The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1892-10-14

said that in twenty years, when he
would he released. these children
would he women. They might be
wives, and possibly mothers. Your
name stands in the way of their sue
cess. Can You give them up and never
know them again, and let them be for
ever ignorant of their fathers sad
history? His features were settled.
lie did not weep. lie turned away "A
moment and bowed his proud head on
his hands. Then he turned and said:
"A raging fire burns within my brain"
| told him not to be hasty in his de-
cisiOn. lie might wait until tomorrow
and give an answer. ''To-morrowg
Why should | wait until tomorrow?
True, they are all that IL left ON earth
10 me now, and | can be nothing to
them but disgrace. The name | gave
them has been tarnished. Shall | com
pei them To bear it still? Tell my
darling children that their mother died
when they were babes, and that their
father il dead-that he died for them.
/ shall never seek 10 know them. Their
father il "A convict now. Give each
one Of them a rose for me. Often did
their mother and ! gather flowers for
them, Give each of them a rose. and
when these flowers wither. their father
will be no more to them-no more for
ever"
The face OF my friend now fully re-
iected her soul. Tears Of sympathy
ran down her cheeks a. she finished
her eloquent recital But there came
Il smile almost of triumph rs she af-
firmed: .'Ielieye me, sir, there are
noble hearts throbbing behind the
prisoA bars" / confess that my own
eyes were dimmed. Thus ended. Is /
suppose, the story that had 80 deeply
impressed me
Three weeks later stood in my own
pulpit in Chicago on sabbath even
Ing The incident seemed 80 well
fitted To Illustrate Sclf-denial that I re-
lated il. but with less of feeling than
when 1 heard it in nriEat" cnnyerSa-
tion. At the close Of service a stranger
came forward. and, extending hiS hand.
said: sir was deeply interested with
Your discourse tonight. and, / may say,
thrilled with the incident Of prison life
that you related
Yes, - said l. ii WAS a sad story. but
teaches us that all natures are NOT ig-
Erllr because they wear the convict
garb,"
Il have a personal interest in this
case" he replied. We have adopted
the youngest child into our family. II
seemed hart that we who had been
left 70 mourn an only child should have
another come into the home; the child
Of 4 stranger, and that stranger a con
Wet. We took her only for day, but
she won her way u our hearts. My
wife's mother, 4 lady Of eighty years
WAS with as. and she decided the case
for uS this way: She took the darling
on her knee and asked her ii she could
sing The child answered that she
could AMI would sing for her. In ~
sweet u voice a. you ever heard She
sang the old Twenty-thlrd Psalm, The
Lords my shepherd. III not want
The lady Of eighty pressed the little
one II her heart and said! Darling
child. your faith must bc rewarded.
This i your home. My son. take her
- your child; take her for what God
has taken. and while she lives let her
never feel want which you can re
lieve."
And if our story can be retold to an
other generation, il may be- that some
soft hand will lay rose on the grave
where rest the ashes of the convict IA
ther who died To- lIis children.-W. 7.
Meioy. u. d., III United Presbyterian.