The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1903-05-08

most loathsome prison I'm London at
that time. ii being used for felons. while
Ludgate was for debtors Here he was
thrown into an underground dungeon
foul with water that seeped through
the old masonry from the moat and
alive with every noisome thing that
creeps- There was no bed. no stool. no
floor, not even wisp OF straw; sim
ply the reeking stone walls, covered
with fungus. and the windowless arch
overhead. One could hardly conceive
4 more horrible place in which to spend
even a moment I had a glimpse of IT
by the light of the keepers lantern as
they put him in. and 1t seemed to me a
single night in that awful place would
have killed me or driven me mad /
protested and begged and tried to bribe.
but it was all of no avail. The keeper
had been bribed before I arrived Al
though ii could do no possible good, i
was glad to stand outside the prison
walls in the drenching rain all the rest
of that wretched night that might be
as near as possible to my friend and
suffer a little with him.
AS soon as the prison gates were
opened next morning | again impor-
tuned the keeper to give Brandon a
more comfortable cell. but his reply
was that such crimes had of late be
come so frequent in London that no Ia
vor could be shown those who commit
ted them. and that men like Brandon.
who ought TO know and act better. de-
served the maximum punishment.
told him he was wrong in this case;
that knew the facts, and everything
would be clearly explained that very
day and Brandon released.
That's all very WELL responded the
stubborn creature. Nobody is guilty
who comes here. They can every one
prove innocence clearly and at once.
Notwithstanding. they nearly all hang.
and frequently. for variety's sake. are
/ drawn and quartered.
I waited about Ncwgate until
o'clock and as I passed out met Buck
ingham and his man johnson. n sort of
lawyer-knight. going I'm. | went down
I to the palace Mt Greenwich and. finding
f, that the girls were still at Scotland
; palace. rode over at once to see them
Upon getting Mary and Jane to my
self / told them of Brandon's arrest
on the charge of murder and of his
condition. lying half dead from wounds
and loss of blood in that frightful
dungeon The tale moved them great
/ ly. and they both gave way to tears.
think Mary had heard of the arrest
before. as she did not seem surprised
| do you think he will tell the cause
| Of the killin~?' she asked.
| Il know he will not" | answered
''but / also know that he knows you
WILL And 1 looked straight into her
| face.
| Certainly we WILL" said Jane. 1--WE
will 20 to the king at once" And she
| was on the quI vive to start immedi-
ately.
i Mary did not at once consent to
James proposition. bet sat in n reverie
looking with fearful eyes into vacancy
apparently absorbed In thought. Aft
II suppose it will have to be DONE
can see no other way-but blessed
Mother Mary. help me!'
The girls made hasty preparations
and we all started back to Green
witch. that Mary might tell the king
On the road over l stopped at Newgats
to tell Brandon that the princess would
soon have him out. knowing how wei
come liberty would be at her hands
but I was not permitted to see him.
1 swallowed my disappointment and
thought II would he only matter o
few hours delay. the time spent fl
riding down to Greenwich and sending
back n messenger. So. light hearted
enough ut the prospect. soon joinet
the girls. and we cantered briskl,
home.
After waiting a reasonable time 70
Mary to see the king I sought he
again to learn where and from whom
should receive the order for Bran
don's release and when / should go t
London to bring him.
What was my surprise and DISCUS
when Mary told me she had not ye
seen the king: that she had waited t
"eat and bathe and dress" and tha
"a few moments more or less coul'
make no difference"
My God. your highnessI Did no
tell you that the man who saved you