Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1895-11-03
TEN YEARS
Or a Pest to Society.

you have proved yourself to be a
cailOus and Cruel-ne1rtod scOUndrel,
without a single radeeming feature IN
your character. You are pest to So
ci5Jy. and 7 feel that l should be Sc
riousy lacking in my judicial capacity
were T now 20 infict a less lengthy
term OF imprisonment upon you than
the Utmost The law allows
Thus did the judge preface his sen
tenco Il seemed so natural 20 hear
such words hurled at the head Of a
male-actor whose record testified to his
apparent inability TO live otherwise
Shan by plumber.
Net O. single look Of pity; not a yes
tiga of regret How could sympathy
be felt wi. n one Who was pest TO So
cioty3 Besides, he was nothing 10
them. And had he been, his life was
such that mona would have openly
claimed the relationship.
lie vast was 90 be hoped-with-
on relatives. lie might have friends.
but the friends Of such a man were nos
likely 10 be found within the precincts
Of o. court iUstlCe-at least, not as mere
spectators.
And the prisoner stood in the dock,
alone. friendless and Uncared fer
Throughout tho trial mis- demeanor
had boon one OF extreme Indifference
When the Judge began his address 10
him. the words seemed TO fall on. deaf
ears. II was only when the\ opAhet,
"a pest to society was used % de-
scribe him, that the prisoners hard.
imDaesive countanance exhibited any
change.
But that change was electrical In
ssanly HIS eyes opened to their fullest
evtone. became fixed for O moment on
the face Of the judge and chen dropped
20 5he ground.
Those words pierced his heart Cal
| lous. Crim9-stained, stunned and hunt
ed as ne was. there was a remnant Of
| self respect even in his nature. And
those words had reused it, you are a
pest TO sOoie r..
Then followed rhe sentence, but he
did not hear IT, 3 hand was laid upon
his saouderbut If ne felt the grip, it
had no effect upon him. The creaking
/ Of tho dock gate. as it opened TO per-
mit his exit. seem to echo the words
applied to him.
On being left alone in his cell. ne
seated himself as IF incontemDlation,
and then. resting his elbows on his
knees. buried his face i'm his hands
and the felon, the pest to society
wepy
Ills mind wandered wandered back
into The past. until everything connect
Z Ylfr f,lHT 81.
lie had sat on @ mothers knee, and his
( life had once been full Of prOmise-the
world mad held out glorious prospects.
/ They were unrealized, but they rushed
/ before him now.
An hour or two afterward he was in
trudcd upon. His i8iior, having secur-
| ed his wrists, requested the convict TO
/ follow.
A quick drive, and the railway sta
/ tiCl was reached The prisoner was
/ ru he'd into q compartment o. tho
J waiting rain. and his guard seated
himself by his side.
/ TIE Taller looked at his companion.
/ He was still absorbed in mis- Thoughts.
( and manifested a desire tc be ieit In
/ sole possession Of them. Taking ont q
( paoer. the representative OF The law
was speedily buried in rs contents.
An hour passed. The jailer's paper
/ became HOMOGENEOUS. He laid 80 aside,
and endaavored TO draw his prisoner
into conversation
( "Yo1 aaem mighty studious.' said
he But there was no reply.
The judge has given You thumper-
or mis- time. anyway continued the
oncgr "and I'm no, sorry It's y0uin-
s+ead NJ me. But, then, If men Won't
% straight. IT'S ,heir own fault If they
me Jagged. end they might rs we'll
/ take what's given en- with q good
cree You're thinking OF the past
I p'r'aps. and
and Of the present" murmured The
/ prisoner.
"W5u. 10 years ain't-"
And Of what the judge said Do