Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1873-09-22
From the Christian Weekly.
A True Story.

1--WE are able to vouch for the truth of this
narrative In every particular. The letter is a
real epistle, written from one who had been In
Tue otate Irlson TO one who was at the time of
writing still an inmate. We have simplv chang-
ed all names In order to avoid the possibility Of
recognlllon Of lhe .pArlies be stn;v us. .bs
you are surprised to get a letter from me, but
hope you wont be mad at my writing to you.-
want TO tell you my thanks for the way you
talked TO me when was In prison. il has led
Inc TO be better man. L guess you thought
did not cair for what you said, Il at the first go
off didn't, but noed you was Il man who had
don big work with good men, and want no
Sucker, nor want casing, and all the boys noed
1t.
used 10 think at nights what you said, &
for IL nocked OIL swearing months before my
time was up,ior saw it want no good nohow-
the day my time was up you told me ii would
shake the cross [quit stealingl live on the
square for three months it would be the bes.
job ever don In my life.
The state agent gave me q ticket TO here, & on
the car thought ncre Of what you last said to
me, but didn't make up my mind. When we
got to Y on the cars from there to here
pulled of an old woman's leather (robbed her of
her pocket book) hadn't no more than got 1t
of when wished hadn't done it; for a while
before made up my mind to be square bloke
for months on your word, but forgot 1t when
saw the leather Was a gif (easy TO set), but
keIt close to her d when she got out of the car
at place, said, man, have you lost anything,
& she tumbled her leather was OIL (found her
pocket book was gomez, is this 1t, says !, giving
| it 10 her. Well, says she, If you amt honest,
but hadent got cheek enough 10 stard tha'
sort of talk, so left in a hurry.
/ When got here had ST and % cents left,
| x didn't git eny work for three days. as aint
| strong enough for roust about (deck handy
| on steam bote.
The afternoon of the Sd day spent my last
| 10 cents for 2 moons OaTge round sea blscliit)
and cheese & was thinking would have to 60
on the dip again (picking pockels), when thol
of what you once said, about feliors callin on
the Lord when he was III hard luck, Il ! thot
would try it once anyhow, but when | tried it,
got stuck on the start and all i could get of
| was Lord give poor fellow chance to squai
it for three months, for Christ's sake, Amen, 4
kept athinkng Of 1t over Il over as wen
along. About an hour after that, was in 4tl
, St., and this is what happened, is the caus
ofiuy being where am now, about which
: will tell you before | get done writing. AS
was walking along heard big noise & saw
n horse running away with q carriage with 2 chi
: dren in it, grabbed up piece ofbox cover frol
. the sidewalk and run in the middle OF the stree
: " when the horse came up smashed him owe
I the head as hard as could drive, the boar
!, split to pieces & the horse checked up litt
1
q until he stopped.
re- The gentleman what owned him came run
10 ming up,aRd as soon as lie saw the children we
,e all rite, lie shook hands with ME, and gave II
es a $50 greenback, and my asking the Lord
10 help me came into my head, & was so thur
=, der struck, couldn't drop the reigDs nor 50
70 nothing, he saw something was up, g. comiI
| back to me said, my boy are you hurf Il Il
o. thought came into my head just then to ask hi
: for work, & l asked him to take back the bi
n & give me a job; says he jump in here and LEI
talk about 1t, but keep tho money. He ask
! me If could take care Of horses, g. said ye
- for used to hang around livery stables, q O
EN- would help clean and drive horses, he to
me he wanted a man for that work, and wou
n give me $40 month and bord me. You be
took that chance at once, that mite in my lii
room over the stable sat long time Think
over my past life g. Of what had just happene
and just got down on my nees & thanked
Lord for the job, & help me to square 1t, &
. bless you for putting me up to it, g. the nj
- morning done the same thing & got me son
cd new toys (clothes) & bible, for made up
mind, after what the Lord had done for mt
n. would read little every mite and morning,
~; ~ ask him to keep an eye on me.
ms Wien | had been there about a week, Mr..
me Tthat IS his name1 came In my rom one n
in and saw mo reading the Bible. He asked
~ \! was christian, aud / told him no--he ssk
itb me now IL was reau tne Diple lnsteat Vi pup
80. and books. Well, Tom, l thought had bet
i. sui give him square deal on the start, so
- him all about my being In prison & about y
and how had almost done give up locking
;. work. and how the Lord got Inc the job, wi
asked him, aud the way had to pay him b
blic was 10 read the bible square II, IL asked
Sn' to give me a chance for three months.
M | talked 10 me like father for a long time,
bsv told me could stay, & then felt better b
ever had done in my life, for had given
D in u fair start with me and now dit
Il fear no one giving me a back cap [expo:
his past lifel and running me out Of the job,