The morning call., 1892-06-12

hammer raised high in his p0 werful milk
white arms. while under his dark red shirt,
cut away at the neck and arms, his muscles
stood out like cords. The Warden watched
him as be skiIfully welded the horseshoe
on the anvil aud with few tremendous
blows finished it, and turning around,
caught sight OF the Warden'8 little daugn-
ter, There were a dozen other blacks miths
at work and double the usual number on
guards to watch them, for blacksmith s
hammer is almost as good weapon as
six-shooter. After 429 turned and smiled at
the child he looked toward the guard ana
raised his hand.
The guard nodded undersiandingly, and
429, laying down his hammer, fetched from
a corner a little oven, such as children lOVe
to play at cooking with. lie handed IL TO
her without word, but with smile that
showed little dimples in his cheek and his
white. even teeth Her delight was mani
fest. Small as ii was, it was too heavy Tor
her little hands. She put 1t down on the
floor, and called upon 429 70 show her now
to put the top off and on; 4Z9 showed her
burriedly, keeping his eye on the guard
most Of the time; but the guards were d.
rected tu be merciful by the Warden, and
then. suddenly, before any body knew what
she was doing, the child threw her arms
around 1925 neck and kissed him tumuItu-
Ously.
Tie blood poured into the convicls face /:
his cheeks. lie seemed 10 forget the guards,
the rules, but half sitting, half kneeling on
the ground, held the child'S hand IN his ana
with the other hand wiped the tears from
his lace- The Warden glanced meaninglY
at the guard, who said not word. The re-
generation of a human soul was going on,
and the child was dong an ANGELS Work.
"Will you make me little teakettle.
tOo?" She called il a "teatette." and when
he nodded she squeezed him hard around
the neck. The convict rose aud TOOK his
hammer and went TO work again, aud the
Warden. carrying the oven in one hand and
holding his little daughter by the otherr
went out.
That day at their midday dinner the War
den told has uife about IT,
And I've notion Of taking 429 for a
'trusty, and you know he's IN for life, said
''Yes. know" said the wife, who knew
every case in the prison, ''and II ever there
was a boy l felt sorry for 1t is that 429
in for life; and | don't any more believe
he had any idea OF killing that fellow than
l had"
Not a bit," said the Warden. ''IF he had
had any sort Of a lawyer he'd been let of
with 10 years. When he was tel ing me
about it-abOut having nothing In the world
to love him except that poor dog. and when
he saw the other fellow torture il to death,
his Jumping on him and beating him TO
death before he fairly knew what he was
dOing-I say, II he had told the court ike
be told ne, a-sobbIn' and cryin', there amt
any jury in the world that would have
given him life sentence But that fool
of a lawyer wouldn't let him say word.
and managed 10 get him in States prison
for life.
The child, who bad listened to this, grew
pale. and her childish eyes opened wide.
She had never before taken in The idea that
Il fod hot mas
any hardship to wear striped clothes and
be watched By guards with loaded pistols.
But suddenly the whole SOrTOWful mystery
seemed 10 be made clear 10 her She began
to weep, and in spite Of the soothing Of
father aud mother, she continued TO weep
Historically. All that afternoon the mother
held her, tie child crying by fits and starts,
and toward night her cheeks burned with
fever.
When the father came in at dusk his face
You remember 1902" he asked in a
strange voice Of his wife.
Yes" said his wife, trembling at his
tone
"Within half an hour after I took the
child away from him this morning he was
taken with a shivering fit, and the doctor
says he believes it IS scarlet fever"
The instinct of motherhood for an instant
OyerpOwered the instinct Of sacrifice. She
clhoptu the chtlu 10 ueI HeaEl as II 10 keep
away the danger but the next moment, see
ing the fathers agony or fear. she recOV-
cred herself
Let Us trust in the Lord, +" she said. He
has given US work to do. and if he requires
our child, he gave it, and he can take it
away. Blessed be his name"
But the father did not say amen"
For a week the child struggled for her
life, and as 429 was the last thing impressed
upon her mind she talked necessarily about
him. Was ii not good CT him to make her
an oven And he had promised her ''tea
tetile" Every day she sent her love TO
him. and every day she wished that he was
her ''trusty." She liked him so much better
than the last 'trUsty." Toward the last she
became deiiTiOus. She thought 40 was the
''tTusty," and she was walking with him IN
the fields IN springtime, aud 10 pleasant
lanes, and catching butterflies. And so,
smi ing, she died.