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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (July 3, 1904)
July 3, 1004. "You used to buy things. X pinned him down. Ho looked suddenly at the king's advocate, then dropped his eyes. "Neviih. bought a thing in my life," he Said. 1 was In a mad temper. I smashed my hand upon the spikes of the rail In front of me, and, although I row hands move Impulsively toward tno all over the court, 1 did not know that my arm win impaled and the blood running down. "Perjurer!" I shuutod, "Ramon himself told me." "Ah, you were mighty thick with Ra mon. . . ." he said. I let him stand down. I was done. Borne ono below said harshly, "That closes our ca.se, m'luds," and the court rustled all over. Old Lord 81 o well in front of me shivered a little, looked at the window and then said: "Irtsoner at the bar, our procedure has It tliat if you wish to say anything, you may now address the Jury. Afterwards, if you had a counsel, he could call and ex amine your witnesses, if you had any." It was growing very dark in Uie court. I began to tell my story; It was so plain, so evident, it shimmered there before me . . . and yet I knew it was so useless. I remembered that in my cell I had rea soned out that I must be very constrained, very lucid about the opening. "On such and euch a day I landed at Kingston, to be come an Improver on the estate of my brother-in-law. He is Sir Ralph Rokesby cf Horton Priory in Kent." I did keep cool; I was lucid; I spoke like that. I had eyes fixed on the face of the young girl upon the bench. Her eyes were fixed, fascinated, upon my hand. I tried to move It and found that It was stuck upon the spike on which I had Jammed 1L I moved it carelessly away, and only Mt a little pain, as If from a pin prick; but the blood was dripping onto the floor, pat, pat. Later on, a man lit the eand'es on the Judge's desk, and the court looked different. There were deep shadows everywhere; and the Illuminated face of Lord Btowell looked grimmer, less kind, more ancient, more Impossible to bring a ray of sympathy to. The barristers looked at me from time to time. I heard one say, "That man ought to have his hand bound up." I was telling the, story of my life, that was all I could do. I warmed to it; I found words. I was telling the story for that young girt Sud denly I saw the white face of my father peep at me between the head of an old man with an enormous nose, and a stout lady In a brown cloak that had a number of little-watchmen's capes. He smiled sud denly, and nodded again and again, opened his eyes, shut them; furtively waved a hand. It distracted me, threw me off my balance, my coolness was gone. It was as if something bad snapped. After that I remember very little; I think I may have Quoted the "Prisoner of Chlllon," because ho iut it Into my head. I seemed to be back again in Cuba. Down below me the barristers were talk ing. The king's advocate pulled out a puce-colored bandanna, and waved it abroad preparatory to blowing his nose. A cloud of the perfume of a West Indian bean went up from It, sweet nnd warm. I had smelt it last at Rio, the S'-nsatlon was so strong that I could not tell where I was. The candles made a yellow glow on the Judge's desk; but it seemed to be the blaze of light in the tell where Nicholas and the Cuban had fenced. I thought I was Uack in Cuba again. The people in the court disappeared in the deepening shadows. At times I could not speak. Ttien I would begin again. If there were to be any possibility of saving my life I had to tell what I had been through and to tell It vlvidly-I had to narrate the story of my life; and my whole life came into my mind. It was Eeraphlna who was the essence of my life; who spoke with the voice of all Cuba, of all Spain, of all romance. I began to talk about old Pon Balthnsar Riego. I began to talk ahout Manucl-del-Popolo, of his red shirt, his black eyes, his mandolin; I saw again the light of Ms fires flicker on the other side of the ravine In front of the cave. And I rammed sll that into my story, the story I was telling to that young girl. In the Mack shadows of the wall of the court I rould feel the eyes upon me; I could see the parted lips of the young girl as she leaned further toward me. I knew It because, when one of the barristers below rolled his voice, some one hissed "S sh" from the shadows. And suddenly It came Into my hend, that even if I did save my life by talking about these thins. It would bo absolutely use less. I could never go back again; never be the hoy again; never hear the true