The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1891-12-24

~ procession OF people. who guarded BY
police. were marched into . dreary room
In the Tomhs." called court. and hav.
ing neither frisnds. lawyer nor defence.
we're seutsnced 20 eervo farms q various
lengths Ia different prisons.
inns enemy. the tail policeman. made
erushins charge againss the little. shrink-
lne figure, that va hardly Visible 10 the
3odee On the bench. However. the charge
Vas direct. and the Judge used his own
discretion, asking no questions OF the
prisoner, who was quite too overwhelmed
to have answered them had they been put
70 him.
Jim went mechanically where he was
told to go. spiritless. helpless creature
At the mercy o. superior strength. 1t did
occur to him or his way to the prison-van
to make a dash through the crowd and
get home, but side glance at the clubs
and their owre IS discouraged him.
So the sitting van was finally exchanged
for the crowde boat, and Jims spirits
rallied a little in the pure air. and the
view Of the buildings on the Island excited
his curiosity. Their exterior immensely
was to him won derful. but far more so were
the narrow limits OF the interior.
Perhaps haC Jim been tho guilty little
fellow described in the papers that COM
mitted him, tn" monotony OF lifstu q 20
formatory, would have seemed to him .
just punishment. But, feeling outraged
by the In dignity put upon him. jim was
like a Gagged animal.
The forced habits OF order ard cleanli-
ness were like shackles on his limbs: even
the food was tastelesa. When he thought
Of his mother and his utter powerleeanees
% get to her he burned and shook with
rage. and then. 70 comfort him. would
come the memories o. hi1 last free day.
Tic walk up bright Broadway. the gay
throngs OF happy. free people. tho horeee
the wagon he had pushed out OF danger.
the kind voice questioning him about his
mother, the lovely money given him for
her, the nice beef-but hcre Jims pleas
ant thoughts would reach q point, be-
yond which all was despair and passion
| ate desires for revenge.
He wearied his small brain over the
problem. Had he done wrong In going
| first to the marketr
| Surely, the idea was . good one. His
| mother would have had to send him out
| to change tho bill. even had he drst carried
| Il TO her, and the same results might have
happened. Jim was no philosopher.
neither did he know enough to look for the
silver-lIning In his heavy cloud. He hated
his little dormltory. the great workshops,
the long diDing-room. the humanity
around him; but he fell In love with
nature, the blue sky-he had never seen
sucn an extent Oh !. un,n nowI.ne alvo.
~Asers moving past Ine isl"nu, 'ho ou' sos
ehu rocks Vi Iue no1' onoi0o' Oh" 'n'
eS 9 don caoua an,,+,d. for labor ri.
ues'. sf,,, a a. uue o ou ottan'
ton. Had he been free. no would have
| taken kindly to his task and locked with
pleasure at his handiwork. but nothing
that he did or said had the least particle
v, n.s near III H. uIe u"s %
kind ana cheerlui, was hardening uhaer
ihJus1lce' ne was thln ana "hile IN MS
UNIFORM anu cuttihe nls nun GLOSS 70 nls
neao nao deprived MN Oh hiS cnleI cnarm
his wiid' eiilsh expression. ms Drown
eyes were larger than ever, Out they were
!uh VI uhspoAen SIieAs "no suPptooee"
N WAS during Workine nouss. on Inc
3Srd Of december. ana . number o. @.
nSvoient people VINO mao orou8ns nstas
gifts Tor the chtldren's Christmas feeti.
VA entered the long iectory 70 80 sne
work In progress. The coys sat before
their stocking-looms, . double row on
each side OF tho Eoota.
Jim, unconscious 81 observation. rapidly
moved his shuttle, and having nnisned Q
stocking. quickly passed IL TO the BOY on
his right.
That little fellow Is helping his neigh
Dor. said the warden TO one OF the visi.
tors. He can do moro than 10 required
Of him In the day, ana the other cannon
90 - mucn. 30 you see ne ISN'T alto9es1e1
hopeless. although put up Tor steeian9.
The visitor approached Jim Tor Z
nearer inspection g the ohalds uoe =
3ogoeoee hopeaeoes ana having Weeooeo
Mn Tor some minutes sead elood:
cannot - how - Woeko 90 rApeoIy
l kn0O RoYeP Gold do ftf II 40