The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1912-02-29
WEEKLY. SHORT STORY
A CONFESSION.
By Maurice Level

When the door had been opened l
netitated a moment before entering.
AT first could see only a lamp
burning very low inside a dark shade
but as my eyes grew more used to the
DARKNESS I. discovered in a corner
b the outlines, OF thin, emaciated body
land face which plainly bore the
marks OF approaching death The air
OF the room was flied with penetrat-
ing smell OF ether. could hear only
the monotonous sound OF the rain
beating against the windows and the
noWhng OF the wind in the chimney.
Sir" whispered the old woman who
had led me in, the gentleman You
have been asking for is here now"
The prostrate figure suddenly sat
up and said in a faint voice:
Thank you, Nine. Favart. Please
leave us alone now"
When the old woman had closed the
door the voice went on:
:, Please move a little closer. MY
eyesight is nearly gone, my ears buzz
and 1t is very hard for me to speak.
There is a chair close to my bed. Elk
cuse me for troubling you, but I have
very important matter to tell you
., His eyes opened wide, as IL tried
to penetrate te mist that yelled his
sight, as he turned his face toward
me and mumbled: 81.
First of all, am talking to Maitre
Gernou, che lawyer"
Yes, sir"
Then 1 have a confession to make.
signed my letter to you, Pernier, but
this is not my real name. Peraps if
death, which holds me in it's grasp.
had not changed me so much, you
might still remember my face. But
1t does not matter. Many years ago
] was district public prosecutor. l
was one of the younger men of whom
much is expected, and ! was deter
mined to win a reputation as a clever
Official. / was waiting for a chance
to show my ability, when an importan.
case came up in my district 1t was
in small town. Teh crime was com
monplace enough and would have ere
ated no sensation in Paris, but. there
it was a great event, and determined
20 win my first laurels The trial had
brought forth considerable evidence
against the accused, but not enough
no justify conviction on circumstantial
&eWdence, and the accused stoutly
maintained his innocence. The actor
ney for the defense made a very elo-
quent speech, which went straight to
the heart of the audience. A wave of
doubt almost of sympathy, swept
through the court room, and YOU know
what this means.
But a public prosecutor is not so
easily moved. l brought out facts
which greatly weakened the state
ments made by the defense. / found
discrepancies and flaws in the areu-
ments OF the other side. / pictured
to the jurors the horrible details of
&he revolving crime, pointed to the
whole previous life OF the accused and
proved that it was next to impossible
for anybody else to have committed
the crime. The attorney for the de-
tense tried to cisprove my statements.
but his efforts were in vain; / had
impressed che jury SO strongly that
they convicted the accused after a dis
cussion OF less than half an hour.
IF | felt some emotion when SEN
tence was rendered. my pride soon
slienced it. The outcome of the af-
fair was AZ the same time a victory
for Justice and triumph for me.
On the morning of the execution
I once saw the man. | was present
AWhen he was awakened, saw him dress
and when | pctiCed how abnormalIv
calm he was d terrible feeling of an
Guish came over me. / still remember