The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1936-06-18, Page 2THUIISDAY, 18th, 1»3«THE EXETER TIMES-ADVOCATE
■u
BY BARBARA WEBB
WHAT HAS GONE BEFORE
Yesterday Judith Pennet watched a
courtroom clock while a jury was
•out to determine its verdict. As
she watched she lived again the
■circumstances that had brought
t her to the courtroom. The same
night she became engaged to
Spencer Owen, her father Chester
Rennet, was arrested for the em
bezzlement otf $50,000 from the
bank in a suburb of New York
where he had been a cashier for
twenty years. Hex’ mother, Clio
’ Pennet, twenty years younger than
.her father, watched with triumph
in her eyes as Chester Pennet was
led away. Then while Judith lay
sleepless Clio Pennet ran away
with her lover, Clarence Stevens,
to live abroad with hiim. In the
morning Judith went first to her
father, who declared himself in
nocent, then with her belief .in
his innocence to Spencer Owen.
•Spencer had just been appointed
to an Assistant Rrosecutorship
and believed Judith’s father guil
ty because notations of the amount
stolen had been found
■Chester’s private papers,
ged Judith to marry .him
Judith refused. Spencer
prosecute the case against Chester
Pennet. It is finished now . . .
the foreman of the jury had risen
to announce its findings . . .
among
He beg
at once,
had to
CHAPTER TWO
The courtroom was very quiet.
Home one behind Judith pushed a
newspaper across the table to her.
Big headlines read: “Good Penny
Believes Verdict Will be Not Guilty.
Jury out two hours.” A muscle at
the corner of her mouth twitched.
“The Good Penny” was the name
reporters had given her for her loyal
defense of her father. She stared
hard at the two words and if her
lips moved it iwas to repeat them
•over and over through the horror
that followed. Chester Pennet was
guilty. The jury pronounced him so.
The Judge plainly approved the ver
dict. True there was a recommen
dation for mercy, /but that was not
because here was any doubt of Ches
ter’s guilt, it 'was because he was an
old man now and because until his
Hast year he .had served the Upper
National Bank faithfully and well.
“Ten years in the penitentiary,”
proclaimed the Judge and Judith
thought, “He might as well say ‘life.’
{Father’s 60 now; in ten years he'll
be 70. He’ll be old and broken . .
It was curious 'how, even as she
listened, even as she said to herself
as though the words were a talisman
against evil, “They think I’m the
good penny oif all the bad Pennets,”
another part of her mind could con
sider the case. Memoranda of the
amounts stolen from the bank had
■been found in Chester’s handwriting
amongst his private papers. He ad
mitted authorship of thp notations.
His .defense was he had made them
for amusement, to show how easily
a man in .his trusted position could
embezzle such sums. He had not,
he said quietly, actually stolen the
notations. No one except Judith be
lieved this naive defense. But
she believe .it and as the inexorable
■proceedings went on she felt a flame
of .fury rise in .her.
“Take the Prisoner Away”
It was oyer. The Judge’s gavel
•pounded. Next case. Take the pris
oner away. Judith was on her feet.
“No, no!” the cry subdued the
shuffling feet, the “I told you so’s”
of the crowd. “No, it isn’t right. It
isn’t fair. He's innocent. I know he
is. He couldn’t steal anything, he
couldn’t hurt any one let alone
people who’d tnusted him. He’s my
father. I know! He’s innocent . .
look at him ... it’ in his eyes . . .
oh, can’t you see . . . can’t you see
They
crowd,
of her
Pennet
valliant girl herself. Mouselike and
gray, thin, and bent, there was
•nothing criminal about Chester
Pennet’s appearance. There as even
a certain dignity about him as .he
looked toward his daughter and
said to her: “No, Judith. You
(mustn’t. You must be quiet, Judy.”
She answered as though they were
alone, “I can’t be quiet, Daddy. I
can’t. It’s wrong, what they are do
ing to you.”
Something flickered in .his eyes.
“You must be quiet, Judith, Judge
i’-
. what did you ever do
was wrong ”
spasm of pain passd over his
“I’ve never told onyone, Ju-
You may have guessed part of
Wilson will have to reprimand you
for contempt of court. You are
making it hard foi* him.”
“Let him say what he likes,"
Judith cried. “Let him send me to
jail, too. I’d be happier there, shut
away from people than left to face
all this alone.”
