St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1897-01-16

lie had srhooied himself IL expect
no miracle in his behalf. No imme.
Giate or early liberation was a part ol
his hope. But Truth by 'ary force OF
gravity would reach his ..sc at some
future tire. lie took an interest in
the cegro b2rsiur. as they were in the
same department.. T.at black man was
the last Ink between himself ard the
world. He was foal-looking, thick.
Tipped. Scared creature, but the msu
sentenced to life Imprisonment built
q mantle of association ard memory
around the evil African which con-
ccaled the wickednees of his appear
arce. The negro was called out one
day and did not come back, anc tn,
saddlery department was a desert OF
dull impersonaiity. New arrivals cnIhe,
but they were hardly noticed by him.
Others went away, and he still. grievcd
for the negro. Two years after his de-
parture the negro came again. more
villainous of mien than before, but to
the living man intombe6 he was q fash
OF beauty out of the g lorious free world.
But, as his had bsen only q small NAL
cfactior, the black mans sentence was
very hrief-a y-ar or some such mat
ter-end OF q morning he missed him
and the wild face was seen no more.
He thought of this Us he walked after
the messenger.
Always, however, his greatest
thought was for the boy who had
played ON the bed that Sunday after
noon back in ages. He dreamed Of his
child, and in his dreams registered his
growth. He saw the bright face grow
more boyish and less babyish, and Ee
wondered if his mother had cut his
golden lair or bad let it grow In curls.
One morning he woke with feeling Of
pleased surprise. He tried to think
what it meant, and of sudden It came
to him. He had been 50 stupid not to
have thought Of it before. The boy
must be wearing trousers! He could
see him manfully strutting about Just
as he remembered strutting about him
self when he was q boy with his first
trousers. He smiled In the shop at odd
times through the day. and the guard
was almost suspicious of his levity.
It was so good that the boy did not
know where he was. The little one
would be schooled to good thoughts
Of his missing parent. He would grow
to be a learned man. possibly Z con-
gresham, possibly-oh. awful thought,
. judge! Yes. q judge. sentencing men
to terms of imprisonment-men inno-
cent of wrong-doing. He wondered IL
there would not come into the mind
of his SON some thought of what it
meant to send . man into the grave Of
life, and to himself he prayed that.
though it be an honor. his boy should
not he called to the bench. It would be
SO horrible to touch elbows With an
other striped incomcr rs they sat Mt
the long table and know it was his boy
who had sent the wretched msn there.
the pardon would conc. how
ever, before the little chap had grown
to this stage. Let us see. He must be
IS now.
Oh, those dreams of that boy to whose
cars no whisper Of his fathers fate must
come. He dreamed them all over again.
as, after % years, he followed the mes
senger to the reception hall. A dozen
plans as to seeing and pridefully watch
ing the child-now o man grown--came
into his mind. and all these projects
q self-enacement, 20 that
his son might not know who was the
old man who came daily into his court
room or into the halls Of statecraft
to listen to his words and look upon
him 20 strangely.
They were in the rcception-rotm at
this moment. and the discharging and
officer was before him, tell
ing him of his pardon, and directing
him concerning the civilian clothing
be was to wear away. It had been R2
years since he had stood among .
throng Of others in that hall, and -
be gazed about there was a company
of sullen-looking arrivals marching in
It the great door. He surveyed them. |
lnd saw with plying surprise that the
horrible negro was among the number.
,llained to some young malefactor.
Sut he also saw through the doorway
he green of fields, which he had not
'een for years, and he knew that beyond
vas his glorious boy. Clad in his civil |
an clothing and with his ten dollars
a his pocket, he stepped out into tho
.lad sunshine.
"Who il that white-haired old fel-
owl" inquired the gray. long -erving
leputy, who had come down with tho
,ewly sentenced prisoners. Il seem to
emember him"
They told him. ''Whew!" the deputy |
yhistled. "Isn't that = coincidence?
,ee that young fellow chained to tho
ligger? He il that old chaps son, and
.e's coming in ON . lifer." - Chicago
aecord.
He Had Ono Defect.
The iust-cngaged girl was telling the
ther all about lit, }" or. more properly.
him." EYES," she said, I'm very
much in love, 1 know. but not in the
lind. silly. illogical way that most
iris are. I'm not SO far gone butwha4
can see that he has defects-oh, lois
{ them-both in looks and in char