The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1882-11-30

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some time. She slept in an opel
field; she would have walked al
night If she had dared, but she wa.
afraid of the darkness.
"Mr. Warden, there's a queer
case over at my house." said bluff
looking fellow, meeting the warden
of Sing-Sing prison. 1--WE found
her last night in some out-ofthe-
way place, and nothing would dc
but my wife must take her in. We
can't find out her name except that
1t is Kate, and l expect that she
wants to see somebody in prison.
But we can't get anything out of
her-where she came from or any
thing about her."
Bring her over here" said the
warden, ''my wife is wanting q little
girl for help; maybe she's just the
one"
So Kate stood, trembling more
than ever, in a few moments, in the
presence of the warden and iailer.
Kate was pretty child. Her large
blue eyes wore an expression of in
tense melancholy; her hair had been
nicely combed and curled, and some
one had put good pair shoes on
her feet.
"Well, my little girl" said the
warden, kindly-for he was pre-
possessed in her favor-"where have
yOu come from2'
New York." said the child
family.
The men looked at each other in
credulously.
"Do you mean to say that you
have come to Sing Sing from New
York on foot?"
"Yes, sir" said the child, fright
ened at his manner, which had in it
something of severity.
"And what can you come forT'
''To see my father" The child
burst forth with one great sob, and
for a moment her little frame was
shaken with a tempest of feeling.
"And who is your father?" asked
the warden, kindly.
''He is Mr.. Lloyd" said the child,
as soon as she could speak for her
rushing sobs.
The warden looked at the jailer.
Lloyd, there are three Loyds here
Bondy and Dick" said the
jailer.
THAT may not be their proper
names" responded the warden.
That's so, said the jailer, "but
1 can try 'em all. Little one, was
your fathers name Jimg'
The child nodded her head, or
they thought she did; she was all
convulsed with the reaction brought
on by the termination Of her jour
ney.
"If it's Jim, he's bad one" said
the jailer, in low voice; "he's in
irons this morning for tempting to
break Jail; he don't deserve q little
gal like that one, the william. Come,
child, I'll go and find your father"
He took Katie's shaking hand
with the other she dashed the tears
away as fast as they fell. 1t fright
ened her almost into calmness to
see the ponderous door at which the
jailer applied the great key, and the
stiffness of the long stone passage,
the dimness thrown over all, the
constant succession Of bars and
bleak, black walls, were terrible to
a sensitive mind like hers. How
the heavy tread Of the jailer, and the
tread of the warden behind him
echoed through the gloom and the
space! 1t was, in truth, a great
tomb through which they moved
Il tomb in which were confined liv-
ing hcarts-whose throbs could al
most be heard in the awful stiffness.
On, on they went, now through that
passage way, and then through the
other. Everything spoke of crime
OF fierce passions subdued, held
in stern control-everything, from
the grim face of the ferocious watch
dog to the sentinels armed.
Then they turned and went up
the stairs, the jailer holding the
scared bird close to his side with a
tender clasp, the warden following.
Another tramp, and at last they
came to a standstill. The jailer
raped at the cell-door. Slowly the
figure of man, with q harsh, hair
covered face appeared.
Here's your little girl come to
see you," said the jailer.
Little girl? Hem! you are green"
said the man, in glum accents, "Pve
got no little girl, or you wouldn't
catch me here"
"Father," said the childish voice.
1t sounded so sweet, so childish, in
that terrible prison. But as the
scowling face came close to the bars
the child hid her head quickly in
the jailer's arms, half sobbing; it
wasn't him.
"WGll try the next one"
He walked farther on, and spoke
more pleasantly this time.
"Well, Bondy, here's little Katie; ;
don't you want to see herF'
Little Katie" There was a
long pause. 81 had a Kate once
not a little Kate; l broke her heart;
God pity me! Go on, it can't be for
me-"
Again the sweet voice rang out:
"Father!"
The prisoner came up close to the
bars; a youthful face, framed with
light, wavy hair-a face in which
the blue eyes looked innocent-a
face that seemed a sin to couple
with a foul deed, gazed out. 1t was
a child's earnest, pleading, fearful
eyes; a dark expression rolled like
a wave across his brow; a groan
came up from his bosom, and with n
low moan he staggered against his
bed, crying:
Take her away; can't stand the
sight Of anything pure like that"
Katie hid her face the second time
as she feebly cried:
at isn't him" So they kept on
to the third cell.
"Jim, here's a little girl--Kstie
your daughter-wants to see you.
A stupid what" came from the
bed; the man had probably just
awakened.
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