Omaha daily bee., 1902-02-16
copyrighted, 1901, by Dodd. Mead & Coz
CHAPTER XXI.

he was himself familiar. Inc blue VI year
was s,iu summer, but late summer, when
the nights are cold. Mr.. Fulton would
therefore be able to anticipate some OF the
toys OF winter, with no bed TO lie upon, ex-
cept the hard, bare, unwashed boards; no
blanket to cover him, no change OF clothes
q crowded room with close and confined air;
no food. unless he was so lucky as to share
in some OF the miserable doles OF the
prison; and no drink. Four and twenty
hours, oliver thought, Of the poor side
would be quite enough to quench that purn-
ing desire for revenge.
He left his man, therefore, alone for the
moment. There was, however, one more
source Of danger, hitherto unsuspectedi
that, namely, from the parson who had con-
Quoted the ceremony in Newgate. Like all
his brethren. he kept a register, In which he
entered the names Of the couples whom he
married. Now, oliver considered, II the
man had any suspicion Of the wealth to
which the lady had attained he would most
certainly have endeavored to make money
by his knowledge. As he hac not done 80,
It was probable that he had quite forgotten
the name of the bride and even the circum-
stances Of the function. He resolved, how
ever, TO ind out the man and to ascertain
the truth. The mere name in the register
WAlhOul any GuaAAAylhb uCoSAAPNAOh "OoAA
bsN6f no Importance, because In such cases
q name may be easily assumed A maid
servant, an apprentice, & milliner's girl,
may assume for the occasion the name and
style Of her mistress. In itself, therefore.
the register would be CT no use to its pos
SCISSOR; and, as for other evidence, he was
disposing OF that by the Punishment OF one
of the two persons chiefly concerned and
the imprisonment OF the other.
However, It is not a long journey from
the temple to the Fleet and he made his
way to the place.
kThe haunt OF the marrying parsons Is not
a delectable place for the stranger to visit.
Ibwhere Is Il mentioned al one OF the
shows of London; the market, seldom
cleaned, is strewn aud covered with broken
fruit and vegetables trodden into the ground
and putrefying; 1t is encountered with bar
rows; 1t Is not only noisome with its un-
swept rubbish, but 1t is dreadful to ears
polite by reason OF the people who are con-
tinualiy fighting, quarreling and cursing.
Every other house is q tavern and In most
OF the taverns may be found q parson in
c~assock-bands and wig ready to marry
couples In a hack room at q fee proportional
to the appearance OF the pair, namely from
i've shillings, or oven half q crown, to a
guinea.
On rleeI bTluHo du0 LuuB1t0 nil dT0 InO
men who tent all day long for their masters,
dragging in, SO to speak, any couples who
may happen 10 be walking along the street
OF on the hill.
To one OF these men oliver addressed
himself. He learned from him first that
the clergyman who had tied the futile knot
was dead; he had been dead for nearly three
years; his. calling, 1t would seem, is not
conducive to long life; perhaps because II
Is too intimately connected with punch and
strong drink OF various kinds, he was dead,
however. Next oliver was invited to bring
the lady when he might be comfortably and
safely married by the defunct divine's sue
cessor. Thirdly. as he showed no signs of
producing q lady, he was earnestly invited
tP offer the means of procuring p drink for
thirsty throat. Lastly. he was referred
Up the landlord OF the tavern where the
pyous soul had set up his quarters; lived,
drank. eaten. slept and died.
Oliver found the place a little way up the
market. The landlord was standing at the
open door, a man OF middle age and for
bidding aspect. bearing upon his brow the
unmistakable stamp which sooner or later
brands the man who leads a life Of internal
~iniquity. No one can deny, l believe, that
the landlords OF the Fleet taverns do lead
lFes of i~niquity, II half the reports are
Hue.
81 have come" said Oliver, Ito make In
QNlries concerning the registers Of marriage
kept some years ago by your marrying par
son"
"Oh!" the man replied. you would Xix,
to see those registers, would you? Pray
sir. why do you want to see them?"
II hear that the psrson is dead. You
have probably kept his books"
"Maybe--maybe. You are a lawyer.
perceive. SIR. When a lawyer wants TO SCI
the register It Is for some purpose of hi
own I take it."
Naturally. You are quite right"
well. sir, the register is. perhaps. in M
possession. / do not say. Perhaps It 4
not. May a body ask why you want 4
see it,"
oliver assumed his most lawyer-like air
''sir." he said. II need not inform you; 1
must be plain to a person Of your under
standing THAI such q register may be o
INFINITE Importance in proving. or sub
Stimulating. or the reverse, as the cas-
may be, claims to an estate. to inherltanc
or to succession. Take. for example. tn
ease Of one born In wedlock who .oanno
prove his mothers marriage except b
reference to these registers"
AYE, sir. I understand. Dr. there ma
be equally the case OF a woman who woul
hide. II she could, the proofs OF her mar
riage. You take me. slrG These marriage
must be beneficial to the community, be
cause they are cheap and easy and may b
hastily entered upon. You take me. sir ?
Perfectly. Perfectly. You are quit
right Such q case might immediAtel
arise"
well. sir. we come to this. The regis
ters are worth money. especially to lawyer
You must, therefore. pay for looking
ghem." sl
by all means. l will give you a pref
enk for looking a. the registers kept by tn
diVine-this devoted servant OF Hymen.
want especially the register of three yeaI
ago"
High men or low men turn ali the san
TO my old friend. But, alas. good sir
only three years agof can show you no
the registers Of ten years ago-Or even
N.Y. years ago-but OF three years ago
must know. sir. that the cause OF n
o\ath Of my unfortunate and pious friend
hsNSas a member OF the University Of o.
ford. sir. and as full OF learning as an 81
IL full Of meat say that the cause OF. h
death was that he happened, being In liQuo
20 set his candle beside the bed and 4