Chester Pennet’s face grew gray
er. “Judith,” he murmured,
Judge Wilson leaned forward.
.“iCome here, Miss Pennet, Stand
by my desk. In a 'few minutes you
may go to spend and hour -with your
father. Just now you must be quiet
as he says, and patient.”
His voice was kind. She drooped,
.put out one hand, then straightened
herself and walked to the Judge’s
desk. Chester Pennet dissappeared
through the door that led to the
jail. Reporters crowded forward.
Judge Wilson motioned them back.
“Not now,” he said sternly. “Not
in my courtroom. I can’t help your
catching her later when she leaves,
but for the present she is under my
protection.”
They moved backward, but pot
before a bolder one whispered to
Judith: “I’ll be waiting when you
come from' seeing you father. I’ve
an offer for you, $100 for your own
story of that interview with him."
Spencer Pleads With Her
Judith made no answer. She left
faint and sick. Some one stood
protectively between her and the
retreating newspapeiimen. Some one
put a strong arm under her trembl
ing one and said: “Lean against me
for a moment, Judith. Drink this."
A glass was held to her lips, the
■pungency of aromatic spirits of am
monia stung .her throat.
“Thank you.” .She looked up.
•Spencer, his heart in his eyes,
was holding her arm, proffering the
glass. She jerked away. “No,” she
said violently.
He released her. “Judith,” he
said again, “.please let me see you
after—after you’ve been with your
father. Please, Judith. I’ve some
thing to say to you. Just this one
time, listen to me, and if afterward
you won’t see me again, I’ll not
bother you. But, Judith . . . this
once . . . please ...”
She nodded .her head wearily. Let
it pile up, all the agony of this
day. Let -her experience it all, every
bitterness, then crawl away to be
alone. “I’ll come . . . where,
Spencer?"
“To my office . . . it’s the near
est place where iwe cam talk . . .
look, the bailiff is waiting to take
you . . . can you make it a-lone?”
“Yes.” Her voice was stronger.
She summoned the last shreds of
nervous energy. She could endure
anything these next few hours. She
smiled up at the Judge, who was
watching .her anxiously.
you. Judge Wilson,” she said,
he rose to make her a
and murimer her name.
■■ Then she went across
into the sunless, dank
the jail building.} iBut this time
she did not .have to see her father
through the bars of a cell. They
were left together in the Sheriff’s
office, a policeman of course, at the
do’or, but blessedly no one else was
in the room with them.
“I’m sorry, Father; I couldn’t help
it.” Jud.ith said as he held her close
against his shoulder.
“It’s all right, Judith. Every one
understood.” He patted her shak
ing shoulders, soothed her until she
straightened and stood away froim
him.
“Daddy,” her voice was earnest,
“You are innocent. You didn’t take
that money.”
“No, Judith.”
“Then who did?”
“I . . . they’ll have to find
money to know that, Judith.”
'She was so in earnest she failed to
note the evasiveness of his answer.
A Promise to Herself
“If you are innocent, and I believe
you are,” said Judith slowly, “Then
I am going some way, somehow, to
find out the truth.”
Chester Pennet smiled. “Look Ju
dith, the truth’s the wariest bird ion
earth, and haf of
it if we saw it.
now . . . you’re
about it, let me
done and all that has happened be
forgotten. You have your life to
live and you must live it as your
own, not as someone else’s . . mine
for instance. I . . . not a saint,
Judith.”
“You never did anything wronjg^
aw' ;
'Thank
and
courtly bo>w
the passage
corridors oT
the
looked, Judge and jury and
forced by the very fervor
outburst to look at Chester
rather than at the lovely.
us wouldn’e know
This thing’s over
young. Forget
and what I have
in your life, Daddy!”
He smiled again. “Yes, I’ve done
one very wrong thing, Judith, and
while that isn’t the thing, I’ll be
serving my sentence for I can almost
pretend it is."
“What .
that
A
face,
dith.
it, let me tell you now. Wo may not
have another chance to talk this
way, freely, together, You know, of
course, that I love your mother . .
The spasm of pain passed over
Judith’s face now. But, “Yes,” she
said, and wondered as
how he could still say
“loved” in speaking of
Clio.
“She was a beautiful
and poor. Her family was poor and
■she was clerking in a cheap store for
a living when I first knew her,
twenty-two years ago.
no peace,
way
had
hits
me.
but
happy—”
“Were you?" Judith challenged.
