Charlevoix county herald., 1905-08-12

13 years of age my mother died: It ID
we'll she did! l was left quite alone
as I never had the care of a father
I turned newsboy. bootblack and gen
eral street gamin. Poverty drove me
20 crime. For food I broke into a
bakery shop and was caught In the
act. OF a revengeful nature, re-
solved to be avenged upon the man
who had me punished, and was as
bitter against the unthinking Judge
whom | blame for not acquitting me-
The baker was burned out, and | was
sent up some years for incendiarism
The judges residence was robbed.
made him a poor man. I wished to
flee from justice, but l knew of no
safe place to go. It was then thought
of founding a refuge for just such
people as myself. II was a child of my
brain, but the real founder of the city
as 1t now stands, was an outlaw by
the name of Mitchell, the teacher he
was called, because he was a learned
man and had at one time piled this
vocation.
"The town Is naturally protected
and lies at the foot of three noun
tains, hard Of entrance. Mitchell was
perfectly at home in this district and
1t was an easy matter to surround
himself with band of desperate fol-
lowers. 1t took three years to start,
and fully ten years to get the village
into running order, and this only by
the aid of party of outcast Nor.
mons. In 1880 1t had a population OF
seven hundred, of which number only
fifty were women. Under the leader.
ship of doctor by the name of Schil-
Ter the town has reached a population
of fully nineteen hundred, with fully
four hundred women, and they are on
the increase.
THE government of the city is not
what may be termed an absolute mon.
a:chy. We have a king, but his will
is not absolute. He rules according
to law, and is amenable to the law.
Marriage is an honorable state. Here
mans honor is everything. strange
as it may seem. In the matter OF
punishment, the death penalty pre-
dominates, but in rather queer way.
Two persons who have forfeited their
right to life and liberty fight to the
death, and the survivor become free
again. This works well. We have
more law abiding citizens in the city
to the square inch than any one place
in the states When once you enter
81 ~ mill hn t,
There are many occupations, mostly
police and guard duty goes round, In
trades that have been learned in Jail ;
other positions trading takes place
II you are assigned to a certain duty
that is displeasing to you, you can
trade or buy a substitute.
Il am afraid tire you, Lang, so will
end my explanation by saying to you
traitors and spies are given nc
chance for life!"
What do you mean?" demanded
Lang, who was little taken off his
guard at the abrupt ending of Gold.
ems conversation.
Il mean nothing" very calmly re.
piled Golden. 81 only wish to warn
you against taking false step. Don't
let your better nature get the best OF
you here-suspicion is sometimes as
much to be dreaded as actual facts"
II am at loss to understand you
Golden. | am no hypocrite; l don't
want to appear anything else than
am. OF course you know l am not
hardened in crime-but, pardon me, ]
am not traitor!"
Il believe you!" said Golden, sober
ly. But | cannot help speaking.
feel that | am returning here to die
and | must make a confidant of some
body. Thus far l have been testing
you; you have stood the test well;
there now remains nothing for me tc
do but bring you into the city,"
Have no fear, Golden, that I shall
bring discredit upon you! Remember
this of me, whether | am an honest
man or not-as you choose to call me
i will never go back upon friend!
Tomorrow" said Golden, as IL
deeply thinking, ito show you that
trust you, shall give you a secret!'
Tomorrow brings many changes.
ITO he continued \