The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-02-07
CONNORS.
The Value of q Kind Word to q
Lonely Man.

"Connors," the lieutenant had sal
during their memorable interview
shave you never known anyone VIII,
was always interested in what you did
who was sorry when you got int
trouble, a1d glad when you behaves
YOURSELF"
mo, SIR he had replied; Il ain
had friends. l don't seem to max
friends easy. I had a good pal once
in Chicago, but he didn't gave a-ht
didn't care anything about my gettin
into trouble"
"Connors," said the lieutenant, anc
he looked thougntfully at a silver
framed photograph on his desk, thai
Connors saw was picture of little
girl with long tresses of wavy hair
I've little daughter back in ST Paul.
l hope she will come out here some
time. More than anything else
should like to leave to her the memory
of her father as an upright and, / hope,
a brave soldier, and if l have ally as.
| pirations for great deeds in this profes-
sion of ours, it is because 1 want her 10
be proud of me when she grows older.
think it helps us to do right if we
sometimes think of the sorrow we
| bring to those who love US and TO our
friends when we do wrong, and, if
| you've no objections, Connors, l should
like you to think of me as your friend,
if you will, for l take more of an in
terest in you than in most men I've
known in the ranks, and nothing would
do me more good than to see you bring
credit on yourself and your regiment,
and hardly any thing would grieve me
more than to see you go to the devil, az
you will if you don't stop now. But
think you will stop, and, if you will let
me, should ike to shake hands with
you"
Connors had suddenly found the pic
ture of the little girl grow rather dim
before his eyes. and something felt I'M
pleasant IN his throat, but he managed
to mutter a Thank ye, sir" and since
that time he had been drunk only once,
and the feelings he had known when
he found that the lieutenant had heard
of that he had never experienced before.
And now he was standing on the edge
of the parade-ground looking out on the
brown prairie over which the cool au-
tumn wind was steadily sweeping, and
wishing he had been better man.
Far away the curious peaks and rocks
of the Bad Lands rose like the citadels
of some ancient city. The scene was
picture of dFeariness, not a living or
moving object ia sight. If Connors had
been magma tive he might have fam
cied he was a lonely mortal looking
out on the primeval world. But his
weary familiarity with these surround
ings prevented their arousing any I'm
usual feehnga He was thinking Of his
wretched boyhood and youth. and of
the vice and crime he had seen and
taken part in, of the years sentence he
had served, and how he had enlisted
cape capture for shooting Sandy Peters
In Fagan's saloon ia Chicago. 1t was
true that if he had mot shot Sandy,
Sandy woald have shot him, but he
knew very well that the plea of self-de-
Tense would have awaited him little
with his past record, and with any
number of SRndy's friends ready to
testify against him He had sometimes
wished since then that he had not
lodged the rough's pistol, but had
stood still and made a fitting end to his
youthful but precocions career IN the
appropriate setting of the vilest dive
in Chicago, and gone into the history of
that city's crime as q terror to the po-
lice and an object of worthy emulation
to every young tough. What made this
all the more pitiabie was that Conners,
with ala his knowledge of evil and IN
happiness, was little more than boy
IN years, The time when hope should
seem brightest and life most full of
promise. But of late, since that talk
with the lieutenant, and especially
since the little girl had come out TO join
.hl somebow-he could not exactly tell |
Why. They're the only friends I've
,yer had-him and the little 'un," said |
Counors to himself, "and I won't go
back ON 'em; I'll be a credit to EN- yet |
if lean"
A great intimacy had arisen between |
he little girl and Connors from the /
moment when the lieutenant had intro
luced them and the child had said, in a |
1olite little grown-up manner: Pm /
Tery happy to meet you, Mr.. Connors," |
md had insisted on shaking hands |
with the orderly, much to his con-
usyon. for he did not know exactly |
What to do with the soft little hand she |
leld out to him, and his sensations |
wore curious as he looked into the
treat brown eyes she snilingly raised |
o has
~ think Connors will excuse your
,alllng him mister" said the Eeuten-
mt. with a smile
AS Connors looked out on the prairie
md thoaght in his way about ali these
Kings, he was conscious that he had
hanged very much in the last few
weeks. If he could have analyoed his
ceilings he would have said that he
lad more seH-respect than ever before,
or he had been living ssy2igh ter, as he
would have expressed IT. lie had a dis
met longing to do something in the
world, and to bring some happiness to
hose who were kind to him-matters
le had never taken much interest in
hitherto; but he may not have been
greatly to blame, perhaps, for he had /
lever known anyone who was kind to
lin. As he stood there he heard his =,
name called behind him. and turning,
aw the little girl running toward him
.cross the parade ground, without her
lat, the wind waving her brown hair
Jack from her forehead. When She
anne up 10 him she caught his hand in
me of her own. resting the other con.