“At times. I had you. I could
work for Clio. Don’t blame her too
much, Judy,
to do for me.
her—she’s .in
Judith was
ter. Finally
pelted an answei’ from her. “I’ll try,’
she said. “I’ll try—mostly I won’t
think of hen—I’ll think of you and
how to prove- your innocence—there
must be a way."
Chester made a helpless gesture.
It had cost him dearly to speak of
•Clio. There was no point in spoil
ing these last minutes with Judith
by begging her to forgive him. Let
time take care of that.
“I don’t know. I hadn’t thought
much about it. The bank took the
house, and while I’m staying there
I’ll have to leave. I’ll get a job of
some kind—thare’ve been plenty of
them .offered ime, you knew."
“I know.”
Judith tried to laugh. “Such funny
jobs, writing my life story for the
newspapers, or a book about us and
our—affairs. The latest is a chance
to appear .in a night club, the one
Sam Emory nuns, called the Golden
Bubble. I think Gilbert Saunders,
the .politican, is supposed to be back
of it. They’ve offered me a lot of
money to appear billed at “The Good
Penny.”
She had spoken lightly. Chester
Pennet, after his one effort, had
sunk little by little into costumar.y
dreaming state. He ’ hardly heard
her. Not her face but Clio’s seem
ed to look back at him.
“And then," Judith chattered on,
“I could get married. I’ve had no
less than seven-proposals -of marriage
from total strangers—since all this
began.”
“Exactly,” said Chester Pennet.
Judith looked at him sharply- His
face was grayer than ever. He show
ed the strain of these last weeks
whn he had refused bail, had stayed
in jail had seen no one save herself
and his attorney, somehow, she felt
he wanted her to go. She got up
from her .chair and went to his.
What of the future?
“Daddy, I’m g’oing now. There’s
nothing irnore for us to say . > .
“You’re tired. I’ll come as soon as
they let me . . . Send you things.
“What will you do now, Judith?”
Don’t worry about me Daddy, I’ll
all right.”
He reached up and pulled her
down on his lap, as though she were
£ little girl. She relaxed against
him, and for a few nninutes they
were father and daughter, safe in
their affection against the onslaught
of the world. Some wisdom of the
heart told her not to
Presently, quickly, as
were merely going to
sleep, lifted hei' hand
with her head held erect and walk
ed bravely to her room. He smiled
after her, heard her thank the guard
at the door as she passed, sank again
into his habitual lethargy.
He had still a few minutes before
his summons to his cell. Mercifully
they let him have them. He buried
his head in his arms and saw again
the events that had led him inevit
ably to this death in' life. They
went far, far back behind the twenty
years of his marriage to his (first
sight of Clio,
he had
his own
she said it
“love" and
the disloyal
girl, Judith,
knew
I gave her
I loved her—well, the
a man who is 40 and has neyer
time for love does care when it
him hard. I made her marry
She didn’t love me. I knew it,
I wanted her. She was never
That’s,all. I ask you
1 still—I’ll always love
my poor thin blood—”
silent and so was Ches-
this silence of his com-
speak again,
though, she
her room? to
to him and
Sudden
ti or II I I> C 1
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Phone 109
that knowledge that Stevens was
cautiously embezzling funds. He had
know triumph for a little while
He held power over Clio, over Ste
vens, and he meant to use it.
There was that dreadful day when
he told her so. There was that
soul-shattering hour when she went
on. her knees to him and begged him
to save her lover. And there was
that slow easing of tenison and pain
when he had determined to shield
them, to let them take their chance
Of happiness. He had known soEhe
peace then. He felt same .peace u<f
. . ,■ ’Clio was safe, .or safe as s^
could ever be. He had no regret
... no real ones . . . Judith? Six!
was young. He loved her . . . bu
more, far more, he loved Clio. Some
how, in a way he could not clearly
explain, he had blotted out with this
act of voluntary assumption of an
other’s guilt the wrong he had once
done Clio' in making her marry him.
No one would ever know. He was
glad . . . prison would shorten his
life . . .
In the corridor Judith leaned
against the wall. More than, ever
she believed her father innocent.
There was something, a mysterious
teasing something she must find out.
But where to begin. She straightened
herself, there was something she had
to1 do, now. One last hard thing re
quired of her. Yes . . . she had
promised to see Spencer. She knew
where his office was. She went to
ward it, steeling herself, telling her
self she could face .him without
emotion., as though he were a perfect
stranger.
