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The Herald, 1907-06-28, Page 7.:►'.F."80.+9 1 sTILFRLIFEti I , . ...... ...............1 ___ Mr. Jones knelt down by his side, and began to examine his condition, while Ruth, in an agitated manner, re- eounted the first symptoms of his at- tack, "It seems a..case of poisoning by stry- cimine,. madam,". said.the hcemist; rising. "Yes, yes; it waie in the soup; she pre- pared it, gasped Thugsen, with diffi- culty. " Twill return again immediately," paid the chemist, leavingthe room and 'hurrying over to his shop, whence he despatched his shop boy to fetch a po- liceman. Then, calling his assistant to attend him, he returned to the house, bringing with him the most powerful known antidote to strychnine. With the help of his young man, he undressed Thugsen and put him to bed, when the convulsions returned with ac- celerated violence, As soon as these had left, and be was able to swallow, the druggist administered the antidotes, which procured the patient a short res- pite from acute suffering. Meanwhile, the shop boy arrived with the policeman. "Take that woman in charge and see that she does not make her escape. I suspect her of having poisoned her hus- band," said Mr. Jones to the officer. "Me! me!" cried Rutb, in dismay. "He charges you with much apparent reason, madam! You alone prepared the dinner; he was taken ill after eating it, and before leaving the table,. His illness is the effect of strychnine. You will, therefore, see the propriety of your be- ing kept in restraint until the affair can be investigated," said Jones. • "But I am innocent; indeed, I am, sir. If he has taken strychnine, I cannot im- agine ]mow it could have got into the soup, unless—oh, my Lord!" exclaimed Ruth, sinking into her chair, and cover- ing her face with her hands ,as a sus- picion of the truth for the first time, glanced into her mind. "Officer, do your duty," said the chem- ist, coldly. The policeman advanced toward Ruth. She held up her bands deprecatingly,a saying: "Oh, do not remove me from this room. I am innocent. He is my husband; let me stay and watch him. I will not run away, indeed I will not." "If you please, sir. I can take the woman into ' custody, and keep her in this room all the 'same,' urged the po- lleem+a.33' a' .. . • • "'Very sie11; see that she does not elude you and make her escape," said. Jones. And the policeman told Ruth that she was his prisoner and must not leave the room and then he took up bis posi- tion at the door. "He seems easier. Don't you think he may get over it, sr," said Ruth. wrng- ng her hands. "Impossible to tell, ma'am. It will be a severe struggle between the powers of life and death. The very antidotes 1 am obliged to administer are terribly ex- hausting," said the catitious chemist. As if to prove his words true, Thug - sen was again seized with frightful eon- vulsiorns. His face was black, and his frame horribly distorted. "Oh, Heaven, how dreadful. Had you not better send for more advice?" plead- ed Ruth, weeping and wringing her hands. "I shall, if this continues, to sake my- self from the burden of a sole respon- sibility; but 'it is just as well to tell you that no one can do more for him than I am doing now," said Mr. Jones, preparing another dose. It was admin- istered and the patient again sunk into the quietude of exhaustion. The night was now far advanced. By the orders of Mr. Jones, who took upon himself the direction of affairs, the house was closed up. Tho chemist's as- sistant and the shop boy sat nodding in the adjoining parlor, to be ready in case they were wanted. The policeman leaned against the frame of the communicat- ing door and dozed upon his watch, Mr. Jones and poor Ruth sat, the one on the right and the other on the left of the bed. The quiet of the house was presently interrupted by the wild tossing and the groaning of the patient, who presently fell into the most frightful convulsions, turning black in the face, foaming at the mouth, throwing his body into most horrible contortions, sometimes in his fierce agony nearly throwing himself from the bed, and ever, as the momen- tary relaxation of the nervous tension permitted him to speak, breaking into the fiercest accusation against Ruth, or the most abject entreaties for mercy or for life. "Oh, Jones, for the love of heaven, do what you can to save me. I am not fit to die. Ah, murderess, you shall pay for this! Oh, Heaven, what tortures! .Ah, wretch, this is your doings, and you