Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1874-10-28
Heart. Broken Parents.

One evening recently pair Of horses were
driven up Paramount avenue at a desperate
gait, aud from the carriage which stopped
at the gate of the Philadelphia Penitentiary,
there jumped a gentleman, who made all
haste to gain an entrance into the gloomy
institution. lie presently rc-appcared, bear
ing in his arms a wasted form, which he de
posted with tender care in the carriage,
which was then driven away
The occupants of the carriage were
heart-hroken father and his dying son. The
latter was committed TO the penitentiary
some two years ago for larceny. His intel
ligence and amiabilty soon made him a gen
eral favorite lie was, at the time OF his
commitment about eighteen years old, tall,
welcomed, handsome young man, without
a single trace of the usual characteristics Of
the criminal. The prison authorities took
O special interest iu his case, but he was eN-
coednglv reticput MS 30 his history, except
ing that he had fallen into bad company.
About o wear ago he began to show the signs
of tine insiduous complaint, consumption,
which numbers many victims in prison.
lie slowly wasted away, until one day the
physician in charge, a. he went through the
hospital Of the institution, stopped a moment
before the cot OF the patient, and said to him
grayely that if he had anything to say to any
person on earth he had better do so without
delay. as he had but a short time to live.
The remark seemed to impress the poor fell
low deeply. Tor lac shortly asked for paper
and pencil, and, obtaining them, wrote,
." The son whom YOU have mourned as dead,
is in the Eastern Penitentiary, Philadelphia -
lie signed the brief note and sank back ex-
hausted on his couch.
Being asked relative to the destination of
the note he had written, he directed it to be
addressed to a lady in a town in Massachu-
sets, which was complied with. A few
days afterward a gentleman applied to the
prison authorities for permission TO see the
youth, and, when brought in his presence evin-
ced the strongest emotion. lie stated that he
was the father of the dying boy and that
the latter's mother being at the White Noun
tains for her health, which is very delicate,
he, the father, had opened the note sent from
the prison, and was very glad he had done
so, as the declaration it contained would
surely have killed her Their son had been
considered dead for more than two years.
Being wealthy, the parents had given him
a good education, and designed him for q
professional life; but, when about sixteer
years OF age. his mind became affected b,
the influence of sensational novels, and h,
formed an unsuitable desire to roam through
the western wilds. lie ran away with tn,
two SONS of the mayor of the town. but wa
traced TO the place they had chosen for
temporary stay, and brought home, Tn
two companions remained at home, but h
very soon afterward again ran off, and hi
parents had since heard nothing from hin
except a report that he had been killed
which they believed.
The sight of his boy, stretched upon tn
bed OF death within the forbidden walls of
prison, crushed the fathers heart but thi
only made his opportunities the more effe,
tive, and he succeeded in securing his son
pardon, with which he sped to the prisoI
and, doubtless anxious that even were it th
last hour that his son should live, it shoul
be spent in pure free air, lac had him carrie
from the institution as above related ltwa
bis intention, should the son live until
could be conveyed ON board steamship, I
have him taken home in that way, otherwis
he would let him die at hotel aud the
have the body taken on by rail to the HON
Of his innocent and happy boyhood.
The weight of SORROW that awaited ia
mother in either case can easily be conceived
Whether the dying young man revived su
iciently to endure the trip We did not Learn
The narrative is a brief but painful one, an
Is not without a powerful lesson to youth