The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1898-12-29

HoN SolHo " LIS lOlSiuSa lHe hex
morning, and reused him up. telling
him the safe had been robbed and the
robbery had been traced 70 bin. O.
course he was innocent, but appear
ances were SO much against him thai
1t would be safer for him to get out ot
the way for time, until the matter
was cleared up. Morgan gave hin
a hundred dollars, and told hin
be would see 10 his being cleared oil
the charge, and then he could return
IF [ had not been stupefied by
drink, for Morgan had brought a bot
tie of brandy with him, to steady my
nerves, ne said, l would have remem
bered his proposition to me. and
known he was a robber Bnt !
thought OF nothing connectedly, only
that 1t was necessary for me to get
ont of the way for something; / hard
y knew what, myself.
As l said before, no one believed
Louis Calvin. Some months must
elapse before his trial could come off.
and in the meantime ne lay in prison.
sick anG despalring. Some friend OF
old Norah's, from the town of A.,
who happened to pass through the
part of Kansas where she had settled.
told her the situation of the boy she
had loved as her own, and never for
gotten. tn ough for four years she had
heard nothing of him. She immedi-
ately sold her little property and trav
eled day and night, until she stood
within his prison walls.
Louis raised her head and looked
al her, not able to realize that it was
really Norah who stood before him.
20 NANNY. nanny. is that you?"
he cried, with a choking sob. She
put her trembling arms about his
neck and drew his head down on its
old resting place-her faithful bosom.
My poIe honey" was all she said
but that was enough. The years OF
sln aud trouble seemed to vanish like
4 trodbled dream, and, for a minute,
ne was once more a boy, seeking shell
tel in the loving arms of his dear old
nurse. For some time they sat there
silent and then Norah spoke.
WHO is helpin you, honey? l
mean, what lawyer is you got to clear
you"
None" he answered L suppose
some one will be appointed to defend
me; but [ have no money TO engage
counsel, and nobody will do it for
love" His tone was very bitter. Yes.
NANNY. | was born and brought up
in this place, and yet | haven't
friend here"
is Lawyer Eldridge libin' here
YETI" she asked.
Yes; but he would not take the
case without money, and | think he
dlsllkes me personally. Don't worry
abnut ne, nanny, for I'm not worth
it. haven't stolen, but I've done
everything else wicked, and this is my
punishment. But oh, what comfort
TO have you heren' She looked al
bis wasted face, with a hectic flush
on her hollow cheeks, and her heart
sank
4 Il be back directly, honey" she
said, and went from the prison to Mr
Eldridge's house.
''lou member ne, Mass Eldridge2"
she said. Il nussed your wife when
she had the small poX."
Why, il it isn't Norah Leew Mr.
Eldrldge cried, shaking her warmly
by the hand. Remember youi
Well. | don't think we're likely to
forget the faithful won an who helped
US when every one else fed from the
house. When did you return FROM
Kansas? | hope you've come back to
stay among Us again"
Mass Eldridge. Pve coined here to
ak favor, sir. You tolt me one day
you'd do anything for me, an now l
wants something nifty bad
Mr.. Eldridge smiled kindly on her,
thinking that the old woman was per
haps in need Of pecuniary assistance
I'm glad you've come to me. No
rah. Now, what can do for you, my
good old friend2"
Il wants you to clar my boy, Louis
Calvin, you know. | wants you to
plead fur him, and get him off Mass
Eldridge, he nebber tuck dat money
He tolt me he didn't, an l knows it,
sir"
Mr.. Eldridge's face fell as she spoke,
I'm sorry you're interested in that
young fellow, Norah. Yes, | remem
Der you nur5ed him. He's bad case,
and he'll never come to any good He
certainly took that money. You'd
better not meddle in the matter"
The old woman rose from her chair
and drew herself up to her full height
Mass Eldridge," she said, with
quiet dignity, Il tuck dat boy from
his dead mudder's breast. an before
de Lord l promised to stick by him
for good or BAD. Use only a ignor
ant ole woman dat has no book larnin'
but it looks ter me as eff dis was de
time to do my best, when everybody's
face is sot agin him as if he was mad
dog. | axes you. Mass Eldridge, eff
any boy WAS likel Y ter turn out well
when his own fader nebber looked at
him, nebber said: don't do dat Gaze
it's wrong, do that Gaze it's right?'
Did you ebher try TO show him de
right way? You ibbed right along
side his fader'5 house, and you seed
Louis grow up. When you seed him
gwine all wrong, did you talk aud
reason wild de pore, friendless, nud
derlesS boy? l done all could, but
wheD | had to go way, he had no
body"
Mr.. Eldridridge was a good man,
though one of strong preiudices.
Somehow the words of Norah touched
a chord of sympathy, and aroused q
question in his heart. How far is any
man iustifable IN crying out, Am 1
my brothers keepers? when he has
neither raised hand nor voice to keep
him from the downward path? Oh,
these subtle, complex chains which
bind Us to our kind. We will never
know how strong they should be, how
intricate in their interlaeing. until we
stand before the Throne. and by the
searching light of Love, see how often
{ H. l.. : III /