The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1897-12-24

and stroke the creature, that Responded
with a purr like growl.
Two years before the inmate of thai
cell was placed there in solitary con
| finement for murderous attack upon
u fellow-prisoner. For two years the
warden's cat had made him this nightly
visit-the wretched convict's only
friend.
"Sixty-nine's rather the best off, ~
thought Guard Joseph, watching the cat
in its upward journey. He's got boy,
and a boy beats cat, even if he is a
lame one"
He walked along the corridor, and i'll
moment he was standing before the
cell numbered GO. whats up?" asked
the convict, grutfly, as he saw the guard
at the grated entrance.
you've got boy, haven't you,
.Menly?"
"Yes-one." The prisoner answered
moodily. "What about him?"
Anything the matter with him?"
"He was lame" And now there was
a momentary, anxious culver of the sui
len face.
"Well, he was outside this morning
wanted me to tell you that his aunt
had moved to town; that he was COM
ing over to the prison every Saturday,
and that he sent you his love-"
Absolute establishment expressed it
self in the mans every feature.
denny! That kid! Why, the child
wasn't much more than five years old,
when" He seemed to lose himself in
painful reflection, and Guard Joseph
went on.
He had made the round of the ranges
a second time, when, passing the cell
again, he saw SiXty-nine peering anX-
iously through the bars, and asked.
''Well, what is it?"
The answer was whispered: SIS he
very lame?"
"Who? Oh, the boy. Not so very.
He gets about pretty brisk"
The prisoners face worked strange
ly. He'll never come again." he said,
bitterly. "They won't let him.
eff he does, you'd like to see him,
wouldn't you?" said the guard, prepar-
ing to move on.
No, no." cried Menly, mot here My
God! not here" He sat down on the
edge of his cot and hid his face in his
hands.
The guard in the brush shop was
agreeably surprised next day to find
that there was no need of reporting
SiXty-nine for punishment. The i'm
provement in his manner and conduct
continued until Saturday, when he WAS
noticed 10 be restless ard uneasy; iis
eyes constantly followed Guard Joseph
now Oh day duty-whenever that Off
Ger came within their range.
''Umph." said Guard Joseph. sudden
ly recollecting the lame boy. 81 guess
| know what that MEANS" 4 4 moved
~ the dumb entreaty in the prisoners
eyes, he went down to the CT, rdhouse.
The moment the gate swung open.
there was shrlll, joyous cry, Denny
popped into view all a-tremble with de
light.
Il hoped it was you, mister. l just
hoped it was you. Tell daddy I've
When the message was carried back
to SiXty-rine, lie said almost humbly:
Thank you, sir. l thank you"
The guard heard him grooming in his
sleep that night, and he woke himself
calling on the names of wife and child
The season rapidly advanced. Down
from the frozen northern seas swept
winter, with his storms of snow and
sleet. The turh;d river shivered under
its icy sheet, or swollen by rain and
bridge piers, and almost to its floor;
but storm or calm, ice-bound or rushing
river, little Dennis Menly toiled across
it each recurring Saturday, and waited
in the ST adow OF the prison walls for =
chance to send his weekly message to
his father.
Sometimes it was Guard Joseph,
some of the other guards or
worllmen. Orce or twice it was the
warden himself that heard the cry:
'Please, sir, tell daddy I've come"
sounding l"skily from the folds of n
voClen comforter. Quite frequently |
there was Il little gift with the message |
an apple, Pop corn ball, some candy;
once, brief, ill-spelled poorly-written
etter that the warden coughed over
FOR of course it was read before it was
given to the conrict-and that Sixty
nine hid away in the bosom of his
striped jacket.
"Well, sir, it is actually making the
Did man right over" the warden said
10 the chaplain; and the chaplain re-
sponded that SiXty-nine was certainly
1 changed man N more respects than
,ne,
"But It's n long, cold walk for you,
ny lad" the warden said to Denny on
pne of their meetings. 81 wonder your
mother let's you come"
ooh, this amt bad" cheerfully re-
Piled the husky voice, sinking to gravity
is 1t added: MY mothers been dead
ong time"
Don't you want to see the little fell
ow, Menly?" the official asked his pris-
oner, and the convict shook his head.
Not here-not while am like this"
ooking down at his prison garb with
shame and aversion.
He was a changed man. No one now
more docile; no more faithful workman
within the walls than he. His child's
affection filled his solitude, softened
him to repentance, nerved him to en-
1urance. Steadily, month by month.
the days won by good conduct rolled up
against his sentence. The word dan
gerous" left his record-the word
'trustY" was written there instead.
Then came final, unexpected test