The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1855-11-09
TO my room, I drew from him in substance
fha follow,no sfory.

~ NSee-~t = AfShf III ouUSttuCt
the following story s.e 49,.
His father was a respectable and wealthy
mechanic IN an interior town in the state Of
New York. That at the holding of the
State Agricultural Fairin his native town,
ne got acquainted, with two stranger boys,
who persuaded him to run away from home
and go to the West. He fooHshly consented
with high hopes Of happy times, new scenes
and great fortune. They came as far as
Cleaveland where they remained several
days. One morning the other two bows
came to his room early, and showed him
large amount Of jewelry, ETC., which they
said they bad won at cards during the night.
Knowing that he was in need Of funds to
pay his board, they pressed him to take
some it, for means to pay bis landlord. But
before he had disposed of any of it, they
were all arrested for burglary, and as a por-
ton Of the property taken from the store
which hadbeen robbed was in the posses
sion he too, was tried, convicted. BE had
no friends, no money, and dared not write
home, so hope sank within him. He resign
ed himself to fate, never expecting to get
out Of prison, or to see his parents again.
Upon inquiringaof the convicts who came
with him on the same charge, i learned that
what Arthur had stated was true, and that
his only crime was keeping bad company,
leaving his home and unknowingly receiving
stolen goods. Questioned separately. thew
all told the same story, and left no doubt on
my mind of the boys innocence. Full of
compassion for the little fellow, sat down
and wrote full description of Arthur. his
condition and history as obtained it from
,him-painting the horrors of the place, the
,hopelessness of being reformed there, even If
guilty, and the probability of his never liv-
ing out his sentence, and describing the pro-
cess to be used to gain his pardon. This l
sent according to directions in the advertise
'ment. But week after week passed and no
answer came. The boy daily inquired if /
had heard from his mother until at last
"hope long deferred seemed to make the
heart sick" and again he dropped and pined.
AT length a letter came-such letter II
was from the Rev. DIR. Bellows, of New
York. He had been absent to distant ci-
ty, but the moment he read the letter the
good man responded. The father of the
boy had become almost insane on account
OF his sons long and mysterious absence he
had left his former place of residence-had
moved from city to city-from town to town
and travelled up and down the country
seeking the loved and lost. he had spent
the most of a handsome fortune; his wife.
the boys mother, was on the brink Of the
grave pining for her frst-born, and would
not be comforted. They then lived in a
western city, whittier they had gone in the
hope of finding or forgetting their boy, or
that a change of scene might assuage their
grief He thanked me form letter which
he had sent to his father, and promised his
assistance to secure,the convict's pardon
This news | gave to Arthur; he seemed
panied and pleased; hope and fear, Joy and
grief filled his heart alternately; but from
thencehis eye was brighter, his step was
lighter, and hope seemed to dance in eyery
nerve.
Days passed-and at last man came to
the prison, rushing frantically into the Office
demanding TO see the boy "My boy my
boy!f Oh, let me see him r The clerk.
who knew nothing of the, matter, calmly
asked him fol, the name of his son, "Arthur
-" "No such name on our books: your
son cannot be here" "He is here-sbow
him to me. Here, sir, is your own letter:
whysdo you mock me-" The clerk looked
over the letter; saw at once that Arthur
Lamb was the convict wanted, and rang the
bell for the Messenger '''There is the war
den, sir; il was his letter you showed" The
old man embraced me and wept like child.
A thousand times he thanked me, and in the
name Of his wife. heaped blessings on nv
head. But the rattling of the great iron
door, and the grating sound of its hinges, ia.
dicated the approach of Arthur, and / con-
Quoted the excited parent into parIor. I
then led his son to his embrace. Such a
balf.shriek and agonieing groau as the old
man gave when he beheld the altered coun-
tenance Of his boy, rs he stood clad in the
degrading stripes, and holding convict's
cap in his hand, ] never heard before. i
have seen similar scenes since and became
Injured TO them, but this one seemed as If il
would burst my brain. rs.
drew up and signed q petition for the
pardon Of the young convict, and such a
deep and favorable impression I'D the letter
l wrote in answer TO the advertisement, have
upon the directors, that they readily Joined
in the petition. Gov. Wood was easily pre-
vailed upon in such case, and the pardon
was granted.
Need describe the old mans ioy9 How
he laughed and wept--walked and ran n--all
impatient to see his son set freel When
the lad came out in citizens dress. the aoe.l