Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1882-09-23

afraid of the darkness.
s'Mr. Warden, there's a quee
case over at my house," said a blu
!. looking fellow, meeting the warde
of Sing-Sing prison. "We foun
her last night in some Out-of-tht
way place, and nothing would d
but my wife must take her in. w
can't find out her name except tha
it is Kate, and / expect that sh
wants to see somebody in prison
But we can't get anything out {
her-where she came from or any
thing about her."
"Bring her over here" said tn
warden, 'my wife is wanting lii
tie girl for help; maybe she's jus
| the one."
So Kate stood, trembling NOR
| than ever, in a few moments, Il
| the presence of the warden ant
jailer. Kate was pretty child
Her large blue eyes wore an. expires
sion OF intense melancholy; he
hair had been nicely combed an'
curled, and some one had put
good pair of shoes on her feet.
swell, my little girl" said th'
warden, kindly-for he was pre-
possessed in her favor hav
you come from?"
Anew York." said the ehilt
family. HH 3
The men looked at each other in
credulonsly.
"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
il something of severity.
"And what can y3u come for?"
"'Ho see my father" The child
burst forth with one great sob, and
for IA moment her little frame was
shaken with tempest OF feeling.
"And who is your father? asked
the warden, kindly.
s'He is Mr.. Lloyd" said the child
as soon as she could speak for her
rushing sObs.
The warden looked at the jailer.
81 "Loyd, there are three Loyds here
Jim, Bondy and Dick" said the
jailer. b.. 80,
ssThat may not be their proper
Names" responded the warden.
"That's so,' said the jailer, 'but
/ can try 'em all. Little one, was
your fathers name Jim ?'
The child nodded her head, or
they thought she did; she was all
convulsed with the reaction brought
en- by the termination of her jour-
ney. a,.e
the taller, in a low voice ''he's In
irons this morning for tempting to
break Jail he don't deserve 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 popderous door at which the
jailer applied the great key. and the
stiffness of the long stone passage,
the dimness thrown over all, the
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, great
tomb through which they moved
a tomb in which were confined liv-
ing hearts - whose throbs could
almost be heard in the awful still
ness. On, on they went, now
that passage-way, and then
through the other. Everything
spoke of crime-of fierce passions
subdued and held stern control
from the grim face OF
the ferocious watchdog to the senti-
neIS armeu. ~
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 ut last they
came to q Standstili.s The laller
raped at the cell-door. Slowly the
figure of a man, with harsh, hair
covered face, appeard.
"Here's your little girlcame to see
you,p said the jailer. I'D z vi
Little girl ? Hem you are
green" said the man, in glum ac-
Cents, awe got no little girl, or you
catch melhere."
''Father," said the childish voice.
1t sounded so.sweet, so childish, in
that terrible prison. But as the
face came close to the bars
the child hid her head quickly in
the iailer's arm, half sObbing 1t
wasn't him. us. 81
IIXITn91I {nx, tho tNnvf ono ~
He walked farther on, and spoke
more pleasantly this time.
swell, Bondy, here's little Katie;
don't you want to see her ~ as.
Little Katie" There was
long pause. 81 hada Kate once
not a little Kate Il broke her heart
God pity me! Go ON it can'tIbe for
me-" el a.s.g has F3sU.
Again the sweet voice rang out; d
'Father !"
The prisoner came UP close to the
bars a youthful face, framed with
light. Wavy hair-a face in which
the clue eyes looked lnnocene,Ta
face that seemed o sin to couple
with foul deed, gazed out: 1t
was a child's earnest, pleading, tear
full eyes, dark expression rolled
like wave across his brow a groan
came up from his bosom, and with
a low moan he staggered against his
bed, cryingl
"fake her awayi 1 can't stand
the sight OF anything pure like
that" ...
Kate hid her face the second time
as she feebly cried:
"It isn't him." So they kept on
to the third cell,
"Jim, here's little girl-Katie,
your daughter-wants to see you.
A stupid "What!" came from the
ped; the man had probably just
.5
"Your little daughter"
There was a sound OF rafting
irons that made the girl shiver.
Dimly appeared the face and out
lines of a we'll made man-the coun-
tenance handsome, but evil. lie
seemed not to comprehend. But
as fast as the chains would permit
him, he came forward and looked
out at the anxious face below.
With loud, convulsive cry she
"Father father !" and fell nearly
senseless against the jailer.
"Katie I" exclaimed the man, and
there was a nervous twitching about
the muscles of the mouth. "Whats
ever has brought her here"
The jailer was calling tho child to
s'Shall we let her come in the
NV ,.1ln,,