Daily Kennebec journal., 1897-10-18
Guilty or Not Guilty.

The Good Will Homes have been In ex-
istence only eight years. but this is so
long a time that can now begin a narra-
tive with the expression Several years
ago" 1t was at that time, viz, Several
years ago." that learned a lesson which
has had it's influence in my subsequent
dealings with boys who may be suspected
of some misdemeanor, and also with my
attitude toward any fellow man whom
rumor may charge with wrong doing.
This happened so long ago-"several
years"-that it can now be recorded with
out injury to any one. The postmaster is
10 longer in the office; the matron is no
longer in the cottage; and the boy is a
Young man, making his way in the world
The boy in question had been charged
With a misdemeanor which he did not at
tempt to deny. Several other boys were
known to have been associated with him
in he matter. The misdemeanOr was
neither untruthfulness or dishonesty,
neither was it of criminal nature. But
there was a strong prejudice against the
boy and his expulsion from his home in
one of the cottages was demanded by a
matron. 1t did not seem to me wise to
eNlel the boy, and 1 was the more 10th to
lake such a course because the other
boys, some seven in number, were ex-
pccted to remain unmOlested. 1t seemed
to me just that seven boys should be sent
from the farm or none sent. l reasoned
that there was a possibility of injustice
in expeling the one boy 1t was ex-
piained that one of the other boys had a
poor mother whose heart would be bro
ken if such course should be taken with
her boy. l explained that this boy. over
whom the cloud was hanging, also had a
mother whose conditions in life were
even sadder. OF one of the other boys it
was explained that he was sorry and had
'repented with tears" The matrOn OF
the cottage where the boy lived had seen
him shed them. And l alone must see
the tears Of this condemned boy" l said.
But my best pleas seemed to have no eff
feet. and to keep the peace in the Good
Win community, something must be done.
/ decided what to do. That evening I
took the unfortunate boy to a room in
the cottage and explained to him as best
could, and said: And so it is demand
ed that you leave the farm, and this Is
your last night as Good Will boy" The
poor fellow gave one outcry, as though /
had wounded him with some instrument
of torture then laid his head on my
shoulder and wept bitterly. / do not
know what kind of a heart could have
remained unmoved. 1t was a long talk
We had that night, and not till after mid
night was the matter settled and sleep
possible. When we did sleep, 1t was be-
cause / had decided not to expel the boy
but to take him to my own home for a
time. The next morning he became q
member of my family. l was assured a
Few days later by those who had secured
his removal from the farm, that they re-
nothing could be gained by telling the boy
could not trust him, and so ! continued
TO place confidence in him. Whether this
was wise l am not stating, and opinions
Of my friends would differ. Several times
sent him to the bank with deposits, with
never fear of trouble, and trouble new
er came. tie was authorized to sign fol
registered letters at the Office and 1t was
here that learned the lesson.
One evening as l was signing for reg
istered letter myself. l noticed the boy:
signature to several letters on the line.
above where was placing my own. Thi.
was right, but the last time he had signed
was for a letter from Cary, Me. Now
have friends in Cary, and l could not re
call seeing any letter from that place fol
,, long time. Without giving any reason
for such course / instructed my secre
tary to look over the books and give mi
the names of all parties who had SEN
money to me from Cary, Me-, for tive
months previous. She reported later tina
no money had been received from Cary
for more than two months. The situation
was doleful. The outlook was dark
had trusted the boy to get the registered
letters. He had delivered them faith
fully until the day before, and then
yielding to temptation, had robbed me
or, worse than this, he had robbed tn,
treasury which had been making hom,
possible for him. Could there be san,
doubt OF this! The boys own signatur,
was proof Of the theft: and further PROC
was not needed. That was the way i