The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1883-05-01
Innocent and Guilty.

Inc 0t.tOld story OF the painter WI"
painted an ideal picture of "Innocence'
from the face of beautiful child who
sat as his model. and in his old age had
.villainous looking criminal sit to him
for the model Of n picture named Guilt
as the companion.piece to the other, and
discovered that the child and the crimi-|
nal were the sane person, has received
some startling illustrations 10 real life
A convict discharged from the old
Charlestown State Prison told the fol-
10 wing history OF himself to The warden:
of the prison:
Some years ago gentleman, bis wifeI
and their only child. a boy then five or.
six. years old, visited the prison They.
we're shown through the workshops and.
prison by an officer, who pointed ofIt -
different Objects Of interest as they pass-
ed along. The gentleman was inquiring
about man who had recently been sent
to prison for lie for murder. i..
"Bv the way, this is bis room," said
The officer stopping before one Of the
| cells, the door of which was open. 81,
:. The little boy, with ehild's curiosity,
stepped up and looked in. His father
came up. behind the child and playfully
pushed him ia aud closed the door.
The little fellow shreked TO he let out
The door was Immediately opened and
the child ran sobbiug to its mothers
arms She, brushing back the light curls
from bis forehead and kissing him, said
soothingly:
No, no, they shan't shut my little
son up in prison" .
/ The boy was terribly frightened; he
turned his eyes once more toward the
dreaded cell and for the first time noticed
on the door the No. -.
The incident made deep impressi on
upon his mind.
Time passed. He grew to manhood.
His father and mother we're both dead.
He became sailor, and good one;
rising step by step until he was second
in command of one of the California
steamers sailing from New York.
But like many others, in consequence
of that vice which has dragged down so
many, even from high positions, he lost
bis situation, ,came back to Boston, sank
Lower and lower, and was finally arrested
for breaking into store. He was sem
Etenced to the State Prison for four
years.
When received at the prison he was
taken to the bath-room-tte usual cus-
tom-and hatbed, shaved and Clipped,
clothed in the prison dress and conduct
ed to the cell he was to occupy.
Judge of his horror and CONSERVATION
wien he found bimself standing before,
and the officer unlocking, the door OF
the same cell, "Nr. -" into which he,
when child, had teen thrust for mo-
ment by bis father.
In relating the story to nae (says War,
den Haynes.) be said no one could im-
aeine his feelings when he found himself
an inmate Of that cell Every incident
and scene from childhood rushed upon
his mind; the exclamation o, his mother,
|"No, 40; they shan't shut up my little
son in prison" rang in his ears: and he
threw himself upon stool weeping in
utter despair and wretchedness.
But it is pleasant to, see shining
through tais strange story of clIcums' an
tial retribution the truth of the famous
line, There's divinity that shapes our
ends" The convict became religious
man in prison, and years after his dis
charge rose to be an officer in the navy.