shall not escape!" Thus he revealed the agony • of ` lmisa body, and the anguish and terror of, his soul, until the returning stricture gfMxiis throat for a time strangled out loth speech and breath. °'• The poor wife and the apothecary both did all they could to relieve and soothe. the suffering man. But these last con- vulsions were so much more violent and long -continued than any which had pre - long -continued that any which had pre- ceded them, and were followed by alit of such deep prostration; tha% Mr. Jones, could no longer hesitate to call in addi !atonal advice. Ho went into the adjoining parlor, and woke up his assistant, say- ing: "You must go immediately and bring a physician—Dr. Clark, if possible. And you must also bring a magistrate.• I fear very much that we shall have to get the dying deposition of this unfor- tunate man." Young Benson quickly aroused himself and departed on his errand. Day was dawning as he left the house. Poor Ruth, forgetting that she was a prisoner, hot up to open the windows and kindle the kitchen fire to prepare the breakfast, but the policeman stopped her at the door. And when she explained the nature of her errand, the chemist told her that he would send iiia shop boy to the next pastry cook's and have break- fast brought for the watchers. - • And Ruth returned to eller seat at the right of the bed, where she quietly re- mained'fer perhaps an Hour, at the end of which time the whole party were dis- turbed by a loud. knocking at the street Chief," said Thugsen, who, hoping for his. awn life, felt anxious that Ruth should be kept in confinement, lest she should put+'iu execution her resolve to inform (against him+ . "Are you willing to make oath to all You have said?" inquired the magistrate. 7 "Yes, for it is the truth," answered Thugsen, who soon -after fell into herri- ble convulsionsthat lasted fifteen min. utes, and left lam lying extended with- out sense or another'. "I warn you, Dr. Scott, that if you think this man in eitremis, you should inform him of bis condition, that he may know it when called upon to make his deposition," said the. inagstrate. "Sir, when the patient is in extremis, I will tell him so; until then, and whire there is the slightest possibility of sea. ing life, it is my duty to encourage him to the utmost," replied the physi- cian, who was now taxing all his medi- cal skill for time help of the sufferer. Breakfast for the watchers now arriv- ed from the pastry cook's. and inter- rupted further conversation. A cnp of coffee, a muffin and an egg were scut up to Ruth. The policeman took them in. "How is Captain Thugsen now?" 'in- quired Ruth, as he entered the room. "I am forbidden to hold any conversa- tion with you, mum," replied,tiie. police- man, setting down the tray and .leaving the room. And Ruth was abandoned to solitude and intolerable suspense. Troubles seem - door. ed gathering thicker and thicker over Mr. Jones answered the knock, and her Bead. Her sorrows seemed more than admitted a magistrate, who said that any human creature could bear. She lie has crane in answer to a message left for him an hour ago. Mr. Jones conducted. Mr. Humphreys, the magistrate, into the parlor, and hav- ing seen him seated, related the facts of this poisoning as far as they hada come to his knowledge. "The euffering man is now reposing, and I think he had better not be dis- turbed just new. The suspected woman is also in his room, but in charge of a policeman" "Seed the woman in here. ; mild like to •questiete a# i-' trate. Ruth came in at the summons; and gave exactly the same account of her h;isband's attack of illness that she had given to the apothecary. "How long has she been in your cus- tody?" inquired the magistrate of the'' policeman. "Since last night, sir," "Then, if there is a.secure room in this house, she had better be confined in it" Mr. Jones undertook the survey of the upper storeys of the house, and reported a comfortable and secure bedroom on the second floor front. And to this room poor Ruth was con- ducted and there confined: Meanwhile the physician, Dr. Scott, arrived, and was shown into the ehninber of death. The patient was lying extended, its a state of deep prostration, with the cold sweat beaded upon his brow. Dr. Scott looked into his face, felt his pulse, sighed, and in answer to the eager, low -toned questions of the by-standers, said: "He seems to be sinking fast." Then the doctor wrote a prescription, and despatched the young chemist's as- eiistant