Sustained by this conviction, she
reached his office door, put out her
hand, opened it, saw him and felt
her heart surge upward sickeningly
as she
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saw him rise from' his desk.
(Continued next week.)
SHIPKA
regular meeting of the Ladies
and Distressing
Attacks of larrn
wels. s
owels
sed by an excess
or climate, or the
At this time of the year everyone is
of diarr
jposed, more
„a, dysentery,
iner complaint
dr less, to sudden attacks
cramps and pains in the
arid other looseness of the
These troubles are gene
of bile, change of diet,
eating of unripe fruit.
If troubled with any looseness of the bowels go
at once to your druggist and get a bottle of Dr.
Fowler ’s Extract of Wild Strawberry, You will find
its action reliable and effectual. On the market for
over 90 years.
From that
been a prisoner to
heart.
Out of the Past
was tne marriage,
moiment
■her, to
the re-
honey-
There
luctant bride he took on a
moon, the settling down into a life of
complaints, from
from ‘ himself. He
S/dhd it. He did
rBnly knew it was
slid by. Judith came.
was built. He worked unceasingly
trying to compensate with material
things his shortcomings in their per
sonal relationship. He did not
know that he groaned aloud as this
vision of the old years reached! its
crisis. How word that crisis, even
now, to himself? . . . How phrase
the bitter discovery that Clio #as
unfaithful, that her lover was Clar
ence
bank
Like
true
made no
clenched,
further1 discovery of a year
Clio, adoration
could n6t under
not try now. He
true. The years
The house
'Sevens, a vice (president of the
where Chester was
all
and
cashier?
else, he only knew it was
that as time went on she
secret of IL His
He was living now
hands
that
back,
Exettr Wtwa-Ahtwait
Established 1873 and 1887
at Exeter, Ontario
Published every Thursday morning
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Historical Sketch of
Crediton Evan. Church
Professional Cardis
GLADMAN & STANBURY
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ents Made
Safe-depo
Cli
EXETER
BARRISTE
Money to L
use of our
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and HENSALL
CARLING & MORLEY
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EXETER, ONT.
f&o>
>1
Stree®,
The
Aid was held on Wednesday last at
the home of Mrs. Milton Ratz. Nine
members and two visitors were
present. The president Mrs. Albert
Gaiser presided. Meeting opened
with hymn “Nearer My God to Thee’’
prayer by the president. Reports
were given and adopted. Four sick
visits were reported. Scripture was
read by Mrs. Wm, Sweitzer. A solo
was given by Miss Ila Sweitzer much
enjoyed by all present. A reading by
Mrs. E. Keyes. Arrangements were
made for the Strawberry Social
Which is to be held June 19. The
program is a play put on by the
Greenway United Church. The next
meeting will be held July 2nd in the
evening at the home of Mrs.
Ratz. Meeting was closed with
Lord’s Prayer in unison. Lunch
served by the hostess. •
It was in the first year of her
Majesty Queen Victoria’s reign,
1837, which was the year of the
actual beginning of.the work of the
Evangelical church in Canada. It
took eleven more years to reach
Crediton.
the first
built. A
had to
neither money, building material or
carpenters to do -the work, but they
were not discouraged. They hewed
the timber and raised the log church.
In 18-56 a Sunday School was or
ganized' with Jacob Eilber as the
first president. ‘ The superintendent
succeeding Jacob Eilber was Charles
Braun for 40 years. « He was fol
lowed by Jacob Holtzmann who serv
ed for 25 years. Arthur Amy is
president at the present time.
In 1866 a new brick church took
the place of the old log church. The
congregation soon outgrew its seat
ing capacity and it was decided in
H895 to build'a new and larger one.
H. C. McBride, of London, was en
gaged as architect to prepare plans
and specifications. The mason work
was left to Howard and Bawden,
wood work to Dyre and Howard. The
labour for carpenter work was sub
let to George Holtzmann, painting to
Louis Bertrand. The building op
erations were supervised by the
pastor, Rev Mr. Schmidt, now of Kit-
Henry Eilber acted as sec-
The
It was not until 1854 'that
Evangelical church was
great many: difficulties
be overcome. They had
VETERAN EVANGELICAL
CHURCH MINISTER
Wm.
the
was
PIES
Rev. John G. Litt, superannuated
Evangelical Church minister, died
June 10th after a year’s illness.
