The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1888-11-30

DOys ana before the nreS OF SIN ana
crime stole away their softness. Dear
old Jack, the truest and bravest of US
all in those sweet old days of long ago,
away back in the little country town.
All evil companions have worked i'll
with Jack Harkens. They led him
astray from the narrow path into the
great, wide channel of sin; and he had
so much to live for, too-such a de-
voted mSthGr, such a dear little sis
ter
"Yo &C." softly broke in She
yes - V own dear, little wife. I
am brute to tell you of your BROTH
er's waywardness. I am afraid the
prison doors will open again to receive
Jack"
He swears he viii kill himself,
rather than be retaken."
1.-The same old Jack, yet; If he
swears it, no power will prevent him.
If I could help Jack for your sake, for
your mother's-"
II knew you would. Harkl I hear
a step on the veranda. 1t is Jacks.
Forgive mel told him to come to you.
l will go now. Good night" She
pressed a kiss upon my lips, and
left me.
Tap, tap, against the blind of my
library window opening upon the YER
anda.
Raising the window, pushed back
the blinds and tall woman stepped
over the low sill, clumsily dragging
the long skirts after her. I reclosed
the blinds and window, and turned to
Jack, now standing with his back to
the cold fireplace. The long dress
was raised, and there he stood in his
same old posture, with both hands
plunged into the pockets of a pair of
zebra-marked trousers. 1t was Jack
Harkens, the escaped convict, in his
prison garb.
Got any cigars, Dickp Thanks;
haven't had many cigars lately. I'm
quite sight, am not, in my close
crop?n
you look changed. You have
grown thin, 80 I said, as 1 pushed chair
forward.
Perhaps have; now, do you know,
Dick, prison life acts differently upon
different subjects? Some grow fat,
and some thin. If a man has been
dissipated before his Imprisonment, he
gets fat and healthy through forced
denial of the things which tend to make
a man seedy and old before his time.
One of the best bits of advice 1 could
possibly give to brOken-dOwn and shat
tered men around town, would be-
commit some crime against law, and
go and soiOurn for a period in Sing
Sing. On the other hand, man who
has lead a correct life, physically, /
mean, there is nothing that will eat
the flesh off of his bones and pillow
channels in his cheeks like prison air,
confinement - the thousand and one
constant yearnings to be free"
1t was a strange study to hear this
man, with the marks of prison life
upon his face, right here within reach
almost of the shadow of law, calmly,
philosophically discoursing the results,
pro and con-, concerning a life without
freedom.
Jack, you are in danger"
yes, perhaps; but have that about
me-this, a tiny pellet, a deadly poi
son"
and you prefer that to imprison-
ment?"
Il would, hence 1 am not afraid.
Dick, want your help. Iwant to ask
a small loan. am going to leave the
country"
Then you must do it quickly. Your
very presence is fraught with danger,
danger to you, and disgrace to me-"
Yes; l understand all that, Dick.
But you see, there was no one else,
and because of Claire, thought
''And you thought right. Here is a
pocketboOl containing three hundred
dollars. Now-Jack, go away some
where, and, say, Jack, you are too
good man to go down to perdition. s"
mo man can tell me what know
and think every hour. l am going
away now. Think kindly if you can
of old Jack Once in awhile look in
upon my dear old mother. Oh, my
God! If I could but live over my past
/ life! For every tear her dear eyes
| have shed, I'd do a deed of kindness
/ to warm her heart. But / went the
wrong way. And I say, Dick, if there
should ever come a little boy to glad
den your heart, don't ever tell him
any thing about his outcast Uncle
Jack"
Re-arranging the dress, and again
covering his head, he stepped into the
hall, and let him out into the darkness
/ of his remorse and into the gas-lighted
/ street.
And 50 l had helped convict to es-
cape. What would my business asso-
ciates say? What would the world
sayP Had I done rightP In the sight
of the law, no; but in my wife's heart,
and because of the many tender re-
membranes of the old past, yes.
How my creditors pressed and
crowded me to the wall. I felt the
good house which had reared, trem-
/ bling around us; and my good credit,
that which I had so long pointed to
with pride, it was crumbling, and
could not stay the ruin which was
progressing, and hourly drawing me
/ to that procedure which l shrank from
I in or-bdHkrItptcy.
Shall meet the inevitable like q
manP Shall IP-but stay; the last
I thought was but an accursed tempta-
| ton which l must not, as a man, con-
template. Still, it would be so easy.
A few thousand dollars saved from the
ruins; and the border between Canada
and the United States is tantalizingly,
temptingly near. Away with this
cruel devil. l will be a man for the
sake of my wife and children, a man,
even though the yoke be a heavy one
to bear 1t may be shame, but il will