The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1876-10-05
THE POWER OF KINDNESS.

JOSHUA NEWLAND was awakened
one night by a strange noise in the
room occupied by him as a sleeping
apartment. He aroused himself, sat
up in bed, and discovered man in the
act of ransacking the drawers of bu-
reau for plunder.
Friend" said Joshua, "this is an
unreasonable intrusion, and Iwould be
justified in having you punished for it ;
but first I wish to talk with you a lit
tie. Come sit by me while 1 ask you a
few questions.
The man was frightened, but his
amazement at such treatment from the
gentleman he was attempting to rob
was beyond expression. His first i'm
pulse pointed to flight, but the benev-
olent COUntenance Of Joshua reassured
him, and he drew near the bedside and
seated himself.
Il wish to ask you,' began the
worthy gentleman, "why you engage
in pursuit so hazardous as this, when
the rewards of honest labor are so re-
munerative and so well aSsuredT'
Because" replied the man, Il
can find no honest employment.'
"Tut, tut, sir; speak the truth or
not at all. There is plenty of work
for those who wish to labor, and every
man that is blessed with health can
readily earn an honest living for him.
self and family. Have youno trader
81 served my time with a gunsmith,
sir, but have not worked as a journey
man for several years, except"
$50 on" said Joshua, Except
what?"
"You will think none the better of
me for the explanation.
"Perhaps not but certainly none
the worse. You owe me little conf
dence for the breach of decorum in
which have this night detected you,
and you must tell me the truth. Tell
me all, and then if can do you afavor
| will"
The words were spoken in kindness,
and the burglar responded by nerving
himself for what he viewed an impor-
tant revelation.
"Well, l was going to say-except
in the penitentiary."
$50 you have been there already?"
Yes" --.p--.r
"For burglary?''
"No, sir" FL.
"Tell me all about it, man. What
crime did you commit that consigned
you to PRISON."
"None whatever, sir"
"That is not the truth. 1t is sim
ply impossible that you were incar-
cerated if you had not offended against
the law
81 swear that l speak the truth. |
was sentenced to three years in the
penitentiary for crime that | did not
commit, and that / did not know had
been committed by any one till l was
arrested for it. | was decent man
then; that 1 am no longer such l dc
not view as my own fault
"Did an unjust charge and punish,
ment necessarily make a bad man OF
you?"
81 will tell you the facts in my
case, and then you can judge more un-
derstandingly. l had finished my ap,
premiership according to agreement,
and was making arrangements to &C
into the business on my own account.
My means We're limited, but l had
managed to save few hundred dol
lars; and the girl | was engaged tc
marry had the same amount. We cal
culated very closely, and found that
economical management would enable
us to commence business and house
keeping in humble style without going
in debt. l engaged small shop
bought some tools, and had matters
well arranged for business when we
decided to marry. We indulged in
little trip to Louisville, where we
stopped only three days, and returned
very happy; for we had no apprehen
sions of evil, and certainly did not i'm
agine what was in store for us on oul
arrival in Cincinnati. We had scarce
ly reached home when / was arrested
for grand larceny. The stolen goods
were found in my shop, but how they
came there l know not; and | declare
before God that it is a mystery to mt
yet. E5E, Il -NE-.
The evidence was all circumstan
tial, but it was twisted .and distorted
into what appeared a perfect chain
and l was convicted before l thor
oughly realized it. The last dollar O
our savings had been exhausted in eft
forts for my defense, and my wife wa
1OTCeu W ldDOI IOI llCl oWH ouPpoIo
Her former friends deserted her be
cause she was the wife of convict
and she was often in distress for tn
necessaries of life; but the climax o
her miseries came when she foun'
herself the mother of baby boy
Lack of fnourishment and nursing di'
the fatal work, and only a few day
after the birth of the child she wa
borne to an humble grave, with tn
little darling cold upon that breas
that should have given it life an
strength"
The man bowed his head upon hi
hands, and tears trickled rapid
through his fingers. while his stron
frame was convulsed by heavy sol
bings. Newland's eyes were not dry
| and sayaral moments passed without