The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1860-12-20
Down Hill-A True Life Picture

Not long since ! had occasion 10 visit one OF our
Courts. and while cOnversing with q legal friend
| heard the name Of John Anderson called.
There i Z hard cas- remarked my friend.
| looked upon the man in the prisoners dock.
He was Standing ~, and plead guilty u the crime
Of theft. He wa>a tall man. but bent and iutrm.
though not old. His .arb waS torn. sparse and
filthy his face was blOyd.hOt: h:s hair was mat
ted with dirt. and nj bowed form quIyerrd with
d=lIrium. Certainly. / never saw { more pitiable
object. Surely that man was not horn q villain.
| moved my place 10 obtain = nearer view Of his
face He Eazed upon LIS = single instant, and
then. covering his face with his hands, he sank
pJwerl-ss into the sat.
=" Good God =" ! invJlunt-rily exclaimed. start
Ing forward. Vii
i had half spoken his nam, when hc quickly
raised lis head and cast upon me q look Of such
imrlyring agony that my tongue was tied at once.
Then he covered his face again.
/ asked my legal COMPANION If the prisoner had
counsel. He sand no. | told him - do al in h-
power Tor the poor fellows benefit. and l would
pay him. He promised. and | left. l could not
remain anu - that man tri-d tears came 70 my
eyes - looked upon him. and il was not until |
lad gained the street. and walked syme distance
that | could br=lth freely.
John andersen, Alas lie was ashamed u be
known - his mothers son. That was not his
rsal name. but you shall know him By no other.
| VIII c4I! him by the name that stands upon the
record Of die court.
JJl-u -Au4-r-Ju Vas nv =elDzIfI4te. ana IL was
not many years aEo-nDt over tweuty-that w
left our academy together lie 10 return - the
home u wealthy parents u sit down for a few
years IN the dIuEy s-HctUm uf = newspaper Office.
and then wander of across the ocean. l was
gone some four years. and when | returned |
found John . married man. His father was
dead and had left ms only son = VrIncely fortune
And, c.. he SAID - me IS he met me ~
the railroad station, " You shall see what a bird
! have Gagged My Ellen Il = lark, q princes Of
all birds that ever looked BEAUTIFUL Or sang sweet
""
He was enthusiastic. but not mistaken for |
found his wife all that he had said simply omit
ting the Poetry. And 50 good, tOO-sJ loving
and kind. AYE. she 80 loved John that she really
loved I'll his friends. What . lucky fellow to
find such a wife. and what q lucky woman % find
such Z husband. John Anderson was - hand
with rich chestnut curl-. and 4 face a. faUItlessly
noble and beautiful a. artist ever copied. And
lie was good. too and kind. generous and true.
spent a week with them. and | was happy all
the while. Johns mother lived with tucIn. - fine
old lady, az ever lived, and making herself con-
slant joy by dOting on her "a darling boy, as she
always called him. | gave her IN account Of my
adventures by ga and land. in foreign climeS,
and she kissed me. because | loved her darling.
| did not see John again for four years. |
reached his house in the evening. He was not
in bur his wife and mother were there u receive
me. and two curlv-headel boys were playing
about ELlen's chair. | knew az once they were
NY friends children. Everything seemed pleas
ant until the lizzie ones We're in b-i and asleep.
and then | could So that Ellen was troubled.
She tried 10 hide il, but a face 80 used 10 the sun
shine Of smiles could not conceal q cloud.
At length John came. His face was flushed
and his eyrs looked infI,aed. He grasyNd nv
hand with 4 happy laugh, called me - Old fel-
low. - old dog. said I must come and live with
him. and many other exrravacanr things. His
III. 80 >. It'd. - --- ELrf. 80 -
shO1k her head and said
He'll sw his wild cats soon my darling can
never b a bad man
God grant it," l thought 70 myself; and I
knew that the same prayer was upon Ellen lips.
II Vs. late when We retired. and We might rot
have done - even then, had not John fallen
asleep in his chair.
On the following morning | walked out with
my friend. said was sorry - see him a. | saw
him the nigh; before.
on" aid he, with a laugh, "oh. that was
nothIng-0nly . lizzie wine party. We had :
glorious time. | wish You had been there"
Al first l thought | would say no more, but
was il not nv du-y2 | knew his nature better
than he knew it himself. l knew how kind and
:-uerous he was-aiAs too kind. too generous.
=. john. could You have --en Ellen face last
evening You would have trem5lvi Can You
make her unhappy? ?"
lie stopped NE with. Don't Be = foyl-Why
should She * unhappy
Because she fears y,u are going DOZEN hsH"
| t.ld him.
&c Did she ~ 80" lie asked, with = flushed
face.
No. l Rad it in her luaks." l said.
- Perhaps = reflection If your own thoughts
be suggested.
">arely l thought - when YOU cam home"
I replied.
Never cln I forget the look be gave me then,
- full u r.TT5,f. OF s~urIris-. Of pain.
c.. / forgive you. for I know vJu 70
:liu- down hill You know better. That can
never -. / know ms own POWER. and I know
ny wants Ny mother knows me better than
Ellen do
Al had that mother been "a vi-e - ehe was
DFin-. she would have sen tla; The Is Mild cats"
which her Sgu Was sowing would Er8w I'D and