over to the shop to make it up. When this was brought and administered the sufferer seemed to be temporarily revived, "How are you, sir?" said the .magis- trate, approaching the bedside. "1 do not knuwl Oh, doctor! doctor! am I dying?" exclaimed Thugsen, turn- ing his eyes, wild with excitement, upon the physician, "Oh, no! certainly not; far from it,' replied Dr. Scott, telling the professional white lie. "Do you feel equal to giving an ac- count of this attack of illness?" ingimired the manistrate. "Doctor, am I in any danger ' of death?" said Thugsen, turning again to, the physician. "By no means, may good friend," - Said the doctor. "Can you give us any account of your illness?" persisted the magistrate, • . • "Yes; my wife and I had a quarrel. She prepared the soup; I ate it, and im- mediately sickened. She, poor; erring creature, where is slie now?" "Confined in a room upstairs." "Keep her there, lest she do more mis- eil5 10) 105 Scott'.s Emulsion sfon strengthens enfeebled nursing mothers by increasing their flesh and nerve force. It provides baby with the necessary fat and mineral food for healthy growth. ALL DRUOOt$T81 150o. AND $1.00. 044,42.04400.401041,00 00140. fully understood now how it was that her husband had. : taken the poison, which he must lmave'prepared for herself; and awful gratitude to God for her al- most miraculous- deliverance from the snare struggling iirlter heart, with grief for the man that she still loved, despite. his crimes and cold-blooded villainy, and fear for the consequence to herself and children should Thugsen die, persisting, in his charge against her. And these, sorrows and anxieties for herself and her loved ones were m,ngled r,ith others, no less acute, for Feiiinand Cassinove and his unhappy, W11,:. '"T'I""-mauve that were.. to lead them to the se field were swiftly passing away; and she, who, possessing a guilty secret, might save him, must not breathe it. because it would send her dying 1;.usi:i :1 from his death -bed to a jail, and it sed, could not divulge it because she a.':, confined under look and key, and a certed. from holding conversation wi s any one, the wretched man, falling into the most frightful ravings of remorse and des- pair. it was longbefore the united efforts of the physician and the magistrate could soothe his anguish. ing"Howa. many hours have Ito live?" was then the question of the fast sink- mn. "You may survive until morning; yet I would advise you to attend at once to any worldly business that you may have at heart, so that your last mom- ents may be entirely given to the care of your soul," said the physician, solemnly. "Then let every one leave the room except the magistrate, who will hear m,y statement and the doctor. who will reduce it to writing," said Thugsen, in a feeble voice. The chamber was cleared as he de- sired. A small table was drawn up beside the bed; a lighted lamp, a copy of the Itoly Scriptures and writing materials were placed upon it; and the physician and the magistrate seated themselves beside it, •,.-The magistrate duly administered the oetli; the doctor prepared his paper and pen"b; and Robert Thugsen, in a feeble voice, often sinking into utter faint- iness, commenced his statement. "Surely no sol :t/8 were ever equal to my sorrows," er' Muth, dropping upon her knees besii, lie bed, burying her face in the tae at, and praying and sobbing by torr Meanwhile. 7. she day waned, the shadows''ef des ;i ,gathered quickly ar- ound the wret. pit Thugsen. Medical aid had been uve Wiling except to amel- iorate his acute offering. Every suc- ceeding fit of c vision had been more violent, and folk . d by deeper prostra- tion. The powessul organization 'that had held out so 1 ngagainst the action of the poison Y. :3 beginning to show signs of speedy dissolution. The gray hue of death overspread his countenance, the damps of death condensed thickly upon his icy brow; yet his brain, like that of one dying under the effects of strychnine, was singularly clear, From time to time he spoke as fol- lows: "Where is my guilty wife? Keep.her closely confined. Let her talk 's ith none." He was always reassured and soothed. At sunset all hope of his life was abandoned even by the physician, who had `hoped against hope." He could no longer, ' in conscience, with- hold from the wretched 'pa- tient the knowledge of his true condi- tion. He bent over him and whispered gently : "Captain Thugsen," The sufferer flared open this eyes, hnd glared wildly at the