The Washington times., 1905-12-24

en-, in the cellar of the old Tombs
prison, in which he had lived and
suffered for something like a dozen
years.
The dead wagon" ratified up from
the Department of Charities and
Correction; officials uncovered and
lifted the hideous thing into the long
rough black pine box. While they
did so l looked for the last time
upon his face. The old scarecrow l
had known had been transformed by
the touch Of Deaths kindly finger.
Peace was written on the shrunken
cheeks. dignity shone upon the fur
rowed brow. There was q glory
about him that defled the potters
field which was to be the end of his
story.
When Captain George Towne sail
ed to India with his regiment of Brit
ish lancers he, like many Of his fellow
officers, left a girl behind him
two of them. indeed-his wife and
infant daughter, who remained in
England. There was fighting to be
done, and fighting was Captain
Georges profession.
Up into the Himalayas they
marched. The government sent
them; the Rajah sent them down
again. After the retreat Captain
George was among the missing.
This particular native prince had
never been properly taught his man
ners by his British masters. there
fore his serene highness took the op-
portunity of amusing himself with
Capt. George Towne. When his
regiment finally entered the capital
of this amiable potentate they found
what was left of their comrade. His
backbone was broken, his knees had
been pulled from their sockets. his
nose and ears had been removed.
Some merry fellow had cut out Cap
lain Georges tongue because he
thought the Rajah would be pleased
to hear the Englishman try to
scream for water without that organ.
1t would have been merciful had
they burned out the captains eyes.
TO prevent his ever seeing his own
reflection.
captain George was taken to the
hospital in Calcutta Christian So
ciety succeeded in saving his life
God knows why-for this was a sec
ond crime perpetrated upon him.
Lying in the convalescent ward he
thought of England, where they were
soon to send him. He thought of his
wife. How ne thought of her dur
Ing those endless days and nights,
At times it seemed as if he could
almost see her slender figure NOV
ing in the moonlit corridor and as
II the lovely features surrounded by
the bronze brown hair he loved so
well were bending over him In real
lty. He could almost hear her ex-
quisite voice and note each little
mannerism he had learned TO love
so well. There was a,so the little
maid to think OF, and the fathers
heart yearned for his little one.
Arrived in London. his country
did what it could for him-this
shapeless, helpless, silent mass of
breathing matter. For it had be-
come known that his capture was
the result of personal bravery. He
had volunteered to carry dispatches
for his colonel through the euemy's
lines. Officials met him at the land
Ing, speeches were made. the public
cheered him, there were columns in
the newspapers. They pinned little
bronze cross upon his breast. and.
this duty done, they all tried to
think about something else-some
thing pleasant. They tried to forget
Capt George Towne, who shuffied
away with his Victoria cross.
He hurried home. What 4 home
coming. He was made to under
stand at last that she had gone
gone with her lover. and, Of course.
she had taken the baby with her.
There was disgrace for you. But
even now the cup of Captain Georges
humiliation was not yet filled. He
drained its dregs when he learned
that this man was a criminal, thief.
The police were looking for him;
they had not caught him yet. Cap
tain George started TO find them.
In his search for her there was
not the bitterness Of anger. He had
gazed into the looking glass and
cOuid uof hIama har for bar dgobt