The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-03-13

how my heart ached as tried 70 &pcals.
10 simple words, sentences that thoii8li
smooth. must have seemed 70 him efrel
ns the lycencst blade. lis children
wore beautiful Ne would 10 anything
Tor them had found homes fof them
where they would be trentad with care
and tenderness All that wenlfhand love
could do for them would be done lfe
drank III ny words with en1crncss
said that Ii twenty years, when he
would ic rclensed, these children
would be women. They might be
wives, and possibly mothers Your
name stands Ia tho way Of their sue
cess. Can yon give them up and never
know them again, and let them be for
ever ignorant Of their fathers sad
hlst0ry2 HIS features were settled.
lie did not weep. He turned away u
moment aud bowed his proud head on
his hands Then hc turned and said:
& raging FIRE burns within my brain. =
told him not N be hnsty IN his de-
r sion IIc might walt until Tomorrow
and give IN answer. sTo-mDrrow2
Why should wait until tomorrow?
Tree they nre Ill that IS left on earth
Is me nox. and can 10 nothing %
them bnt d Disgrace; The name gave
thetn Inns been furnished. Shalt COM
pei them 10 bear II still? Tell my
darling children that their mother died
when they were babes. and that their
father IS dead that he died for them.
! shall never seek 10 know them. Their
fnther Is convict now Give each
pa@ III them d rose for me. Often did
Heir mother and gather flowers for
them Give each Of them 4 rose. ind
when these flowers wither, their father
Mil be no moro to them no more for
eyrr.N
The face 81 my friend now fully re-
iiecled her soul Tears III sympathy
RIA down Her cheeks as she finished
her eloquent recital. Hut there came
i smile almost ~ triumph az she IL.
firmesl Believe me. sir. there are
noble hearts Ehrobbing behind tho
pFisoA bars confess that my own
eycS we're dinmed. Illus ended. as /
suppose. tile story that had 50 deeply
Impressed me.
Three weeks later stood Ia my own
pulpit Id Chicago on . Sabbath even
lnN The incident seemed so we'll
tittcil % illustrate self.deniai that re-
Iated ii, but with less Of feeling than
when heard II III private converse
tion AT the close Of service stranger
cane forward, and. extending hts hand,
said: Sir, was deeply interested with
ye discourse tonight. and, may say.
thrillca with the Incident 81 prison life
tlint son related
Ness said |, Asit was d sad story. but
teaches us that 6ll natures are not ig-
tel lcearxc they wear The convict
garb.
have personal interest In this
cnse, lie replied. We have adopted
the youngest child into oHr family II
seemed hard that we who had been
left to mourn an only child should hare
another come into the home; the child
Of i stranger. and that stranger d con-
vict. We took her only for day. hut
she won her way To our hearts. Ny
wife's mother, lady 81 eighty years,
was with us, and she decided the case
FOR rs this way She took the darling
on her knce and nslsed her II she could
sing The child answered that she
could and would sing for her. III as
sweet voice as You ever Heard she
sang The Old Twenty third Psalm. The
Lords nv Shepherd. I'll not want
The lady 81 eighty pressed the little
lone Il her heart and said: Darling
Eehill. ypnr faith must be rewarded.
/ This IL vfnf home NV eon falsa ~
~ Your child; take her for what God
has taken, and while she lives let her
never feel want which ron can re.
lievc. 4
/ And Il our story can be rctold to nm
ether generation. II may be that some
soft hand WI lay rose on The grave
where rest the ashes Of the convict III
Their who died 10 his children. ". T.
Mccoy, p. D., in United Presbyterian.