Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1855-09-08
miscellaneous
THE LOST BOY.
AN INCIDENT IN rnE OHIO rENIIEN1rARY. ny the
WARDEN.

AN INCIDENT IN Tux ONO FENiIESTrARY. ny the
WARDEN.
I had been but a few months in charge Of the
prison, when my attention was attracted to, and
dcep interest felt in, the numerous boys and youngI
men who were confined therein and permitted tol
work in the anne shops with old and hardened
conyicts. This interest was increased on every
evening, as | saw them congregated in gangs,
marching to their silent meals, and thence to their
gloomy bod. rooms, which are moro like living
sepulchers, with iron shrouds, thon sleeping apart
ments. These young men and boys, being generl
ally the shortest in height, brought up the rear OF
the companies, as they march to the %terrihleI
lock step" and consequently more easily %attIao.
ted attention. To Sc Q many youthful forms and
bright countenancos mingled with the old ana hard
eneG scoundrels, whose visages betokened vice,
malice and crime, was sickening to the soul. But
there was one among the boys, n lad about seven
teen years of age, who had particularly attracted
my attention not from anything superior in his
countenance or general appearance, but by tie
look of utter despair which ever sat upon his brow
and tho silent, accomplishing manner in which he
submitted TO all the hardships and degradations OF
prison life. lie was often complained OF, by both
officers aud men, and | thought unnecessarily, for
light and trivial offences against the rules of pro-
priety yet he seldom had any excuse or apology,
and never denied a charge. lie took the repri-
mand, and once a punishment, without a tear or
a mnrmur, almost as n 4 matter of course, seemingly
thankful that II was no worse. lie had evidently
seen OettUr uayS, anu eUJoNcu tHe lbnb ~ hoiuc
parents and friends, if not the luxuries of life.
But the light of hope seemed to have gone out
his health was poor-his face p%ale--hls frame
fragile--and no fire beamod in Lis dark gray eye.
] thought every night as | saw him march to his
gloomy bed, that | would 20 TO him, and learn his
history-but there are SO many duties to perform
so much to learn aud do, that day after day pass
cd and | would neglect ~him-haying merely
learned that his name was Arthur Lamb, and that
his crime was burglary and larceny, indicating a
vans Ind 1Nntr fr nnn an nin IVn had nlrAnIV
been there a year, and had two moro to serve.-
lie never could outlive his sentence, and his coun-
tcnance indicated that he felt il. lie worked at
stone cutting, on the the State House-bence my
opportunities for seeing him were less than though
he had worked in the prison yard-Still MS pale
face haunted me day and highland l resolved
that on the next Sabbath, as he came from school,
! would send for him and learn his history. 1t hap
poned, however, that | was one day in n store,
waiting for the transaction of some business, and
having picked up an old newspaper | read and re-
read, while delayed, until at last my eye fell upon
an advertisement of "a Lost Boy Information
wanted of n boy named Authur-," will
not give his real name, for perhaps he is still hv-
ing;) and then followed a description of the boy
exactly corresponding with that of the young
c~onvict-Arthur Lamb! Then .here was somebody
who cared for the poor boy, if indeed, it was him !;
perhaps a mother, his father, his brothers and sis
tiers, who were searching for him. Tho advertise
mont was nearly a year old-yet doubted not
'ib pppi 40 WV WIN Nv ~ INV - l. = pN''
for Arthur Lamb. He came, as q matter of course,
with the SAME accomplishing face and hopeless
gait-thinking, no doubt, that something had gone
wrong, and had been laid to his charge.
was examining the Convicts' Register when
he came in and when | looked up there he stood,
aperfect image o f~despair. l asked him his name.
lie replied,
Arthur
Arthur what? said I STORMY.
'Arthur--Lamb,' he answered, hesitating
w..
Have you n father or a mother living?
His eyes brightened-his voice quiyered, as he
exclaimed:
'0l have you heard from mother? Is she
well?' and tears, which | had never seen him shed
before, ran like great rain drops down his cheeks.
As he became calm from suspense, | told him |
had not neard from his parents, but that had q
paper | wished him to read. lie took the adver-
tisemont which | had cut from the paper, and as
he read it, he exclaimed,
That's mel that's me- and again sobs and tears
choked his utterance.
L assured him that the advertisement was all ]
could tell him about his parents-and that as it
requested information, | desired to know whit !
should write in reply. The advertisement directed
information to be sent to the editor of the Christian
Chronicle, New York.
% do not write ? he said, it will break my poor
mothers hearth
told him | must write and that it would be a
lighter blow to his mothers feelings, to know where
he was, than the terrible uncertainty which must
haunt her mind day and night. So he consented
and taking him to my room, | drew from him in
substance, the following story =
His father was n respectable and wealthy me-
chanic in an interior town of the State of New
York. At the holding of the State Agricultural
Fair, in his own native town, he got acquainted
with two stranger boys, older than himself, who
persuaded him to run away from home and 60 to
the West. He ~foolshly consented with high hopes
Of happy times, rev scenes and great fortune
They came "a far as Cleveland, where they remain
ed several days. One morning the two other boys
came to his room early, and showed him a large
amount Of iewelry, &c, which they said they had
won at cards during the night. Knowing that he
was in need of funds to pay his board, they press
ed him to take some of it, for means to pay his
landlord. But before he had disposed Of any oft,
they were all three arrested for burglary, and
as a portion Of the property taken from the store
was found in his possession, he too was tried, con.
yicted and sentenced. He had no friends no
money, and dared not to write home-so hope sank
within him-hc resigned himself to his fate, never
expecting to get out Of prison or see his his par
cnts again.
Upon inquiring Of the two young conyicts who
came with him on the same charge, | learned that
what .trthur had stated was strictly true, and that
his crime was kee ping bad company, leaving his
home and unknowingly receiving stolen goods.
Questioned separately, they all told the same story,
and lett no doubt on my mind of Arthur's iuno-
ccnse. Full of compassion for tho unfortunate
little fellow, ! sat down and wrote a full description
of Arthur, his condition and history, as / Oh.
tanned it from him, painting the horrors oe the
place, the hOpelcssness of his being reformed there
even If guilty, and the probability OF his never
living cut his sentence, and describing the pro
cess 70 be used 70 gain his pardon. This / sent
according 10 the directions in the advertisement
But week after week passed, and no answer
came. The boy daily inquired if | had heard
from his mother until at last. hope long defer
red seewed to make his heart Sick and again hC
dropped sad pinned. At last a letter came, sucl
a letter! 1t WAS from the Rev. DR.. Bellows, o.
New York. lie had been absent to a distant city
but the moment ne read my letter the good mar
resf""s~d. The father of the poor boy had be
come almost Insane on account OF his sons Ions
pretracted absence. lie had left his former piac,
of residence, had moved from city 70 city, Ifon
towa TO Town, and travelled up and down the eoun
try seeking the loved and iostl He had spen