The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1873-01-16
WHAT A BOY DID.
BY UNCLE GEORGE.


Years ago, farther back than any OF
my little readers can possibly remem-
Der, there was a terrible crime COM
nitted in an adjoining city. A help
less, old man, dwelling alone in a
great, deserted mansion. was, one
stormy night, robbed of all his little
savings and then ruthlessly murdered.
Suspicion pointed to three veil known
reprobstes as the perpetrators of the
evil, aud they were arrested and cast
into prison., Upon trial they were all
found guilty. Two OF them suffered
death on the scaffold, and the third,
James Green, from some mitigating
circumstances, was sentenced to soli-
tary confinement for life.
James Green was one of that large
class of men for whom strong drink
has such q terrible fascination, and
liquor had been the cause of his tread
ing down W ard path in life for years.
He had a wife, an smiabfe and de-
tserving woman of twenty-nine, and
| one child, an intelligent and bright
little boy of ten. Green, when not
under the influence of his favorite po-
tations, was mild, inoffensive, and
hard-w orking man but, when even
slightly intoxicated, he was both q
bully and scoundrel.
His two companions, who were
hanged, had been of the very scum OF
| the great city, and for several years,
they had been known to the police as
| very suspicious characters. Green's
association with them had not left
| him free from taint in the eyes of bet
ter people, and, before the murder,
men were continually saying that such
companionship must end in utter pol
| luton for the weak drunkard. When
| therefore the crime transpired, and
tbs arrests were made, almost every
body was prepared for the verdict
which speedily followed. Green
| stoutly protested his innocence. plead
ed not guilty, aud, even when called
| upon by the court to say why the
sentence of the law should not be pro-
nounsed against him, continued to as
sert that he knew no more of the
murder than the judge himrelf! How
ever, the jury .having recommended
him to mercy, Green. instead of being
hanged, escaped with imprisonment
|. for the rest of his dsys. II,
Now, all this had been overwhelm-
ing sorrow for the convict's poor wife
All through the trial she stood in the
courtroom, with her little boy by heI
side, pale, trem bling and fearful, and
when the words OF the judge, pro,
nouncing her husbands doom, fell
upon her ears, she gave terrible cry
and tainted.
l. Green was taken to jail and put in
cell by himself, and as he sat down
in chains all his past life crowded up
| on his memory. He was. indeed in.
nocent of the charge upon which he
4 was condemned, and he was about to
suffer wrongfully but he was pain,
fully conscious that bad habits and
liquor had led him into many q crimi
nal act, and had woven net abou
him, in this instance, which had pre-.
vented his acquittal.
i Once each week his wife was per.
mitted to visit him, and on these oc
casions, it was her custom to brinS
her little son with her,, She was no
4 allowed to enter the cell, but her hus
band would come to the grated win
skdow and talk to her, ,oftentimes stretch
ing his arms through the bars to EN-
braceathe little boy.she would hold VI
to him. At first the little boy, who's,
name was Joe, could hardly under
stand these sorrowful meetings. bu
8 gradually he awakened to sence o
, their meaning, and his tears and lam
entations mingled with those of hi
poor father and mother.
One day Mrs. Green came as usua
and brought with her bask ct of plail
food for the prisoner; but the turnke,
kindly, bat firmly told her she mus
leave her eatables behind her, as
was contrary to the rules TO alloy
anything to be given to one in solitar
confinement by a visitor. Sorrowful
ly she emptied her store and told tn
man TO distribute it among tn
. sick of the prison. and, taking up tn
empty basket, led little Joe to hi
J, confined parent. The turnkey stoo
by, at respectful distance, it bein,
T his duty, on all such occasions, {
keep strict watch.
t d Joe kissed his fathed, and, as tn
strong mans tears fell on the boy
face, the poor child cried out:
|. Father, you must be free! l wi
get you your liberty !"
: "Joe, dear child" cried Green, bi
terly,1. you do not know what yo
are saying. You cannot do anythin
for me-"
" Yes, l can do something!' G.
!. claimed Joe, stoutly. 81 will pra
= for yon, and l will ask Father Rya
= to help me get you out!"
"Father Ryan thinks me very wicl
edv"
"Not now replied the boy, 8 #