Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-03-05


II.
Over in the gloomy quadrangle 429
also struggled for his life; but he won
the battle, and in six weeks time he
was again at his anvil, gaunt and hol-
lowed-eyed, but we'll. He had never
mentioned the child's name during his
convalescence. and By the Warden's or
der, nobody spoke TO him OF her. But
not for one moment had the thought
been absent from his mind. The hrst
day he was in the blacksmith shop, he
watched the door like Il hawk, waiting
for the Warden to appear. There was
no need 10 look at the Grape band around
his hat; one glance at his face told the
story. The convict let his hammer
drop, and gazed at tho Warden with de-
spair that would have touched heart
of stone, and suddenly without word,
he fell over in dead faint.
1t did not make much excitement.
He was quickly removed TO the hospital
ne had so lately lett, and when he came
TO the Warden and his wife were stand
ing over him. The convict uttered a
loud cry, and turned his face TO the
wall and wept like a woman, but the
father and mother were dry-eyed.
WHY should we grieve?" asked the
mother in her sweet penetrating voice.
us she not an angel in heaven? And
has she not saved human SCULPTOR,
l tell you, l believe your sonl is washed
white as the driven snow. The Lord
sent US TO yon poor, sin-stained souls,
and gave us our little daughter 10 help
to save you. Now, she has done a great
work. We give our child willingly for
your SOUL"
The father had said nothing, bat
presently he spoke; he was not su5li-
mated like the mother. zone thing
reconciled me-she had never known
that il was sad or sorrowful to be a
prisoner until just before she died. But
she would have known it and then, o,
God o, God! the sacrifice would have
been greater, because we never can
leave this place where our work lies
and neither could we have parted from
our chid-and so the misery she would
have endured must have broken her
neart. And l would rather think OF
her as happy in heaven than a bruised
| reed on eartn."
"And all the time she was III she was
begging her father to let You be our
trusty, and orr trusty you shall be-"
429, before he became TruSty, had
been subject 10 terrible fits Of despair,
when he would dash his head against
the walls of his cell and utter the most
| dismal shrieks and groans. But after
! that he never uttered sigh or word
of complaint. He became the Warden's
trusty, and, although he slept every
night in the prison, be was all day in
the Warden's service.
400 was not the only prisoner that
wept for the Warden's little daughter.
The prison Chaplain said that not one
heart 10 all that multitude remained I'M
touched. And shortly after there was
a greatrevival, panied by many of
what is called conversions. The War
den and his wife at those revival meet
ings stood upon the platform and re-
peated what they had said to 429: "If
| our cdild's death has touched your
hearts. we give her willingly" And
when the fathers broken heart COM
planned nobody knew it but the mother.
But 400, or Trusty, as he now was
called, seemed a legacy left them oy the
chill. His grief and remorse we're Dite-
Gus, and nothing seemed to give him
comfort except in serving the Warden
ana mis- wife.
One day, six months after he had be-
come Trusty, the Warden said TO him:
Tomorrow you'll put on those
brown clothes gave you and go into
town with my buggy and bring out
those express parcels"
Trusty's face flushed. He hesitated
a moment, but went his way. AT night,
as he was about 10 starr for the prison,
be said to the Warden:
II think I'd rather not go into town,
"Why not?" asked the Warden.
,cThere's not soul there that knows
you"
at isn't that" answered Trusty, "be-
cause everybody that knows me knows
that am in here for life; but, Warden,
suppose-suppoSe-temptatiOn-"
cit comes to all of Us" answered the
Warden, land trusty amt no use TO
me If | can't send him into town"
Trusty said no more, but the next
morning he came out, as pale as death,
wearing a new brown suit and derby
hat and looking as handsome as pic
ture in spite OF his palOr. He got into
the buggy and drove off. There was no
mistaking the road, nor yet the express
Office, so TruSty drove Straight on, nor
/ looked either TO the right or TO the left,
/ nor at the houses, with their cOmfOrta-
/ bic home look, nor at the merry child
rem, nor the women, but, collecting his
parcels as quickly as he could, drove
straight back to the penitsntiary, get
] ting there an hour before be was ex-
| pected. All that day he had a strange
| look. Before his face had been peace
full, but now his eyes were restless all
the time. That night the guard re-
ported that Trusty had zone Of his old
fashioned cryin' spells"
But Trusty went again and again TO
town. He went until nearly everybody
in the little town knew him by sight
and felt sorry for him. And five years
had slipped away. and in the meantime
people were interesting themselves for
him. A petition for pardon bad been
sent to the Governor signed by every
member eff the jury that tried him, by
the Judge and the prosecuting attor-
ney, by the Warden of the penitenIiary
and by many citizens. All this was IN
| known to Trusty, who went upon his
wav as before. The brown suit was
worn out, and one beautiful spring
morning Trusty appeared, ready for his