Morning journal and courier., 1886-02-19
SAVED BY A LITTLE CHILE. How a DimPled Baby Hand Opened the Prison Doors and Set a Prisoner
From the Chicago News.l

| or because he was so cross and surly. Ant ! one morning he was crosser and surlier thar | ever because he had been troubled for seve ral days with matter which he had already decided, but which many people wished te | have reversed A man found guilty of Z crime had been imprisoned, and there were ! those who convinced of his penitence, and knowing that his family needed his support earnestly sought his pardon. To all these solicitations the old Governor replied 'no, j and, having made up his mind, the old Gov eTnor had no patience with those who per sisted in their intercessions. Sc the old Governor was in high dudgeon one morning, and when he came to his office he said to the secretary: Admit no one to see me; I am weary of these constant and senseless impor- tunities."
 Now the secretary had discreet regard for the old Governors feelings, and it was seldom that his presence of mind so far de- serted him as to admit of his suffering the old Governors wishes to be disregarded. He holted the door and sat himself down at his modest desk and simulated intense enthusi- ,sm in his work. His stimulation was more intense than usual, for never before had the secretary seen the old Governor in such 8 harsh mood.
 ''Has the mail somewhere are the papers and the letters?'' demanded the old Governor in gruff voice.
 ''Here they are, sir,' said the secretary, as he put the bundle on the old Governors ta- ble. ';These are addressed to you privately the business letters my desk. Would you like to see them now" 'sNo, not now," growled the old Governor; ''I will read the papers and my private cor respondence first"
 But the old Governor found cause for un- easiness in this employment. The papers discussed the affair of the imprisoned man, and these private letters came from certain of the old Governors friends, who strangely enough exhibited an interest in the self same prisoners affair. The old Governor was highly disgusted.
 s'They should mind their own business, y muttered the old Governor. ''The papers are very officious and these people are sim ply impertinent. My mind is made up nothing shail change me,''
 Then the Governor turned to his private secretary and bade him bring the business letter, and presently the private secretary could hear the old Governor growing and funbling over the pile of correspondence. He knew why the old Governor was so exci- ted; many of these letters were petitions from the people touching the affair of the imprisoned man. Oh, how they angered the old Governor.
 ''Humphl" said the old Governor at last, ''I'm glad I'm done with them. There are no more, l suppose"
 When the secretary made no reply the old Governor was surprised. He wheeled in his chair and searchingly regarded the secretary over his spectacles. He saw that the secre- tary was strangely embarrassed.
 ''You have not shown me all," said the old Governor sternly. "What is it you have kept baekt'
 Then the secretary said: 'T had not thought to show it to yoa. It is nothing but a little child's letter. thought I should not bother you with it.
 The old Governor was interested. A child's letter to him-what could it be about! Such a thing had never happened to him be- fore.
 "A child's letter; let me see it," said the Governor, and, although his voice was harsh, somewhat of tender light came into his eyes.
 ''It is nothing but scrawl, /" explained the secretary, land it comes from the prisoners child-Moncktons little girl-Monckton, the forger you know. Of course there's noth- ing to it-a mere scrawl for the child is only four years old. But the gentleman who sends it says the child brought it to him and asked him to serd it to the Governor, and then perhaps the Governor would send her papa home."
 The old Governor took the letter and he scanned it curiously. What a wonderful letter it was and who but little child could have written it2 Such strange hieroglyphics and such crooked lines-oh! it was won derful letter you can imagine.
 But the old Governor something more than the strange hie-oglyphies and crooked lines and rude pencilings. He could see in and between the lines of the little ehild's letter 8 sweetness and pathos he had never seen before and on the crumpled sheet he found a love like the love his bereaved heart had vainly yearned for, oh! SO many years.
 He saw, seemed to see, a little head bending over the crunpled page, a dimpled hand toiling at it's rude labor of love, and an earnest little face smiling at the thought that this labor would not be in vain. And how wearied the little hand grew and how sleepy the little head became, but the loyal little heart throbbed on and on with patient joy, and neither hand nor head rested till the task was done.
 Sweet innocence of childhood! Who would molsst thee-who bring thee one shadow of sorrow? Who would not rather brave all dangers, endure all fatigues and bear all bur dens, to shield thee from the worldly ills thou dream'st not of!
 So thought the old Governor as he looked upon the crumpled page and saw and heard the pleadings of the child's letter; for you must know that from the crumpled page there stole thousand gentle voices that murmured in his ears so sweetly that his heart seemed full of tears. And the old Governor thought of his own little one-God 
 him as if he could hear her dear baby voice joining with this others in trustful pleading
 The secretary was amazed when the old Governor said to him: "Give me blank. " But what most amazed the secretary was the tremulous tenderness in the old Governors voice and the mistiness behind the old Gov ernor's spectacles as he folded the crumpled page reverently and put it carefully in the breast pocket of his great coat.
 ''Humph," thought the secretary, ''the old Governor has kinder heart than any of us suspected"
 Then, when the prisoner was pardoned and came from his cell, people grasped him by the hand and said: 'Our eloquence and perseverance saved you. The old Governor could not withstand the pressure we brought to bear on him."
 But the secretary knew and the old Cover nor too-God bless him for his human heart! They knew that it was the sacred influence of little ohild's letter that had done it all- that dimpled baby hand had opened those prison doors.