Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1889-08-30

character and his nelghbOrs VIII talk IL
into a crime, or try to. Suppose John
was imprisoned, he may be now as good
a citizen as any one. I'd rather any
one else than Skies had disclosed this
matter; he always carries around such an
abundance of dull axes. l hate to tell
John of this, but l suppose it must be
DONE"
John promptly obeyed his summons,
entering respectfully and inquiringly.
A shade of distrust upon the judges face
made him uneasy, but he calmly and
with manly dignity awaited the COM
munication.
"Sit down, john" the judge began
kindly; lit may be long interview"
He complied and began nervously re-
volving his straw hat by shifting his
fingers along the edge of the brim, but
he looked firmly at his employer.
"John-your surname, is it Dorker?"
A slight pallor swept over the honest
face, as he replied
ut is, sir. You have remembered Inc
at last"
"You expected me top
II did, yes, sir"
4>O, uluh itCOSHlZS YOU, oOih,
said the judge, with note Of disap-
pointment in his voice, "but lawyer at
the bar told me who you We're"
always some one to give fellow
kick, no matter how hard he's trying to
get up"
Eyes, it seems so. Now, John. he
says l sentenced you to five years to the
penitentiary. Is it true?"
ut is, sir" was the humble reply.
"And you served your full term of
five years."
Lacking e time of Communication,
did,"
what have you done since your re-
lease?"
Nothing but try, sir; shifting about
from place to place. You know the
way it is; convict-discharge So it's
been going, nothing but hard luck. I've
tried hard, desperate hard, to lead a
true, honest life, but it's uphill work
There's a weight on a man like me, sir
The opening penitentiary door is at the
very foot of hill, and when a poor fell
low comes out and tries to walk up,
there's always some one glad to push
IT'LL DdCk again.
"Were you guilty of the burglary"
81 was, sir. 1t was my first crime.
The easy gain looked tempting, and |
fell. l needed money, but there is no
excuse, l deserved the punishment.
Those awful years, sir, gave me time for
reflection, and determined that when l
got out, with Gods help to pick myself
up. It's been hard, cruelty, fearfully
hard, but l haven't fallen again. I'm
an honest man in my heart, sir, if the
world won't acknowledge it."
But why didn't you tell me this
when you Gamer 1t would have been
better
II suppose it 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 off,"
VERY well, John, I'll not ask you
But you said you had a special purpose
, in coming to me. Can you tell me
, that?'
John Dorker arose, laid his hat upor
the chair, and facing the judge said i'm
pressively:
"Do you remember, sir, what you sale
when you sentenced me?'
: mo, do not"
"Well, sir, your words burnt them
selves into my heart as If they'd beef
sparks used to fancy l saw then
written in fiery letters at night upon the
9 black wall of my cell. You spoke feel
9 ingly, sir, like you pitied me, and that
what made them take such hold OF
o me. They were: Young man, you hav
!. set your foot on a dangerous path. Tn
way of crime never leads upward, Away
!, down, down to the unknown depths
n The pure sunlight of heaven never smile
upon it. 1t is crowded with wrecks o
~ noble lives. When you tread it you leav
:, mother, true friends, light, peace, heav
en- and God behind you. You are goin
:, to prison. In the quiet years you shal
spend there look over this life of yours
and think if you can afford to spend tn
i smallest possible portion of it on thi
path. Come out pure man. You wi
still be young, with pluch of your if
before you; many years to be useful an
SOOl III, stuNt W iSll ItN Z Wis lolSc Sltl
10 Let me say from my heart, young man
don't blight your life
i He dashed the tears from his eyes an
e proceeded;
4 "My mother sat weeping behind me
= sir, as l stood at the rail. l was her onl
a support. God alone knew how she wa
- to live during those years Your word
were knife thrusts, sir. l did have t
I, leave her, friends peace, heaven and tn
n God she had so earnestly taught me t
Y pray to. And did reflect, sir, in thos
S quiet years, and l came out pure mar
J. God knows how I've tried not to let tina
N false step blight my life But whereve
ID l went, some one spread the truth: EN-
N ploying that man, that John Dorkel
Va why, he's a convict
20 81 became desperate: temptatio
20 stared me in the face. l felt myse
Z. weakening. Starvation, gloom, despair
Of broken hearted mother were about m,
and l wavered, sir, when a though
N .C,,ralH- ha -