Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-03-05
THE WARDEN'S TRUSTY. :
By NJ. E. s

Tertiary, had the Warden and MS wile
met with anything but gratitude and
respect at this time Most of the ex-
eonvicts wept and promised profusely,
and some OF them kept their promises;
but when this particular "Trusty" en-
tered the room on the last morning, he
neither wept nor promised. He simply
took the money the Warden gave him,
and got up to go.
II don't want no prayers, no said,
NOR no preaching neither. Iain't sorry
I came here; I'm frst-class shoemaker
now. and when came here couldn't
do nothin' but stand behind a counter
and sell nails and old junk and such. l
was all broke up with bad Twin, and
now I'm in frst-rate condition. Don't
YOU bother about me, Warden; my char
acter amt no worse than it always was:
/ lust got found out st that last clip;
but can tell you, stayin' In this hotel
has lust been regular streak O luck.
Good mornin' to you; Pm goin' TO be-
have right In the future because L know
now il is money in my pocket, D." ana
sTrusty" made for the door.
The Warden and his wife looked az
each other. They both understood
something OF the human heart and not
all the blasDhemy that could have been
uttered would have Mortified them so
much as this cOld-bOoded, deliberate
depravity. A man who was glad be
had got 20 the penltentiary because he
had learned the shoemaking trade. Ana
FOR two years had he deceived them,
and not one atom OF good had entered
his soul.
"What have we failed to dO?" cried
the woman, bursting into tears. ut is
our fault-my fault didn't pray with
him enough "No, twas my fault"
said the Warden with pale lips. "Pve
failed in my duty to that man; l don't
know how, but God knows. l haven't
lone enough for these poor fellows
Eve been feeling 1t for long" Eyes,
YES, YOU have" said his wife, with jeal-
Gus loyalty, weeping and putting her
arms about his neck. You've done all
that mortal man cOnld do, and ii ever
there was a man who walked Just and
upright before God, it is you"
This strange ending OF the Warden's
''TruSty" had such an effect on the
Warden that he could not make mp
his mind 10 notify the next trusty he
had selected. He went upon his rounds
that day with an anxious face, his little
girl trotting after MIN, her shrill, sweet
voice echOing through the gloomy cor
ridors and the still more gloomy work
rooms. The last place they had to visit
was the blacksmith's shop. This was
the place the child delighted in. 1t was
so warm and glowing, and the hammers
made such ringing music at the anvils'
and the beautiful red sparks blazed out
so magically as the brawny smiths
swung their white arms about in the
dusky half light. And then she had
friend in there. AS soon as they entered
the broad door the child clapped her
hands.
There's Ago." she cried; 81 know
him"-429 had his back turned toward
them. He was young man not more
than twenty-five, with a 1.-THE, supple
figure. Close cut as his hair was on his
handsome head, there were little chest
nut rings about the rosy nape OF his
neck. He stood with his feet wide
apart and a hammer raised high in his
powerful 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 he skillfuly welded the horseshoe
ON the anvil aud with a few
tremendous blows finished II,
and turning around, caught sight
OF the Warden's little daughter
There were a dozen other blackSmiths
at work, and double the usual number
of guards 10 watch them, for a black
smiths hammer is almost as good a
weapon as a six-Shooter. After 429
turned and smiled at the child, he
looked toward the guard aud raised his
hand.
The guard nodded understandingly,
aud 490, laying down his hammer,
fetched from a corner little oven, such
as children love 10 play at cooking with.
He handed il to her without word,
but with smile that showed little
dimDles in his cheek and his white,
even teeth. Her delight was manifest.
Small as il was, il was too heavy for her
little hands. She put it down on the
floor ana called upon 400 to show her
how TO put the top off and on; 429 show
ed her hnrriedly keeping his eye on the
guard most Of the time; but the guards
were directed TO be mercifui by the
Warden, aud then, suddenly, before
ANYBODY knew what she was doing, the
child threw her arms around 1925 neck
and kissed him unanimously.
The blood poured into the conviet's
AZ . hste
trickled down his cheeks. He seemed
TO forget the guards, the rules, but half
sitting, half kneeling on the ground
held the child'S hand in his, and with
the other hand wiped the tears from
his face. The Warden glanced mean
fngly at the guard, who said not a
word. The regeneration Of a human
soul was going on, and the child was
doing an angels work.
"Wlll you make me little tea ket-
tie, toC?" She called it 'tea kettle, P"
and when he nodded she squeezed him
hard around the neck. The convict
rose and took his hammer and went to
work again, and the Warden, carrying
the oven in one hand and holding his
little daughter by the other, went out
That day at their midday dinner the
Warden told his wife about II.
"And I've notion of taking 400 for q
'trusty,' aud yOa know he's in for life, F"
said he.
Eyes, I know" said the wife, who
knew every case in the prison, land II
ever there was a boy l was sorry for, it
il that 429. In for life, and don't any
more believe he had any idea Of killing
that fellow than had"
"Not bit," said the Warden. eff
he had had any sort Of lawyer he'd
been let or with ten years. When he
was telling me about it-about his
having nothing in the world TO love him
n-nnrt that nor dog and when he saw