speaker. "Try to compose yourself and if you ;have any worldly affairs to settle ---'y' You think I ain dying!" shrieked the 'unhappy man, starting up and falling back exhausted. "Life and death are in the hands of Ood," said the doctor, gently. "You said T would not die." "Nor would you, if the utmost human skill could avail to save you.". r "Oh, it must—it must save me. T am not fit to die. Save 'mc, doctor,' save: me." And here followed pleadings of the most abject terror and anguish' of a guilty and cowardly soul on the brink of eternity. The doctor administered a compbsing draught, and then said, gravely -anti sweetly: "Captain Thugsen, Ae world has 're- ported you, with what justice I know not, a great sinner, but this I would say" to you, that there is mercy for the greatest. Use the short space that is left you in making restitution, so far as you can, for any wrong von May have committed and then turn for morcy to slim with whom time and spates is as nothing, and sincere repeftaraee the one condition of pardon." "1 eannotI O11,' I cannot!".' The annot!" T CHAPTER XX TV. • We must now return. to Cassinove and his devoted wife, whom we left in their way to the prison. On entering again its glomy portals, the governor, instead of conducting his prison to the clean. light and airy cell he had occupied before his condeanna- tion, led ,him through the intricate pas- sages of the prison anti they realiced the ward of the condemned cells that flank the press yard—dark, dreary, de- solate region, where so much guilt and remorse, terror and despair, ay, and even innocence and resignation, had entered to suffer and left to die. Before one of thees the governor paused, insisted a key which grated harshly in turning the lock and conduct- ed the prisoner into the gloomy cell whence he was doomed never to issue forth except to mount the seaffrhl. This was the thought that se:'med to press the life from out their ,hearts. The judge. in pronouncingsentence, had forbidden therm to hope. But the kindly governor, seeing the shrinking of their natures at this crisis. and think- ing. perhaps, that a single grain of hop might prop instead of poisoning them said: "Keep up your heart. sir; take tom fort, ma'am. 1 know when a man e ters one of thes places he thinks it i all up with him in the world: but Lor bless you, it isn't no. 10 one inexperiei sed in the ways of courts and prison would think it, but really about on half the prisoners wlio are condexnne to death have their sentences commute and some get pardoned out right; s ,,hope on to the last sir. While there's li there's hope, you know. ma'am." d so saying, Mr. Browning sat hi inn pug hip t_.+th! ...stand:.,and loolce ai "th. 'lmpon ime cell, It was smaller, closer and darker tha the one Cassinove had formerly ocenpie and the narrow bedstead. stand an chair were constructed of the rudes materials. From utter exhaustion, Laura sank it to the chair, and looking at the govern° with beseeching eyes, said: "How long may 1 be permitted to r main with my husband this evenin' sir." "Until ntil the usual hour of locking u madam," replied Mr. IBrowning in so surprise at the question. Laura sighed deeply. She had hope upon this trying occasion that she reigi be permitted to stay longer. But the prison rules were very rig "I will leave you with Mr. Cassino~ now, madam, and when the 'hour comes I will send an officer to let you out," said time governor, leaving the cell and locking the door behind him. When they were left alone they looked into each other's eyes, and then poor, suffering nature overcame for an in- stant, all her heroic resolution, anal Laura threw herself upon the neck of Cassinove and wept, ,bitterly, crying: "Oh, is there no hope in this world. Oh, that I could die for you, my be- loved, my beloved." He pressed her in silence to his bosom. He knew that all words would be vain while her storm of grief was raging. But when it had exhausted itself and she was more composed, he seated her be- side himself, on the cot, and sought in every way to soothe and comfort her. "Dearest, it is only death at worst, a doom that all must meet in some form or another. And, after all, what mat- ters the form. aline will be a quick and painless exit. Trusting, in the advo- cacy of the Saviour, and the mercy of the Creator, I do not fear death only to leave my Lave alont in tho world; and if any circumstance could disturb iuy-last hours on earth or follow me to the better land, it would be the thought of my beloved