Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1879-09-05

DAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 1879.
| horse to water, but ten cannot make him
drink" So, though I have by no means
changed my opinion as to the value OF an
i education, consent to your leaving school
because, if you feel as you say you do, it
will be only time and money thrown away
! But want you to understand clearly one
thing: that if you don't go to school you
will have to 60 to work. l can't afford to
have you idle."
| Walters countenance underwent vely
perceptible change.
do You mean must go out at days
work like Dan Baker and Sam Blake?"
! 81 mean that you must have some steady
| employment; some trade or business,
which will give you just SO many hours
work, as surely as the sun rises.'
"Why father, George Lyman and Will
Bromley don't have to work !, and they say
they don't mean to either. George told me
that he heard his father say that you were
fsile riehEat tnaasin the county. !" II
81 might be the richest man in two
| counties, and yet not be rich enough to
| have my boy idle"
Mr.. Palmer smiled when he saw Wal
ter's puzzled look.
''This is hard thing for you to under
stand, my son, and might talk to YOU
from this time until sunset and not make
it more clear to you. To-morrow is Sat-
urday, and you know always take you
somewhere that day. This time itshall be
to Plaintield. where an old schoolmate Of
mine is living. A visit to him and the
place where he lives, will serve better to
explain my meaning than anything I can
say"
The next morning Walter and his father
started out bright and early, in the open
ph@ton. drawn by pair of well-matched.
mettlesome bays, which bore them swiftly
along the smooth, hard road.
Plainfeld was fifteen miles distant, and
the way thither through such a beautiful
country, and 50 entirely new to Walter that
he forgot all about what his father had
said the day before, until the carriage
stopped in front Of a gloomy stone build
ing. 4 - it
''Are you going to.stop here fatherY
|, Why it looks like a prison.!'' rf.y,s
SIT is prison. said Mr., Palmer, who
had been unusually grave and silent dur
ing their ride, as Walter remembered at
terwardss -.
n "But I thought we were going to see an
old schoolmate Of ,yonrs!' 81
''Here is where he llves.''
!. Walter followed his father silently up
the steps which led to the heavy, massive
door of the main entrance. -
"Did you ever think that any one OF yuor
school mates might find home in some
such place as this ?-or that even you
might p said Mr.. Palmer, as he pulled B
bell, whose clangor broke harshly upon
the strange silence that reigned around.
Before Walter could reply the heavy
door swung back, and they were ushered
into the warden's office.
He was heavily bearded man, with
stern, almost forbidding countenance; but
he shook hands with Palmer, whom he
had met before. bestowing on Walter
pleasant word and smile, the latter giving
his face quite another aspect.
II came to inquire about John Jackson,
the forger,' said Mr.. Palmer, after a few
preliminary words. ''He is an old school
mate of mine. remember him as high
spirited boy, rather headstrong and fon-
der of play than study, but with many &C.
NAL and pleasant traits Of character. How
is he getting along?"
VERY we'll. Had he been competent /
should have given him place as book
keeper, made vacant by a convict whose
time was up. AS it was had to put him
in the shoe shop. He is quiet but he takes
it pretty hard as such chaps are apt to
who have always had plenty of money and
nothing to do. It is not in strict acc0r-
dance with the rules, but if you would
like to see him will have him sent out"
Mr.. Palmer assented, and in few min
utes a grave quiet man entered. whose
closely-cut hair and peculiar dress gave
him very strange look to Walter, who
had never seen anything like 1t before.
He seemed glad to see Mr.. Palmer.
though there was visible constraint in
his manner which showed that he felt
keenly his changed position and surround
ings.
OF the two, Mr.. Palmer seemed the most
affected. His voice broke little. as he
said aa
II am glad to see you Mr.. Jackson; but
sorry, very sorry to find you here"
"You can't be more sorry that am to
find myself here,'' said the man with
forced smile.
Then, as if anxious to change the sub
ject, he turned to Walter.
II needn't to ask whose boy this is p
cit is my oldest son, Walter. He is just
about the same age we were when we used
to go to school together, in dear old
Bridgeville. Have you forgotten all about
those days, John p
Whether it was these words, or the sight
OF that fresh, innocent face, for few mo-
ments Jackson struggled silently with the
tender and subduing recollectiOns that
rushed over him; then breaking down ut
terly, he covered his face with his hands.
Walter had never seen man weep be-
fore, and those sobs and moaEs were some
thing that he never forgot.
81 wish I could" said the wretched
man, lifting up his pale, tear-stained face
81 wish I could forget:what I was, all that
1 might have been, and what am! I
sometimes think that it is a horrible
dream; that shall some day awake to find
it SOP
''How did it happen ?" inquired Mr..