voice of the Kver Faithful Island. What did It mat ter even If I escaped; even If I could go bock? The sea. would be there, the nky, the silent dim hills, the listless surge; but I should never lie there, I should be altered for good nnd all. I should never see tho breathless dawn In the round water of Ha vana harbor, never be there with Rernphlna close beside me In the little drogher. All that remained wit to see this fight through and then have done with fighting. Xok at me . . . look at what they TITE ILLUSTIJATED HEE. hare maiJe cf me, one and tho other of them. I was an Innocent boy. What am I now? They have taken my life from me, let them finish It how they will, what does it matter to me, what do I care?" There whs a rustle, of motion all round the court. On board Rowley's flagship the heavy Irons had sawed open my wrists. I hadn't been Ironed In Newgate, hut the things had healed up very little. 1 hap pened to look down at my claws of hands with tho grime of blood that the dock spikes had caused. "What sort of a premium Is It that you set on sticking to the right? Is this how you are going to encourage the others like me? What do I care ahout your death? What's life to me? Let them get their scaffold ready. I have suffered enough to be put out of my misery. God, I have suf fered enough with ono and another. Ixok at my hands, I say. Iook at my wrists, and say If I care any more." I held my ghastly paws high, and the candle light shone upon them. Out of the hack shadows came shrieks of women and curses. I saw my young girl put ber hands over her face and slip slowly, very slowly, from her chair, down out of sight. People were staggering in different directions. I had no more to say, but I forgot in my concern for the young jjirl. The turnkey pulled my sleeve and said: "I say, that ain't true. Is it, it ain't true?" Because he seemed not to want It to have been true, I glowed for a moment with the Immense pride of my achievement. I had made them see things. A minute after, I understood how futile It was. I was not a fool even In my then half-mad condition. The real reeling of the place came back upon me, the "court of law" of It. The king's advocate was whis pering to the attorney general, he mo tioned with his hand, first In my direction, then toward the Jury; then they both laughed and nodded. They knew the ropes too well for me, and there were seven West India merchants up there who would remember their pockets in a minute. But I didn't care. I had made them see things. CHAPTHR V. I had shot my bolt and I waa going to die; I could see It In the way the king's advocate tossed his bead back, fluttered his bands, looked at the Jurybox, and began to play with the seals on his fob. The court had resumed Its stillness. A man in some sort of livery passed a square paper to the lord mayor, the lord mayor passed it to Lord Btowell. who opened It with a Jerk ing motion of an ancient fashion that im pressed me Immensely. It was as If I, there at the end of my life, were looking at a man opening a letter of the reign of Queen Anne. The shadows of his ancient, wrinkled face changed as he read, raising his eyebrows and puckering his mouth. He handed the unfolded paper to Mr. Raren Garrow, then with one wrinkled finger beckoned the attorney general to him. The third Judge was still asleep. "What's the devil's this?" the turnkey beside me said to his companion. I was in a good deal of pnin, nnd felt sickly that every pulse of ruy heart throhbed In my mangled hand. The other spat straight In front of him. "Demme if I know," he raid. "This cursed business ought to have been ever and done with an hour agone. I told Jink to have my rarebit and noggin down 1 y the gate house fire at half-past five, nnd It's six now." They began nn interminable argument under their breaths. "It's that wager of Ixrd Marcha' . . . run a mile, walk a mile, eat five pounds of mutton, drink five pints of claret. No, It ain't. . . . Mtdmetihnm coach ain't In yet . . . roads too heavy. ... It U. What else would stop the court at tHs time of night? It isn't, or Justice Licst 'd be awake nnd hedging his bets." In a di7.r.y way I noted the attorney genernl making Ms way carefully back be tween the benches to his knot of b;iri Isters, nnd their wigs went all together in a bunch like cars of corn drawn suddenly into a, Fheaf. The heads of the other barristers were like unreaped ears. A man with a fare like a weasel's called to a man wl!h a face like a devil' he was leaving the court something about an ambassador. The other stopped, turned and deprsl'.id his bag again. I heard the deep voice of Sir RolM-rt Gifford sy, "What! . . . Never! . . . too infamous ..." and then the Interest and the light seemed to flicker out together. I could hardly see. Ono loud one barked, "You can't hear him, m'luds; in Rex v. Marsupensteln . ." A lot began calling all together, "Ah, but that was different, Mr. Attorney. You couldn't subpoena him, he being In th position of extra lege commune. Hut if ho offers a statement . . ." The candles seemed to be waving drllb erately like elm-tops In a high wind. Someone called, "Clerk, fetch me Volume XIII. ... I think we shall Hi d Hit-. . . . You recollect the case of Hildejhein V. R. Wasn't it Hllri.