Year: 1870




After all, law is a humbug. And
it never WAS greater humbug than
when it condemned Bert Singleton to
imprisonment for lite for manslaught-
er.


There are some men who ought to
be slaughtered, and Tom Acton, was
one of those. / am glad that he met
his fate, just as | am glad when any
pestilent nuisance is abated. This
sounds blood thirsty, of course; and
people who can swallow all sorts of
meannesses, and do all sorts of little
crimes that are not actionable accord
ing to law, will be shocked, and hold
up their hands. Butt hate mean
ness so much that 1 would gladly see
it eradicated, and 1 love and honor
more the man who knocks down his
antagonist boldly, face to face, than
him who gets behind the one he hates,
and pinches him into commissions. Any
man, OF the most glorious nature, may
be tempted to commit great crime;
but it takes dirty, cowardly nature
to plan and carry out sly insidious
wrong. Who scruples killing feas, or
any other vermin?


Bert Singleton was one of the mob
lest, truest fellows that ever broathed.
He was simple and unsuspecting as
child; hut he had nerve and vim
enough for all that. Bert was our
darling in those days before young
men begin to grow severely jealous of
each other. We listened to him,
watched him, laughed with and at
him, and adored him. And next to
Bert we adored Bets sister Hilda.


They were something alike. and ye t,
not alike; Bert was brave and deter
mined if there was need,. and his cour-
age rose with opposition Hilda was
soft and timid as dove, and the least
opposition broke her tender will. She
seemed to live only for those she low
ed, to have no thought save to please
them. Indeed, she was too depend
ent for almost any woman needs n
firm will at some time in her life, and
q power in herself to resist friends
when their influence is contrary to
right. If her friends did and said
wished about the right thing, then all
went merry as marriage-bell. But
if some one should want her to tell a
fib, or steal penny, it would not be
quite so well. Yes, Hilda was un-
questionably too soft. But what a
pretty creature she was How delight
tul were those evenings when Bert in
vited few of US fellows home to tea
with him, and we, smoothing our man
ners and softening our voices, went to
spend all hour or two in her gentle
presence. a-..a


The two, brother and sister, were
quite alone in the world, and had a
pleasant little house to themselves.
There Hilda presided in eharmingly
womanly fashion, sat at the head OF
her brothers table, maintained chill
dish authority over their one servant,
and entertained visitors incomparably.
What delicious little suppcrs we would
have there, everything the best OF its
kind How she would coax Us BASH
full bears to eat and drink more, pro-
testing that we had hardly tasted any
thingI Then afterwards, in the par
lor, how she would play and sing to
us, and look over our shoulders while
we played cards, and laugh at our
stories, and help the girl pass round
fruit and the tiny glass of wine that
was all she would allow us; and when
we went home at ten o'clock, how
kindly she shook hands with each one.
thanked HIM for coming, and asked
him to come soon again. 1t was all
very delightful.


The first discord was introduced by
Tom Acton, who chose to fall desper-
ately in love with Hilda, and be jeal-
GUS of every one else. OF course we
had all been in love with her, but in
quiet gentle way; and not one of us
had ever yentured to tell her of it.
We knew full well that she was not
for US. Over and over she had said
that if ever she should marry, it would
be some one like her brother Bert;
and we all knew that his like was not
in our tribe. He was taller, older,
Drawer, simpler, truer and handsomer
than any other man we knew.