Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1914-11-10
CHAPTER XVI.
aask;ksstian


Restitution.
" he last act Of Inspector Rams.
combe, before turning over his
Office to his successor. was to
send to John Nelson the original
police records taken Of James Mont.
gomery. BE offered his services In ans
step that be might take to have the
courts Of New York right the wrong
that had been done him. The inspec.
tor also wrote conHdentially to the gov.
srnor Of the state giving full details
Of the case.
Nelson. bis hands again healed. and
his wife and her family grateful that
he had not been permanently crippled.
took Mr.. Bryan into bis confidence
and placed the whole matter before
him, asking his advice.
The police Of Tucson provided the
New York authorities with ample de-
tails of the confession Of the dying
yegg. He was too far gone to send
east a prisoner. When Nelson learn
ed Of this he asked that efforts b.
made to let the man die outside OF
prison. The yeggs own Maker had
taken his case from tue hands Of the
law
Mr. Bryan engaged eminent counsel
In New York to have the case Of Jamcs
Montgomery formally reop+ned BY the
appellate division Of tile supreme court.
A reversal Of the verdict found BY the
lower court was entered In the rec
ords and Acquitted" replaced the word
Convicted"
The name of Nelson had its value
In the world. value made by ter
rife effort. by kindness. by compass.
sion. By struggle and by Intellect The
woman he loved had taken that Elme.
The people among whom he had work
ed had accepted 1t as representing ali
that was fine md high md noble.
The supreme court of South Carolina
IN chambers gave to James Moptgom
cry the right to have Legal use of the
name Of John Nelson. This document
from the court was placed In the ar
chives Of the state without publicity.
While the last Of these details. clear
ing away the past and making straight
the future for Nelson. were being at
tended to BY lawyers. John Nelson him
self. his wife and her parents were
walking impatiently mp and down the
station platform Of the Southern ran'
way In Greenville.
Mr.. Bryan's finest horses and traps.
his negro coachmen IL the freshest
Of linen suits and brown straw bea-
vers, were there also. Guests and very
important guests. evidently-we ex-
pected..
The crowd that always gathered 10
greet the express train from the north
Hdgeted with impatience. Perhaps Il
party of famous milionaires or re-
nowned statesmen WAS coming to
Greenville. The Bryan family had
never turned out SO conspicuously III
the station In ull its history.
The faint shrek Of the locomotive tn
the distance brought the oilers nearer
the tracks to peer northward and get
q glimpse OF the oncoming train.
Molly Nelson clapped her hands with
delight Mr.. Bryan's face was wreath
ed with smiles The coachmen hickrd
the ears Of their dne teams and start
ed them to capering iauntily and gayiy.
II the president Of the United States
and his cabinet had been coming to
Greenville on that train no finer wei
come could have been given them. The
train thundered up. and white capped
porters jumped from the steps OF the
coaches.
Among the passengers were two old
people. one bent, white haired man
with long arms and face that would
have been grotesque In Its ugtiness
but for a smile OF patience and gentle
ness that played about his clean shaven
lips; the other was a slender woman
we'll beyond middle age. dressed In
black. with a dolman and hat that had
been long years out Of fashion.
To this homeIy and humble pair tho
Bryans and the Nelson's rushed with
cries Of joyful greetings
The crowd exclaimed In one long
drawp "Ahr' as the pretty Srs. Mel
son deliberately kissed the bent Old
visitor and then put her arm about the
waist Of the woman who had come
with him.
A strange word Of greeting for tho
ears Of the rich and the fashionable
came from the lips Of the Old man {"
John Nelson
"Kidr'
"Billr was the reply.
The stately Mrs. Bryan was mn king
as much Of the clustered. little. old wo'
man whom the crowd heard called ny
the name OF Jennie as Mr Bryan nnd
Mr.. Nelson were making OF the honeiy
man called Bill.
The train pulled out on its way to
| Atlanta, and the party bundled into
| the hne carriages
Mr.. and Mrs Hawkins were taken to
| their new home their hrst real home.
| II might have been called cottage in
the south, but to the woman from Cor
Iears Hook It was a mansion such as
| she had never dreamed Of entering.
| even Us servant
Fresh and spick and span In new
| paint its garden a tangle OF glorious
| blossoms. its piazzas wide and cool and
It's grounds stretching good ten acres
| about II. Bin and his wife thought It
the home Of the Bryans.
They entered the house. 1t was tne-
", but modestly. furnished. Silver
| glistened ON the sideb0ard. and vases
| and jars of cut glass were filed with
freshly cut flowers. Everywhere was
q touch OF femininity and coztness.
showing the hand Of Molly Nelson
There were comfortable desks and
easy chairs. lamps that hung low and
spread soft lights for old eyes and
many rugs. There was even q fat.
sleepy tabby DOING on q cushion In
one Of the window seats
Molly took Mrs Hawkins to her bed.
room, a front room with q veranda.
She threw wide the deep windows. and
the enst side woman gazed out into the
loyeliness Of the garden.