The Opelousas courier., 1886-12-11
Saved by a Convict.

handouts upon his wrists and the brand
of crime was on his low forehead, Oh
his dark features and in his fierce, wolf
ish eyes.
There he stood, an outcast from the
pale of human kindness, the convict,
Mark Mold, on the deck of the passen.
ger ship Briton, the captain of which,
for a certain sum paid by the law officers,
had consented to take him. with several
Others of his stamp, to Botany Bay, as
room could not be found for these Grim
mails aboard the transport vessel,
anchored a mile below, and which had
been packed to OVERLOOKING ere the pris.
oners were brought to it.
While Mark still waited on deck for
the officers to stow him in the dark hold
with his fellows, a boat from the Liver
pool dock came alongside with several
passengers, among them ahandsome lady
of thirty, Mrs. Rowland, wife of Col.
Rowland, quartered with his regiment
near Port jackson, Australia, where she
was going to join him, and her little
daughter Grace, a beautiful child of six
years.
AS Mrs. Rowland was assisted up the
gangway she noticed Mark Mold and
shuddered.
"You need not be afraid, ma'am," said
the captain. ssThe criminals will be
kept in the hold chained; they can do
you no harm"
"Cah you not send them away from
here? ] wish you would"
81 regret that I cannot, as I have
! agreed to take them.n
Descending into the cabin, the lady
sat, unable to rid herself of the feeling
OF alarm excited by the presence of the
convicts aboard the vessel. She at length
concluded to go ashore and endcavor to
persuade the ~shipowners to have The
criminals taken off the craft. But
ere she could proceed to executeh her plan
the Briton was under weigh.
As day after day passed, bright little
cherub, Grace, spread light and joy
throughout the vessel.
The rough sailors would smile, their
brown faces softening when she ventured
among them.
They always had . pleasant word for
her, for her winning little ways had
made her a favorite with all, from the
cabin boynp to Ben. Hays-the Oldest
seaman aboard.
She would walk forward, the first
thing of a morning, and shake hands
with each one; her mother, smilingly
permitting such freedom on the part of
her child. One day, having heard that
the crew did not fare as sunptuousIy as
the passengers, Grace, instead of eating
her piece of poundcake at the cabin
table, took it forward among the sailors,
and made each of them take q big bite,
saying she would tell the captain to send
them d basketful.
Soon she noticed on deck the convict
Mark Mold-who, having been taken
i'll in the confined air below, had been
relieved of his chains and led IN to
breathe the fresh air. a pleased look
crossed his haggard face as he inhaled
the pure breeze, and, looking out on. the
broad, blue, rolling ocean, he
seemed at once to get -stronger and bet
ter.
won't you have sonnet Here, take
it; you may have It ALL fell q childish
voice on his ear, and looking down, he
saw Grace at his knee, holding up her
cake.
He seemed about to put his hand
on her head, when Mrs. How
land gently but quickly drew the child
away.
The man showed no emotion at this
sction of the lady. It was natural
the mother shout | deem there was con-
neutrality-suspicious. his touch; that
she should not have permitted him even
70 lay bis hand On the golden hair ofthe
child.
"You must never go near that bad
man again, z said Mrs. Howland.
why, mamma. isn't he 4 little good2
I've heard nncle-and he is i minister,
mamma-say that every one IS 4 little
good
You have heard him say that the
worst person has some good quality, but
1 differ with him. 1 don't believe chat
convict. who, I have learned from the
captain, was q thief house breaker and
arunkard for years, has i single good
trait !
lust Is she spoke ! heavy squall struck
sllin, hurting her down almost oil
her beam ends. and driving her through
watsr with everything hulnaning
The Wind blew with terrific foree and
the vast ocean was yelled for miles 81
sac whiflinsg. driving spray. which dew
gnt1W4f7 slens iii rnslaa I'M wasss.I