The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1898-12-30

tion for Pats pardon and I will sign
it. He has been punished enough.
Get him out and make Christmas
gift of him to his wife and children.
fear it will not be very good one,
but If they want him, they should have
him. Pats offense did not involve
malice aforethought or moral turpi-
tude, and there are worse men at lib
erty. Yes, will cheerfully sign Pc
tition for his pardon"
And so / drew it up and he signed
it and Colonel Maddox, the solicitor,
signed it, and SO did the clerk and the
sheriff and took the train next morn
ing and went down and interviewed
the governor and his heart was touched
and he said: 'Take this to the board
of pardons and if you talk to
them like you have to me they
will grant this pardon at once and
sign it and you can take Pat home
with you and make your Christmas
gift" But, alas! The board did not
meet that day. Only General Evans
was there and there was some red tape
in the way and I did not get Pat out
and have got to go back again and my
wife is disappointed. Nevertheless, I
will get him unfettered and unstrip-
ed before this is read by your read
ers and will make poverty smile once
more. See if don't. The tear-eyed
wife and the children shall be happy
at Christmas, even tho Pat isent much
account, as the nabors say. His wife
never made n complaint against him,
but apologized for him and said: ."Pat
is mighty good to help around with
his mother and children" One rainy
night saw Bill Apps wife in Rome,
five miles from her home, hunting
around for her husband and as she
went from one saloon to another she
inquired in timid humble voice: els
my William in here?" When she found
him she led him home and bathed his
face and put him to bed. She said to
me once: "My William is mighty
good little man, but You know he has
his failings." Oh! the se blessed, faith
full, patient, long suffering women.
What would men do without them, and
what would become of the children?
Pats wife said that the two little
boys made enough picking cotton to
keep them in bread and wood, but the
weather had been awful hard on them
and their secondhand clothes were all
to pieces from the briers and cockle-
bnrs and she had patched them and
patched them till there was nothing
left to patch. She is n comely woman
and her face was clean and her hair
brushed and her common clothes were
put on in woman-likc manner. John
Hilburn says: "NIajor, she is good
woman and is always at work at some
thing and never complains She never
had to beg before, and sho wouldn't do
1t now if she could get work. And Pat
Will work, too, when he can get it, but
none of nscan get it regular these hard
tin,-n.
Nhlic was Eliminating | coullent
heip thinking about the difference he.
tween that woman's home and ours so
Inr as concerns the comforts of life
n"t difference between her children
"h. lh"Se OF our married daughters
"'t thoSe OF our nnhorS who are al
ready ieaStlng upon Christmas and
wear good, warm clothes and sleep in
gooo beds and are happy all the day.
MY own happy childhood is n blessed
memory to me and it grieves me TO
near OF little innocent children suffer-
ing Tor the necessaries and comforts of
He. | thought of Tom Hoods pleod-
lngs for the poor
"A icaky roof, naked floor
tahl"--a broken chair:
\ wall 40 blank, my shadow | thank
For sometimes falling there.
And thcs" are Adams heirs.
Though doomed by chnn,." OF birth
10 dress 80 mean and eat the lean
Instead of tn" fa: Of the earth.
"To get such humble meals
As honest labor can.
"oh, An" litt'" thanks to man. u ''0
oh' mon with sisters % J."r.
oh! men with mothers nnd ,,,;,
'''DN IA at tn" !oor of the suffering noor
And brighten up their lives" '''r'
hATEk-A' telegram from Aton.
w;yi "yH rn 'hat Pat has been pardoncd on%
' t;n ne nome to spend Christmos VIII
h,S ils family 1t is possible % fnr WIN miah
Anp it TO be happy sometimes R P""f
''''"ntn Constitution.