Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1890-10-02

said the Judge, with note of disappoint-
ment in his voice, but lawyer at the bar
told me who you we're.
| always someone to give n fellow a
kick, no matter how hard he's trying to get
Up"
| sentenced you ten years ago to the peni-
Tertiary. Is it true?"
1T is, sir, was the humble reply.
And you served your full term of FIVE
years?"
Lacking the time of Communication,
did"
What have you done since your re-
lease?"
Nothing but try. sir; shifting bout
from place to place. I've tried hard, des-
perate hard, to lead true, honest life, but
it uphill work There's weight on a
man like me, sir. The opening peniten-
tiary door is 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.
Were you guilty of the burglary?"
Il vas, sir. 1t was my first cri me.
The easy gain locked tempting and fell.
! needed money; but that is no excuse;
deserved punishment. Those awful years,
sir, gave me time for reflection, and de-
termined when got out with Gods help,
to pick myself up. It's been hard, cruel
ly, fearfully hard. I'm an honest man in
my heart. sir. if the world won't acknow-
ledge it.
But why didn't you tell me this when
you came? 1t would have been better +"
Il suppose !, would, sir But | was too
weak. | needed work so badly, and
if you had turned me away, then,
why"
What, John7"
Never mind if you please sir; you
didn' turr me off.
Very well, John, I'll not ask. But you
said you had special purpose in coming
to me. Can you tell me that?"
John Dorker arose, laid his hat upon
the chair, and facing the judge, said i'm
pressivey:
"Do you remember, sir, what you said
when you sentenced me?'
mo, do not " -
well, sir, your words burnt tn
into my heart as if they'd been sparks.
used to fancy saw them written in fiery
letters at night upon the black wall of
cell. You spoke feelingly, sir, like you
pitied me, and that's what made them
take spcil hold on me. They were:
"Yorng man, you have set your foot on a
dangerous path. The way of crime never
leads upward, always down, down to the
unknown depths. The pure sunlight of
Heaven never smiles upon 1t, 1t is crowd
ed with wrecks of noble lives. When you
tread II you leave mother, true friends,
light, peace, heaven and God behind you
You are going to prison. In 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 opt a poor man. You will
be young, with much of yourlife before
YOU many years to be useful and good in,
and to retrieve this false step. Let me
say from my heart, young man, don't
blight your life"
He dashed the tears from his eyes, and
proceeded:
my mother sat weeping behind me-
sir, as stood at the rail, 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 so earnestly taught me to pray to,
And did reflect, sir in tn use quiet years,
and | came out d pure man. God knows
how I've tried not to let that false step
blight my life. But wherever went some
one spread the truth Employing that
man, that John Dorker, why he's a con-
Wet.
81 became desperate; temp alton stared
me in the face, felt myself weakening.
Starvation, gloom despair: broken
hearted mother were about me, and |
waivered, sir when thought came
Surely, surely, the Judge who spoke those
words would bel p me; he wouldn't turn
me away And ! came. 1t was my last
chance. Too much dependent upon my
getting work, sir, to risk telling you my
story. But now I'm found out, I'm ready
for your decision. Can you trust con-
victed burglar in your house, Will you
give me a trial? If not, I'll go away and
try it again, sir, but don't know
Judge Parker sprang up and warmly
grasped the trembling hand
Trust you, John? Give you a trial
You have been tried, and | again sentence
you, John Dorker, to FIVE years in my ser
vice, in my most earnest help, in my best
effort to place you on the road to prosperi-
ty. God bless you!'
And when the sentence was served. John
Dorker was an honest and useful citizen.
Nj. L. THOMPSON d CO, Druggists, Cou-