Death came only a few months after
he had celebrated the 50th annivers
ary as a minister. He was in his
83rd year.
Mr; Litt served as pastor in the
-Canada Conference of Evangelical
church for 42 years, retiring to Wat
erloo- eight years ago. He was born
in iSebriiigvllle and later moved to
Carrick Township and Rostock.
He served churches in Elmwood,
Hanover, Rainham, Kitchener Credi-
ton, Champden-, Toronto, Zurich and
iSebringvIlle.
chen er.
reitary and clerk of the works,
building is of gothic design, having
a handsome appearance and occupies
the most prominent place in the vil
lage. The auditorium and gallery
will comfortably seat 750. Beauti
ful memorial windows were donated
by members of the church in- memory
of departed friends. A' large sound
ing bell was donated by Mrs. Charles
Eilber who- shortly thereafter depart
ed this life, the bell being tolled for
the first time on the occasion of her
funeral. A beautiful * pipe organ
was installed in the church and has
given good service ever since.
In thd year 1911 an agitation
arose for a new shed in connection
With the church. After the consid
erable discussion as to its style, Hy.
Eilber was requested to draw up the
plans.
stood all tests and weather condi
tions,
thousands who have visited it en
joying also the annual fowl supper.
iMr. Eilber further made a plan
for the entrance to the Evangelical
Cemetery which cost over $800.00,
admired d>y all who have seen it, and
a credit to those -who so handsomely
contributed towards its erection, out
of respect of their departed ddar
ones who are buried in this "God’s
Acre.”
The shed was built and has
and has been admired by
D.D.S.
i«g Block
EXETER, ONT.
Closed Wednesday Afternoons
Dr. G. F. Ralston, L
OfficW
.DS.Dr. H. H. COWEN, L.D.^
dent|5l su
Successor teethe lat
Office opj&isi,
Mai
Office 36w Telephones Res. 36j
Closed Wednesday Afternoons
r. Atkinsua
e Post Office,
, Exeter
Telephones
JOHN WARD
CHIROPRA!} ELECTRO-I OSTEOPATHY,
PV ^rULTRA-
ENTS .*
EXETER
ARTHUR WEBER
MAIN ST
LICENSED AUCTIONEER
For Huron and Middm^ex
FARM SALES A SBJJtMALTY
PRICES: REA$$NABLE
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For Huron and Mi
FARM S
Prices Reasdiiab
ECIALTY
land Satisfaction
USBORNE & HIBBERT MUTUAL
FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY
Head Office, Farquhar, Ont.
W. H. COATES President
SAMUEL NQ&RIS Vjce-Presi
DIRECTORS
JOHN MciG<RTH, J.ANGUfiFiSlftCL MLLISON
JOHN
JOHN ESSERY, Centralia, Agent
• for Usborne and Biddulph
ALVIN L. HARRIS, Munro, Agent
for Fullarton and Logan
THOMAS SCOTT, Cromarty, Agent
for Hibbert
B. W. F. BEAVERS
Secretary-Treasurer
Exeter, Ontario
GLADMAN & STANBURY
Solicitors, Exeter
RETURNS FROM CHINA
Miss Mabel E. Tom, a
nurse who has spent 16
Peiping, China, is here for
visit at her old home in
declined to talk of thing political in
the troubled land of her adoption.
She is a permanent resident .of thei
ancient Chinese city, just sout'Jjt^^
the Great Wall, and capital
of five Chinese .provinces which the
Nipponese are now casting eyes
upon,
All Miss Tom would say was that
the Japanese are “wonderful” or-«
ganizers.” There she halted with the(
•remark, “Let’s talk about my won-]
derful trip.” She will sail from
Portland, Ore., in July, on her re]
turn vpyage.
’Miss Tom has been three time:
around the world, each time by e
different route, leisurely visiting
historic “places. On this occasion
she took four months, visiting th$
Philippines, Celebes, Java and ether
islands in the Orient, through the
Mediterranean to Spain, France and
England, but speaks of Peking or
Peiping, as the finest city
world in which to live.
Miss Tom is a native of St.
but came to Goderich when
and was educated here. Her
the late J. E, Tom, was inspector of
'Public schools. (London Free Press),
Canadian
years in
a month’s
Goderich,
in the
Marys,
young
father