-gaulen and another, m'lud? ... I tried the case myself. The Iruiiin plenipotentiary . ." I wanted to rail out to tlwrn that It was not worth while to try their dry thro it any more; that huving shot my tn.lt. I gave In. liut I could Mt think of any weeds, I was so tired. "I didn't sleep at all in night," I found myseHf saving to myself. The sleeping Judge woke tip suddenly and snarled, "Why In heaven's name don't we get on? We shall be all night Iet hlin call the second mime on (ho list. We can take (lie Spanish ambassador when you have Fettled. Kor my part I think we ought to hear him. 1ord Btowell said suddenly. "I'rlsoner at the bar. hoiii" gentlemen have Volun teered statements on your behalf. If you wish It, they can be called." I didn't answer; I did not understand; I wanted to tell him I did not care, because the Lion was sled as overdue and Scra phlna was drowned. The court seemed to be moving slowly up and down In front of me like the deck of a ship. I thought I was bound again, and en the sofa In tin! gorgeous cabin of the Madre-dc-1 ios. Someone seemed to be calling, "I'rlsoner at the bar. . . ." Somebody was saying, "Hello there. . . . Hold up! . . Hire, bring a chair. . . .' and there were arms around me. Afterwards I sat down. A very old Judge's voice said something rather kindly, I thought. I know It whs tho very old Judge, because ho was called tho star of Cuban law. In a minute Carlos and Castro would come ... or was It O'ISricn who would come? No, O'Hrlen was dead; stabbed, with a knife in his neck; the blood was still sticky between by first and second fingers. I could feel It. I ought to have been allowed to wtish my hands before I was tried; or was It before I spoke to the admiral? One would not speak t? a man with hands like that. A loud, high-pitched voice called from up In the air. "I will Rive any of you gentlemen of the robe fifty iounds to con duct the remainder of the case for him. I am the prisoner's father." The barrister whose face was like the devil's under his wig held in his hands the paper that had been handed to Ivird Ktov.-oll; my father was talking to him from the bench. He nodded to my father and begun a grotesque, nasal drawl: "M'luds, I will conduct the case for the prisoner, if your lordships will bear with nio a little. He obviously can't call his own witnesses. If he has been treated as he says, it ha been one; of the most abominable-" Old Lord Stnwell said: "Ch't. eh't, Mr. Walker; you know you must not make a speech fur the prisoner. Ca.ll your wit ness. It Is all that Is needed." I wondered what he meant by that. The barrister was calling a man of the name of Williams. I seemed to know tho name. I sct-med to know the man, too. "Owen Williams, master of the ship Lion. . . . Coffee and dyewood. . . . Just come in under a Jury-rig. Had been dis masted nnd afterward becalmed. Heard of this trial from the pilot in Gruvesend. Hud taken postehaises " I only heard snatches of his answers. "On the IMh of August hist I was close In with the Cuban coast. . . . The mate, Sebright, got boiling water for them. . . . Afterward a heavy fog. They boarded us in many boats. . . ." He was giving all the old evidence over again, fastening another stone around my neck. Rut sud denly he said: "This gentleman came alongside in a leaky dingy. A dead shot. He paved all our lies." HIS bullet-head, the stare of his round blue eyes seemed to draw me out of a de lliium. I called out: "Williams, for God's sake, Williams, where Is Seruphlna? Iid she come with you?" There was an immense roaring in my head and the ushers wero shouting, "Silence! Silence!" 