09-edward mills and george benton-第2部分

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〃Have　you　been　a　prisoner？〃　made　brief　work　of　his　case。



While　all　these　things　were　going　on；　Edward　Mills　had　been

quietly　making　head　against　adversity。　　He　was　still　poor；　but　was

in　receipt　of　a　steady　and　sufficient　salary；　as　the　respected

and　trusted　cashier　of　a　bank。　　George　Benton　never　came　near　him；

and　was　never　heard　to　inquire　about　him。　　George　got　to　indulging

in　long　absences　from　the　town；　there　were　ill　reports　about　him；

but　nothing　definite。



One　winter's　night　some　masked　burglars　forced　their　way　into　the　bank；

and　found　Edward　Mills　there　alone。　　They　commanded　him　to　reveal

the　〃combination；〃　so　that　they　could　get　into　the　safe。　　He　refused。　

They　threatened　his　life。　　He　said　his　employers　trusted　him；

and　he　could　not　be　traitor　to　that　trust。　　He　could　die；　if　he　must；

but　while　he　lived　he　would　be　faithful；　he　would　not　yield　up

the　〃combination。〃　　The　burglars　killed　him。



The　detectives　hunted　down　the　criminals；　the　chief　one　proved

to　be　George　Benton。　　A　wide　sympathy　was　felt　for　the　widow　and

orphans　of　the　dead　man；　and　all　the　newspapers　in　the　land　begged

that　all　the　banks　in　the　land　would　testify　their　appreciation

of　the　fidelity　and　heroism　of　the　murdered　cashier　by　coming

forward　with　a　generous　contribution　of　money　in　aid　of　his　family；

now　bereft　of　support。　　The　result　was　a　mass　of　solid　cash　amounting

to　upward　of　five　hundred　dollarsan　average　of　nearly　three…eights

of　a　cent　for　each　bank　in　the　Union。　　The　cashier's　own　bank

testified　its　gratitude　by　endeavoring　to　show　（but　humiliatingly

failed　in　it）　that　the　peerless　servant's　accounts　were　not　square；

and　that　he　himself　had　knocked　his　brains　out　with　a　bludgeon

to　escape　detection　and　punishment。



George　Benton　was　arraigned　for　trial。　　Then　everybody　seemed　to

forget　the　widow　and　orphans　in　their　solicitude　for　poor　George。　

Everything　that　money　and　influence　could　do　was　done　to　save　him；

but　it　all　failed；　he　was　sentenced　to　death。　　Straightway　the

Governor　was　besieged　with　petitions　for　commutation　or　pardon；

they　were　brought　by　tearful　young　girls；　by　sorrowful　old　maids；

by　deputations　of　pathetic　widows；　by　shoals　of　impressive　orphans。　

But　no；　the　Governorfor　oncewould　not　yield。



Now　George　Benton　experienced　religion。　　The　glad　news　flew　all　around。　

From　that　time　forth　his　cell　was　always　full　of　girls　and　women　and

fresh　flowers；　all　the　day　long　there　was　prayer；　and　hymn…singing；

and　thanksgiving；　and　homilies；　and　tears；　with　never　an　interruption；

except　an　occasional　five…minute　intermission　for　refreshments。



This　sort　of　thing　continued　up　to　the　very　gallows；　and　George

Benton　went　proudly　home；　in　the　black　cap；　before　a　wailing

audience　of　the　sweetest　and　best　that　the　region　could　produce。　

His　grave　had　fresh　flowers　on　it　every　day；　for　a　while；

and　the　head…stone　bore　these　words；　under　a　hand　pointing　aloft：　

〃He　has　fought　the　good　fight。〃



The　brave　cashier's　head…stone　has　this　inscription：　　〃Be　pure；

honest；　sober；　industrious；　considerate；　and　you　will　never〃



Nobody　knows　who　gave　the　order　to　leave　it　that　way；　but　it　was

so　given。



The　cashier's　family　are　in　stringent　circumstances；　now；　it　is　said；

but　no　matter；　a　lot　of　appreciative　people；　who　were　not　willing

that　an　act　so　brave　and　true　as　his　should　go　unrewarded；

have　collected　forty…two　thousand　dollarsand　built　a　Memorial

Church　with　it。