Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1886-01-07
sAyrp BYA LITTLE onILD.
rsow Dinpled Baby Hand Opened
tho Prison Doors nnd Set n Pris'

CnlchEO NeWh- |
Everybody was afraid of the old gov
ernor because he was 30 cross and surly.
And one morning he WINS crosser and sur
lier than ever, because he had been
troubled for several days with matter
which he had already decided, but which
many people wished to have reversed.
man, found guilty of crime, had been
imprisoned, and there we're those who,
convinced of his penitence and knowing
TINT his family needed his support, earn
estly sought his pardon. To all these 30
licitations the old governor replied mo,
and, having made up his mind, the Old |
governor had no patience with those who |
persisted in their intercessions. So the |
old governor was in high dudgeon one
morning, and when he came to his oflioe
he said to the secretary admit no one
TO see me; am weary of these constant
and senseless opportunities.
Now, the secretary had n discreet re-
gard for the OLD governors feelings, and
il was seldom that his presence OF mind
so far deserted him ms to admit OF his
suffering the old governors wishes to be
disregarded. He bolted the door and sat
himself down at his modest desk and
simulated intense enthusiasm in his work.
His stimulation was more intense than
usual, for never before had the secretary
seen the governor in such harsh mood.
"Has the mail come-where are the
papers and letters 2" demanded the old
governor, in gruff voice,
Here they are, sir, )" said the secretary,
as he put the bundle on the old gov
ernor's table. "These are addressed to
you privately. The business letters are
on my desk. Would you like TO see them
now2"
"No, not now" growled the old gov
ernor; II will read the papers and my
private correspondence first"
But the old governor found cause for
uneasiness in this employment. The
papers discussed the affair of the i'm
prisoned man, and these private letters
came from certain of the old governors
friends, who, strangely enough, exhibited
an interest i'll the self-same prisoners
affair. The old governor was highly dis
gusted.
They should mind their own bust
ness" muttered the old governor. 1.-The
papers are very officious, and these other
people are simply impertinent. My mind is
made up-nothing shall change mel"
Then the old governor turned to his
private secretary and babe him bring the
business letters, and presently the private
secretary could hear the old governor
growing and fumbling over thepile of cor
respondence. He knew why the old gov
ernor was SO excited; many of these let
tiers were petitions from the people touch.
ing the affair of the imprisoned man.
Oh, how they angered the old governor !
"Humph !" said the old governor at
last. I'm glad I'm done with them.
There are no more, 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 secretary was strangely embar
raised.
"You have not shown me-" I'LL said thu
old governor, sternly. "What is it yol
have kept back ?"
Then the secretary said 81 had no
thought to show it to you. 1t is nothinl
but little child's letter. thought
should not bother you with it."
The old governor was interested.
1 child's letter to him-what could it b
4 about Such thing had never happene
: to him before.
n "a child's letter; let me see it." sai
n the old governor, and, although his voic
was harsh, somewhat of tender ligt
/, came into his eyes.
u SIT is nothing but a scrawl," explaine
= the secretary, land 1t comes from til
4 prisoners hild-Monckton's little girl
h Monckton, the forger, you know. {
course there's nothing to it-n mel
scrawl; for the child is only years ole
!; But the gentleman who sends it says Il
:, child brought it to him and asked him |
y send it to the governor, and then, pc
II haps, the governor would send her pal
home"
The old governor took the letter, NJ
a he scanned it curiously. What wonde
l. full letter it was, and who but lit
% child could have written it SUI
y strange hieroglyphics, and such crook,
re lines-oh! it was a wonderful letter,
you can Imagine.
le But the old governor saw somethil
d, more than the strange hieroglyphics al
I'd crooked lines and rude pencilings. /
us could see in and between the lines of Il
of little child's letter sweetness and
pathos he had never seen before, and I
H. the crumpled sheet he found love Ii
IN the love his bereaved heart had vain
n yearned for, oh ! so many years.
nd He saw, or seemed to see, little he
al bending over the crumpled page,
dimpled hand toiling ut its rude labor
,s- love, and an earnest little face at
;e, thought that this labor would not be
*. vain. And how wearied the little ha,
tie grew and how sleepy the little he
ms became, but the loyal little heart throbb
of on and on with patient joy, and neitl
70: head nor hand rested till the task W
a. done.
Sweet innocence of childhood w
would modest thee-who bring thee o
" shadow of sorrow? Who would 1
~ rather brave all dangers, endure
i as fatigues, and bear all burdens to SHE
40, thee from the worldly ills thou dream
10 not of
~, nS So thought the old governor, as
" looked upon the crumpled page and 81
and heard the pleadings of the chill
letter; for you must know that from [
crumpled page there stole thousa
gentle voices that murmured in his O.
q SO sweetly TINT his heart seemed full
u tears. And the old governor thought
his own little one-God rest her I'M
cent soul. And il seemed to him as if
could hear her dear baby voice JONI
with this others in trustful pleading.
The secretary was amazed when the
governor said to him "Give me blanl
q But what most amazed the secretary v
the tremulous tenderness in the old q
ernor's voice and the mistiness behind
old governors spectacles as he folded (
, crumpled page reverently and put it ca
fully in the breast pocket of his gre
coat. .1...... ........
"Humph," thought the secretary, %
= | old governor has n kinder henri than n
= of us suspected"
Then when the prisoner was pardon
l.Y. and came from his cell, people grasl
lily, him by the handand said "0ur eloquei
and perseverance, has saved you. The
tbs governor could not withstand the press
an brought to bear on him."
But the secretary knew, and the
governor too-God bless him for
. human heart They knew that il was
sacred influence of n little child's lei
that had done it all-that dimpled bi
M hand had opened those prison doors
Into
be The first parsonage ever built i'll Wa
the the ington still stands ON Capitol Hill.
rhal now the home of Mrs. Gen. lander, v
ing was the tragedienne "Jean Davenport
D ppa. and is surrounded by houses mem0ra
the rs the residences of the political giant!
the Webster's era.
lids, The telegraph system of the Brit