The Arkansaw traveler., 1889-09-14

true, honest life, but it's uphill work. There's weight on . man like me, sir. The opening peni- tentiEy door s at the very foot of hill, and when poor fellow comes out and tries to walk up, there's always some one who is glad to push him down again.S
 h"were you guilty of the burglAryi"
 "I was, sir. It was my first crime The easy gain looked tempting, and fell. needed money {; but there is no excuse, deserved the punishment. Those awful years, sir, gave me time for reflection and determined that when got out, with Gods help, to pick myself up. It's been hard cruelty, fearfnlly hard, but haven't fallen again. Pm an honest man in my heart, sir, if the world won't knowledge it."
 "But why didn't you tell me tLis when you came? It would have been better"
 "I suppose 1t would, sir But was too weak. l needed work SO badly, and if you had turned me away then, why"
 "What, John?"
 "Never mind, if you please, sir, you didn't turn me of"
 "very we'll, John, I'll not ask you. But you you tell me that2"
 John Dorker arose, laid his hat upon the chair, and facing the Judge said impressively.
 Do you remember, sir, what you said when you sentenced me?"
 "No, do not"
 "Well sir, your words burnt themselves into my heart as If they'd been sparks. I used to fancy saw them written in fiery letters at night upon the black wall of my cell. You spoke feelingly, sir,
  such hold on me. They were Young man, you your dasngeE0u pssaA.- sFa of crime never leads upward, alwaye down, down to the unknown depths. The pure sunlight of heaven never smiles upon 1t. It Ia crowded with wrecks of noble lives When you tread 1t you leave mother, true friends, light, peace, heaven and God behind you. You are going 70 prison. Tn the quiet years you shall spend there look over this life Of yours, and think If you can afford to spend the smallest portion of 1t on this path Come out a vii ha vii of your lie before you many years to be useful and good in and to retrieve this false step. Let say from my heart, young man, don't blight your life'n
 "My mother sat weeping behind me, sir, as I stood at the rail- I was her only support. God alone knew how she was to live during those years. Your words were knife thrusts, sir did have to leave her, friends, peace, heaven and the God she had 90 earnestly taught me to pray to. And came out pure man. God knows, how Pve tried not to let that false step blight my life. But wherever went, some one spread the the truth-'Employing that man, that John Dorter; why, he's a convict ,
 "I became desperate; . temptation stared me in the face. I felt myself weakening. Starvation, gloom despair, broken hearted mother were about me- and l wavered sir, when . thought came Surely, surely, the judge who spoke those words would help me- he wouldn't turn me away And came. It was my last chance. Too much de- pended upon my getting work, sir, to risk telling you my story. But now Pm found out, Pm ready for your decision. Can you trust a convicted burg lar in your house? Will you give me a trial3 If not, I'll go away and try it again, sir, don't knoW@"
 "Trust you, Johni Give you e triAl1 You have been tried, and again sentence you, John Dorker, to five years in my service in my most earnest help, in my best effort to place you on the road to pros perity. God bless youf"
 And when the sentence was served, John Dorker was an honest and useful citizen -AnomymOWs.
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