Middletown transcript., 1892-07-14

was led away, leaving his tuning
father and weeping mother in the
cabin.
/ The trial came off soon. Il was
very brief. Fred had confessed his
guilt, but the prosecution showed
plainly that the confession came after
the boy had been confronted by cir.
cumstantial evidence which precluded
all chance of escape.
The jury found Fred guilty, and be
was sentenced to two years in the
State penitentiary.
| Fred's father did not attend the
trial, but his broken-hearted mother
haunted the courtroom and Jail, see
ing and comforting her child as much
as possible.
/ She sat as still as q statue during
the murmur that swept over the
crowded room as the boy convict was
taken back to Jail. No one drew near
to console her, and she went to no one.
She put up her worn, wrinkled hand
to her eyes, and wiped away the first
tears that had dampened her cheeks
through the day.
Presently she stole from the great
room and down the stairs, and turned
quickly toward the brick Jail. The
frowning, barred windows made her
shudder as she looked up at them.
She raped on the closed entrance
door, and while she waited she drew
her worn shawl more closely around
her, for the wind was cold.
The jailer admitted her, and she
followed him to Fred's cell.
"If you won't mind, Mrs. Lloyd" !"
the jailer said, "I'll turn the key on
you both fur while. I've got to run
over to the store, an I couldn't leave
che door open."
The iron door was closed upon her
and her son. She stood still in the
gloom until the jailer's steps had
ceased to ring through the building.
Then she moved to q cot beneath a
high, barred window, through which
the gray light came.
Fred sat on one end of the cot, his
face covered with his hands. She
seated herself on the other end, and
remained silent for moment.
Then she moved nearer, until her
arm had encompassed the boys neck
and shoulders. Tighter and tighter
she drew him. until his shaggy head
was in her lap.
" Fred" she said, in a whisper,
I've got somethin to tell you, an
nothin' else on earth but your aflic-
ton could brung me to tell it. I
got to thinkin' o your trouble. an I
thought it might make you more
satisfied. Your mammy's been through
L
jest sech trials as you are a-goin'
through now, leavin' out punishment
by law but in the eyes O. the
Almighty | wuz every speck as much
to blame as you.
g. got to thinkin' last night that if
the law had a handled me fur it, I'd
never a. been what I am now. It
mought a. made me hard O. heart, an >
wuz; so that's what I want to guard
you agin.
Away back when I wuz q gal,
about your age. I wuz tempted, an
TUX what didn't belong to me. 1t
never wuz found out, but it laid on
my mind and give me SO much trou-
BILE that put back the money and
prayed and prayed, till at last l felt l
had forgiveness. and wuz at peace
with my Maker.
Efyou'll remember what / went
through with, an keep up your sperits
thinkin' O. when you'll get back to
me an the farm. the time will pass
mighty quick; an I'll be ready for
you. Your bed will 9 in exactly the
spot that you left it. Keep a prayin'
fur humble sperit an help, an I'll
be doin' the same.
Its all dark an hard now, but
when you get back we'll begin ali
right Remember your nanny done
the same thing as you mebbe that'll
keep you frem feelin' lak-the' aint no
hope for you.
Before the mother had left the Jail
her sons face was aglow with hope,
and he had promised his mother to do
his duty and return to her as soon as
his imprisonment was over.
Two years later pale-faced boy of
nineteen, dressed in a new suit Of
homemade clothes, which his mother
had made and sent to him to take the
place Of lis prison garb. came across
the hills and fields from the station on
foot. He came timidly into the set
tlement, for he knew the unforgiving
nature of the people. No one guilty
of theft had to their knowledge ever
lived among them. Could they now
harbor one who had served q term in
/ p~;.op