted me a pardon for my
evil deed, but l yearn also for Mr.. Cres-
wells forgiveness. I did him great
wrong, but could the world know the
misery my crime has caused me, SINH
lar ones would be less frequent" He
concluded by urgently requesting that
l 60 East with him.
This 1 finally consented to do, and
two days later we reached our destina-
ton.
What changes had taken place dur
ing the fifteen years since the defalca-
tionl 1 felt like veritable Rip Van
Wrinkle. Many friends had gone, some
to their eternal home. Surprises were
frequent, but nothing shocked me as it
did to learn that Brandon Creswell was
an inmate of the poorhouse. We drove
out to see him.
From being smart business man he
had become a pitiable sight. Once