Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1898-07-23

recovered his poise.
Now, | call shat kind Z he said.
with touch of feeling just because
I'm a human heing that's lonely and
reeds company 80 Sssss does me GOOD. Ii
i wasn't wearing these stripes, I'd offer
you my hand ON tbatr
"Of course he made no motion to do
so. but / promptly put out my hand
Thank your be said, giving it q
firm clasp. 1t seems good 20 meet a gen.
teman again.
You have few visitorss' ] sug-
gested.
You are the first outsider, except
ing the Penniwell people. There's the
chaplain He wants me TO be sorry for
my sins Lord. I'm no hypocritei he
broke out scornfuliy. Cracking safes is
my profession, and If was free I'd be at
il again. I've talked some with the
warden, but he hasn't q particle OF sym
PATTY with my feelings. He only shakes
his head and says. "Ah. John, we ought
TO have caught you long agoi' Now, I
call that a kind of wet blanket on a
mans professional enthusiasm, don't
your
II smiled and assented readily. He
was such fascinating old sinner.
so you are driven back upon your
memories2' remarked.
"'That's just it, and comforting
they are too. You would be surprised TO
know of the fortunes I've made. Well,
everything is gone now, and I'm laid on
the shelf, but it's a great consolation to
look back ON successful career. When
get blue sitting here alone, 1 bark
back to some time when outwitted the
officers, and it hesrtens me wonderfully
Then he paused a moment. L won
der il you would be interested to hear
of such matters?' he asked doubtfully.
Indeed i would was my instant
response DO you mind if 1 use this?
Sometimes ] write stories for the maya
zines.
Navy was interested at once
How do you make outS' he asked
critically.
'' Poorly enough 30 far
" Lord What you need is lifel' he
declared Why 1 could give you stories
TO write until your hair is grayp
Nothing could please me better,
said i.
Will you put In my own manner
be asked eagerly.
Certainly, if you wish me to-
Navy seemed gratified. we'll re-
member the delightful animation with
which he began story OF one Of his
earlier esoapades. 1 wrote it out care
fully, and after that 1 often visited
him. quite as much for my own advan-
tage as for his
Meanwhile my notes kept pace with
his stories, and Navy showed the ut
most interest ia them. That man of
his stamp should be so concerned laid
TO the killing monotony of prison life,
but at last / discovered that he was
brooding over some scheme which be
was half ashamed TO propose. One day
! frankly inquired what was on his
mind
"'I've got a notion that I'd like to
write out one of my stories myself, he
confessed, with some diffidence- It's
all folly maybe, but it would do me
good 30 try.
ut did seem droll, but be was such
a genial, open hearted old fellow that
il would have been cruel not to humor
him On my next visit we carried out
his project. and never had seen him
so cheerful and happy as when he hand
ed me his completed manuscript
Z" IL would do me good 30 have that
| published, he said, smiling upon me
with open kindliness You may find
mistakes In it. bot don't make any
changes Let It go, title and all. just
as it is. You see. it is my own worki'
THAT was my last meeting with
John Navy. I carried his story home
and read il, but saw that IL would be
quite useless for publication unless
some journal would take it as news.
Yet with all its faults there were GER
tain novel expressions scattered through
it which could hardly be improved.
In order TO preserve these bits COP
led the whole manuscript for my own
benefit 1t was short--a matter of two
columns only-and / was on the point
OF sending It 60 one of the New York
oailies when I remembered my promise
to the warden.
1.-The story seemed perfectly harm
less. Still there was my promise, and
after some indeoision about suppressing
the manuscript entirely felt that
must give it up. The warden listened
rather triumphantIy to my explanation.
4 told you Navy would try to use
you, he said gruffiy. We will keep a
strict watch after this
'He ran over the story hastily and
with evident disappointment
Pshaw There's nothing about the
| Penniwell case here, he exclaimed.
This affair happened dozen years ago.
Navy Is conceited. He wants to keep
his name before the profession.
81 remarked that the story was fair
ly we'll told.
oh, yes, he is smart enough and
would be dangerous fellow at large
It's lucky for the whole country that
we have him behind the bars. AS foI
this stuff, it doesn't really amount tc
anything. but we can't let it go out
while the man lives; thanks to you
just the same -