The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1889-01-18
MY BURGLAR FRIEND.
BY H. 5. kEILEn.

from the burning stake, or dragged the
! pal;-faced maiden from the lone wig
vain of the bloodthirsty aborigines Of
the wildwood.
Then he became a Corsair, red
handed pirate. 1t was an epoch of
glory in the life of each and every one
of rs, when, in drawing lots, we were
allowed the advantage of sailing under
his fag-a veritable skull and cross
bones, proudly defiant from the apex of
the Harkens hen-house.
Then, after the piratical course had
spent its fury, and after we had doubly-
dyed our hands in the poke-berry blood
Of our victims, Harkens went upon an
expedition right into the wilds of Cen
! trail Africa. How the gloomy forests of
! that wondrous region doomed up before
US, as the brave leader led us into the
depths How we shot the fierce tiger,
and lured the gigantic elephant to his
doom How we snatched from the very
Jaws of death and restored to happy
homes weak and defenceless maideusl
That was boy hfe; that life which pre-
sents itself to me, as l now sit here in
my library, like some sweet old dream of
happy days laid away in the past-the
past so freighted with Joys, and tinted
with sombre hues by the tears of disap-
pointment.
And Harkensl
Hush Do not mention that name.
There is a respectable old lady living but
two blocks away-his mother. Bv her
side sits tonight my wife, Harkens's
sister. They are both highly honored.
The Harkenses are all highly honored-
all but Jack, my school-boy friend.
Ee is in prison, sert ing six-year term
for burglary.
Two Of the years have passed, and Jack
is still there; there tonight, and. If kind
slumber has not sealed his eyelids. he is
gazing into the impenetrablc darkness
which crowds, congresses, fills his little
cell Ike ten millions Of invisible blank
cts, crushing the life out of him, and
rearing in his dreams sad phantoms,
which reproach him like visitors from
the fearful land Of penitence and re-
heafsY make q Ieap.---4Ilan love;
the woman ,.,lseag neart beats for me, aud
for whom my heart throbs as / lay aside
my pen. and rise and open the door.
1t is only little white face, half hid
in the furry hood, pair of brown eyes,
and lips cold with the kiss OF the night
air-not warmed to red again by my
kisses.
Little woman, your hands are like
ice. Come to the fire and warm-no;
you cannot. The fire has gone out. Now
I want you to go right 10 your room and
thaw out, You-aee here, Claire, what
is the matter2 Your teeth are ehattering
like eastsnets, and you tremble from
head TO foot"
'.Dear, and she placed her chill hands
upon my lips, looked around as though
she feared that the familiar walls had
ears. ''Jack is outin
If she had told me Jack was dead
couldn't have been more dumbfounded.
Sing Sing IS strong, and holds many a
laddie safe and sound from the encroach-
meuts Of the great, big, free world. Yet
men have escaped its iron doors and
walls of stOne-but few have escaped to
live a life of freedom in this great
world of ours; for the law, like the
monster octopus Of the Caribbean Sea,
reaches out its innnmerlble tentacles, one
after the other, to draw its victim back
into its terrible embrace-terrible alone
to the evil doer, but safeguard to which
ali OF good intent and lawful action look
TO with emotions OF protection.
slack escaped? How did you learn of
itl" ] asked, as drew the shivering little
woman to me, and wound heavy coat
about her.
81 rom his own lips"
what And you have seen himg''
interrupted, more astonished than ever.
-'Nes, at mother's-but the officers
viii soon have him back again, IN
less
Swell, unless what.D
"Iinless you nelp him.
s'NYhy, my dear, that is fearful
thing to do. A man who hods the po-
sitioll that do in the business world,
assist an escaped convict
'1)on't say it, dear. Yes, / know
Jack is what you say. Ii has broken
tteEs,.hesrt~-sgd bRt for zq al7-1 nv Nv
to'ssa goa. snit. of .elntbs-as..4!-iAsii...
dear, should die Of shame. Jack is
my brother You used to like jolly Jack
Harkens, long, long ago"
It vas said so softly, sweetly, and ten
1erly, that my heart melted as looked
into the pleading eyes of my wife
Jacks eyes, when Jack was 10y, and
befoie the fires of sin and crime stole
away their softness. ''Dear old Jack,
the truest and brayest of us all in those
swee. old days long ago, away back in
the little country town. Ali evil COM
pauinns have worked i'll with Jack Har-
kens 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 devoted mother-such a .
dear little sister
'.lYour wife, . softly broke in she.
ayes. my own dear little wife. am /
q brute to tell you of your brothers
way,vardness. | am afraid the prison /
doors will open again to receive Jack"
''IIe swears ne will kill himself, rather
than be retakea."
"-rhe same old Jack, yet; if he swears
it, n, power will prevent him. If / could
help Jack for your s-.ke, for your
mothers"
q knew you would. Harkl 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 kiss upon my lips, and left
me.
Tap, tap, against the blind of my Ii
brary window opening upon the We
Ianda.
Raising the window, I pushed back the
blinds, and tall woman stepped over
the low sill, clumsily dragging the long
skirts after her. Ireclosed The blindsand
window, and turned to Jack, now stand
ing with his back 70 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 pair
of zebra-marked trousers. II was Jack
Harlens, tie escaped convict, IN his
prison gafh-