Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1899-06-10

U6cus COmPhuyt 1Adb uUes uS eODus Il
j wasn't wearing these stripes, Id offer
you my hand on that
"Of course be made no motion to do
SO, but promptly put out my hand.
Thank your he said, giving it a
firm clasp 1T seems good to meet gen.
tleman again.
You have few visitorsr / 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 hypocriteP he
broke out scornfully. Cracking safes is
my profession, and if was free I'd be at
it again. I've talked some with the
warden, but he hasn't particle Of sym
pathy with my feelings He only shakes
bis head aud says, "Ah, John, we ought
to have caught you long ago!" Now, l
call that a kind Of wet blanket on
mans professional enthusiasm, don't
your
II smiled and assented readily. He
was such fascinating old sinner.
So you are driven back upon your
memories?' / remarked.
That's just It, and comforting
they are too. You would be surprised to
know Of the fortunes we made. Well,
everythingis gone now, and I'm laid on
the shelf, but it's great consolation to
look back on successful career. When
| get blue sitting here alone, bark
back to some time when | outwitted the
~, a,,d hon rtp .9ao a~ff1
"Then he paused moment i won
der if you would be interested to hear
Of such matters?' he asked doubtfully.
Indeed / wouldp was my instant
response Do you mind if / use this?
Sometimes write stories for the maya
zines.
Navy was interested at once.
' How do you make out?' he asked
critically.
Poorly enough SO far.
Lord What you need is life' he
declared. Why, could give you stories
to write until your hair is grayp
Nothing could please me better,
said I.
Will you put in my own name?
he 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 escapades wrote it out care
fully, and after that | 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 in them. That man Of
his stamp should DO so concerned laid
TO the killing monotony of prison life,
but at )ast | discovered that he was
brooding over some scheme which he
was half ashamed to propose. One day
frankly inquired what was on his
mind.
@ I've got notion that I'd like to
write out one of my stories myself, he
confessed, with some difiidenoe. It's
all folly maybe, but it would do me
good TO try,
eft did seem droll, but he was such
q genial open hearted old fellow that
it 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
1t would do me good to have that
published he said, smiling upon me
with open kiudliness. You may find
mistakes III 1t. but don't make any
changes Let it go, title and all, just
as il Is. You zee, it is my own work 7
THAT was my last meeting with
Iobn Navy carried his story home
ana read It, Lut saw that it 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
1t which could hardly be improved,
q" In order to preserve these bits | cop
led the whole manuscript for my own
benefit 1t was short-a matter of two
columns only--aud was on the point
dailies when | 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 triumphantly to my explanation,
g | told you Navy would try to use
you, he said gruflly, 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 a dozen years ago
Navy is oonceited. He wants to keep
his name before the profession.
81 remarked that the story was fair
~ well 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 for
this stuff, it doesn't really amount TO
anything, but we can't let it go out
while the man lives; thanks to you
tha ca,ao -