1 called out again: Williams w:u smiling idiotically; then ho shook his head and put his linger to hlj mouth to wain me to keep silence. I only noted the shake of the head. Scruphina had not come. The Havana people must havo taken her. It was all over with me. The roaring noise made me think that I was on a beach by the sea. with the smug gler, perhaps, at night down in Kent. The silence that fell upon the court was like the silence of the grave. Then someone I eg in to speak in measured, portentous Spanish that seemed a memory of the past. "I, the ambassador of his Catlio'ic ma jesty, being lure upon my honor and on my oath, demand the rcsurrender if this gentleman, whose courage equals his Inno cence. Documents which havo Just reached my hamls establish clearly the mistake of which he Is the victim. The fuiuti, na-y who is called Alcayde of the cured at Havana confused the men. The truu Nikola el Rscoces murdered tho Judge, whose place It was to Identify. I demand that the ptb oner be set at lilwrty . . ." A long time after a harsh voice said: 'your excellency, we retire, of course, from the prosecution." A different one directed: "Gentlemen of the Jury, jrott will return a verdict of 'Not guilty.' . . ." town U-low they were cheering uproar iously because my life wns saved. But It was that I had to face my avcd life. I mt there, my head bowed Into my hands. Tho old Judge wns sneaking to me In a lore of lofty compassion. "You havs ufferd much, ss It scerps, but suffering is the lot f UN men. Kejrjcn now that your character Is cleared: that hcra in thla puMhi pljce you have rerelveil the v nltet of your countrym.n that re Uicd you to the liber lies u( vur country IS srtr! the nffertlon of your kindred. I rejoso With ou who am a vet) old mill, at the end of my life. . . ." It was rather tremendous, his deep voice, Ms wolghlid wotds. Suit. rlii,' is the lot of us no u! . . The formidable lemil ai ray, the ureal powers of a nation, had st I up to li nil no- tli.it. and tin y had tauijht me that sufictmi; Is t'e lot of us no n ! H takes long enough to realize tli.it some one ! d ad at a illst.ince. I had done that Cut how Ion,:, te.w long It needs to know thit th' li'e of your heart his com., bark fr..m the d' ni. Kor ears afterwards I could not heir to have her oitt of icy sight, t if our lir-'t inciting In l-ondon all I re t leiiilx r Is a spi-oclitcsMK ss that was the aiv.d hesitation of os.-rirled souls. The whole Wi rid, the whole of life, with her return, had ehi.ii.-'d nil around me; It en velope! me, it infolded me so lightly as not to be felt, so suddenly as not to be belieMd In Kor suffering Is the lot of man, hut not Inevitable failure or worthless despair which is w ithout end - suff ling, the mark fif manhood, which bears within Its pain a hop oT felicity like a Jewel set In Iron. Mir f i rut words were: "Veil broke our compact. You went away from me whilst I was sleeping." i inly the d'-tpness of her reproach re vealed the depth of her love, and tho suf fering she. too, had t-ndund to reach a union that was to be without end -and to forplve. And looking back, we see Romance that subtle tbitu-' that Is mirage-that la life. It Is the goodness of the years we have lived through, of the old time when we did this or that, when we dwelt here or there. looking back, It seems a won derful inough thing that I who am this, and she who Is that, commencing so far away a life that, after such sufferings borne together and apart, ended so tran quilly there in a world so subtle- that aha and I should have pass, d through so muc h, good chance and evil chance, sad hour and joyful, all lived down and swept away into the little heap of dust that la life. That, too, is Romance! (The Knd.) Poor Richard Junior Be sure your kin will find you out. Roosevelt and Hilt would make a stren uous ticket. The man of many ports often falls t organize them on a working lsis. Socialism is largely a mental surplus that may be moderated by a financial bal ance. One form of prow is a plain American mule drawing an Imported automobile up a hill. About the best Instance of profit and loss account Is a man with a returned en gagement ring. If Mr. Carnegie really wants to die poor he might pay all the postage on returned manuscripts. In business as well as In war the regret-to-report man gets a gloomy welcome at headquarters. Some people think they are in tune with the Infinite when they are only out of tune with the definite. Saturday Evening Post. A Suppressed Dialogue "My son," said the fond father as be produced his light hickory cane, "I want you to understand that this hurta you a good deal more than it does me." "Father," replied the noble boy, "I'd sooner have a father that told the truth than take a thousand lickings." Then the music commenced. Cleveland Plain Dealer. 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