Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-03-05


There is n placid skepticism which
sneers at all the humane and charitable
efforts to help paupeTs and criminals, of
which we speak elsewhere, as a foolish
waste of time. But the spirit which
taught forgiveness until seventy times
seven, and which fills Heaven with Joy
over one soul saved, is perpetually IL
Illustrated, although not always noted.
The good people who are patiently
working in their various counties, vis-
iting the jails and the poor-houses, will
see in one little incident that their la
Dor is not in vain.
A young man nineteen years old was
committed to the Jail in Richmond
County, in this State, for theft. He
proved TO be an old offender even at
that age, and had been already in the
State Prison. He was disowned by his
friends as irreclaimable, and was serl-
ously i'll. The Sheriff, who is the iailer
in that county, and his wife, were very
kind to him, and Mrs. Floyd, one of the
ladies of the "Jail Committee" of the
State Charities Aid County Association,
often visited him. The young man was
evidently deeply touched, anu upon the
expiration of his term the Sheriff hui
namely obtained a place for him in an
honest industry. A few days since he
sent the following letter to the Sheriff,
which is unquestionably sincere, and
very suggestive and encouraging.
"SIR-I think it a duty to write to
you and tell you how get along, be-
cause never can forget the way, Sher-
iff, you treated me while in your charge.
promised you would try TO do right,
and / am trying to keep my promise. 1
am getting along better than 1 antici-
pated l should. | am boarding in a
very nice place, and feel quite COM
Portable. Mrs. Floyd writes to me, and
Mr.. Butler comes to see me often. To-
night l write three letters-one to you,
one to Mr. Vaughn deputy Sheriff),
and one to Mrs. Floyd-feeling in the
best of spirits, and as good as ever.
Sheriff, / am not a schOol-man, and can
not command in the English language
words adequate to express my graft
tude to you, Mrs. Brown and Mr..
Vaughn, for you have lifted me, an un-
happy convict, up, and placed me on
the first step of the ladder, and once
on the first step, it will not be impossi-
BILE, with the help of the Divine assist
ance, to ascend the rest. might slip,
but even should slip one step, it will
be my ambition to reascend two.....I
ask you to rememberme to Mrs. Brown,
such as son would desire to be re-
membered to a mother, also to her kind
sister, for, Sheriff, the only friends /
have in this world are those made in
your jail.....I will try and adhere to my
good resolutions. l am fully aware
that have all uphill work before me,
and that have a great deal of preju-
dice to overcome, in the shape Of the
taunts and jeers of those virtuOus per-
sons who will never give "a fallen broth
er credit for a sincere desire to reform.
Nevertheless, hope ultimately to live
down my former bad reputation, and
should I succeed, you can take credit to
yourself, in conjunction with the re-
mainder of your family, and Mrs. Floyd,
for having saved one fallen creature
from ruination; and it will be another
proof that there are few hearts so ut
terly depraved as to be impervious to
acts of humanity and kindness. ."--Har-
9,oy.ie We9LJ3g