wife, sorrowiug without }lop° in the world. Oh, Laura, take cour- age for my sake." "I will, oh, I gill, dearest. It was poor and cowardly in me to weep. I will weep no more. A few more hours and all our earthly troubles will be over forever; a few more hours and we shall have crossed this dark and rushing river of ;death, and landed on the other peaceful shore `where the wicked cease from troubling and the weary are at rest" "Dearest, do not talk of your dying. This is a bitter trial for you, I know; the bitterest, perbops that a woman could be called to bear; but you will have strength given you to bear up and live.,, "To live, ah, to live for what? i have but you! When you are gone there is no creature on earth whm.n my life Muhl make better or happi'r. No, 1 cannot live; I feel it hi every sinlrlug pulse of my heart and brain. Tint is Heaven's great mercy to me that ' cannot live. Oh, I will not fail toe soon. T hill see you over the dark rtwer, beloved, and The hour of closing the 2irisort heti not. yet arrived. but Cie iloer was ult. looked and the goz• aur, aeconipan:pd by the sheriff and. under suer ff, metered the cell, Upon stein? the ti'!s +ner'e `rife present, the sheriff scud somewhat embarrassed, and sail.: "Had not the lady better retire?" The governor turned to Lauri. and said: "Will you oblige me by taking leave of your husband now .and withdrawing.' "No, no. 1 claim yo t: fu;ftllirent df your promise, Mr. Era v • .tg, to let n* stay with him up to 0.e last moment be- fore closing. Ab, sir, mercy tl m Dot pri to sue; we have so little time to pass to- gether on this earth that every minute is priceless!" pleaded Laura. (To be continued.) 04 A FAMILY MEDICINE. Dr. Williams' Pink Pills the One Medi- cine Best Suited for the Whole Household. Dr. Williams' Pink Pills are the greatest blood -builder known to medi- cal seienee. They never fail to make rich, red blood,—lots of it—the kind that brings health and strength to the suf- ferer. They are a family medicine -- good for the grandmother or granclfath- er; the mother or father and for the growing children. Thousands have found new health and strength through the use of these pills. As proof of their being a family medicine, Mrs. Charles Castonguay, Michipicoten River, Ont., says: "My husband was i11 for five months and was unable to do- any work. He made several trips to the Soo to consult doctors and spent much money on medicine, but nothing help- ed him in fact, he grew won,c. He could not eat much, and the little he did eat would not remain. on his stomach. His stomach was examin- ed by X rays and found to be in a terribly inflamed condition. After remaining at the Soo for some time under the doctor's care without find- ing relief lie returned home discour- aged and afraid he was going to die. It was then Dr. Williams' Pink Pills • then—follow you." hinged They were tnm,err•net'4, sp ei ' , ion - you. outs om- panion. .a.. c KELP BABY WELL. Ask any .mother who has used Baby's Own Tablets and she will tell you there is no other medicine so good, We pledge you our word. there is no other medicine so safe—we give you the guar- antee of a Government analyst that Baby's Own Tablets contains no opiate , or poisonous soothing stuff, The Tab- lets speedily relieve and cure all the minor ailments of babies and young chil- dren. Mrs. L. F. Kerr, Greenbush, Ont., says: "Baby's Own Tablets are the beets all round anedieine for babies and &O..' dren 1 know of I can strongly recom-i mend them to mothers from my own experience." Sold by all medicine deal- ers or by mail at 25 cents a. box from The Dr: Williams' Medicine Co., Brook- vxille, Ont. 4 • A Strong Opinion. (Pall M01 Gazette.) Prohibition is one of the most notori- ous failures of experimental ,politics, and England has no need to repeat for itself i the practical lesson which is written plainly enough in the social history of its contemporaries. a.o The Premier's Son to be Married. Premier Whitney is going to Wales, Stormont county, to -morrow to attend the marriage of his son, Mr. G. M. Whitney, to Miss Cokquhoun of that place. Mr. Whitney is the manager of the Wales branch of the Maisons Bank. c,It. VI—Atlantic ltic City and Return Via Lehigh Valley R.R. From Suspension Bridge June 28th. Tickets good 15 days. Amor stop -over at Philadelphia. For tickets' and further partieulars call at L. 'V. 1t,' Offiee, 54 Ding Street last, Toronto, Ont. No, Maudie, dear; riding a follow on a rail doesn't make hitt e railroad mmatr.