Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-10-24

an amt syng nohink abart it now
Did they put me in the wax-works?" asked Pon1aG
his sister violently 'Anke toe them th et ,r Sa,iH
wen they come fer yer pickcher E went there lsrs
week to if they done it, but e admit the strength tf
go in: + said it'd mike EN- feel quite sick to see ye
standin up in like corpse especially as some,
body stole yer cloes, an thinks the wax-works a.
;, You fool, why don't you get reprievea" cried
Poman, angrily.
Ankle as arsked the 'Ome Secretary an the towns
sent in petition, an e asn't answered took no
notice An Charles tyken yer gold watch to wear
Yer know yer always was fond Of Charlie. Now,
W,am ave yer confessed? Don't yer do it. Theti
or s ndke sent me ere fer to sy We wants to old
Don't yer sy nothnk Ankle says, an peopell think
maybe some mistyke hyde an seem the trouble
an disgryce yervc brought on all"
Eyer did, an yervc disgryced It's all an it cos,
Anf te p ps''y d Psn%y moving to Wandswort"
"Yer did,, William, yer know yer did"
Eyer did,
"All right; did, then" cried Polman in exaspera.
non ne felt intrated to see his sister standing there
in freedom. He had realized how much he hated
this fat before His hate was something th,,
seemed to go down into the foundations of his being
and now that the bonds OF convention broken. i
leaped to its expression His sister tvpifed that
plague Of human relationships to escape which with
their conventional integrity, abhorrent his Celtic
cast woman whom he had DESTROYED Now he need
keep up appearances longer The awe and respecta-
blity of the black bombazne vanished and in this ia.
female creature he saw only the fat pug that shifted
and howled at the side Of the corpse
YES Lid. did it. Margaret" he reiterated, cranins
to hang me for It,. They'll bind and blind me and
lead me to the eallows and they'll put greasy rope
round my neck and spring the trap and my nee
black, and my tonguell hang out
He heard the ailer utter cry. He saw the hitherto
unreazed terror of death-his fear-growng in the
fat creatures eyes. A savage Joy possessed him
Then when my neck's cricked and I've turned cold
and sfcned out they'll cut me down and put me in
bag and sprinkle lime"
His fear gone He had transferred it to her.
His sisters eyes glazed like the pugs She tumbled
forward with shrek upon the flags. The ailers
sprang forward and hustled the prisonr back into this
CELL From within he could hear his sister screaming
they revived her.
When they had got her outside Evans turned to
Donaldson and said
"1f ever human soul was booked for he'll, he.
going there
But Po1man in his CELL heard nothing of this Hs
singing hymn
On the next morning the prisoner awakened at five
ton that he could first define. When he got
of bed his knees shook under him and deathly faint
him. H steadied himself against
wall of his cell, trying to anayze this overpowering
need. All at once he realized that he was hungry.
the ailer Ten minutes later he wolfng
tire loaf of bread and great hunk Of cheese, which
had in fact been left hand by the prison cook in
expectation Of just such demand. So began the
last phase of Polman's imprisonment.
Polman devoured six meals that day. A kindly
government which denies no soace in reason to con-
demned prisoners. permitted him stupey the
ings of the tortured with the ansshec of
food. When he was not eating. Polman almost
continuously. He did not appear to sleep at all the
following night.
Until the last days the latent hope of reprcve had
tanned his relationship with the external world. But
that hope was gone, cut off from humanity
before the final secluded in silence. he
fell back upon his inward assurances OF salvation.
lie ladder hopes
mind became his world and all else being unreal and
f for fear o co no n IT, ad ps
don come, he would with difficulty have readusted
his mind to mundane affairs. In this imaginary
infct discipline, they submitted to his usurpatons
periorce. -.
Evans thrust his plate. heaped high with food into
his cell. A large. round steak lay high and dry upon
mound OF mashed potatoes He snatohed it up and
81 wants larger bit" he shouted. "And want.
it rare"
Upon the afternoon of the Saturday preceding tho
execution, crowd, attracted by Polman's singing,
had gathered outside the prison wall. Pomans voice
had changed into husky roar. and. shouting like a
SO long he sang. it seemed to him. salvation could
never be denied him the words OF the hymn had be-
across the bordeand Suddenly the lock Clicked and
the governor entered, holding paper in his hand.
He halted at the entrance and regarded the prisoner
who brushed past him twice. bawng his song Don.
aldson, at the governors side caught Polman by
the arm and spun him round. The Weshman shook
him off with ease and resumed his pacing The gov.
ernor and the jaer advanced together into the cen
and both waited for the conclusion of the hymn
Then Polman withdrew into corner and crouched
glaring at them with insane, boodshot eyes The
governor read from the document which ne was
holding.
by order Of the Home Secretary" he pronounced
81 have to inform you that His Majesty has beer
, gracously pleased to commute your sentence Of
death to one of imprisonment during the period Of
your natural life You will be removed "a
Pentonville where you will he placed under the juris
dction of the prison governors who will make such
disposition of you shall seem it."
Polman remained crouched in his corner his mouth
open. staring. The governor repeated his announce
ment in paraphrase. And few words
pierced through the msts of ecstasy and entered the
, prisoners brain He tried sing and ceased the
words bubbling upon his lips in imbecile fashion
The ladder of his dreams was tottering, the fantasy
of his hopes crumblirg. In place of the martyrs
crown he the cold walls of convict prison. His
ecstasy gone, and all the passions and terrors
and dreams of the past week had gone all his la
borous conquest fear valueless his hatred
anger and repentance worthless. He might well