The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1900-02-01
THE TOWN REPROBATE

4
The day Lucius Mcknight came back t.
town., after a term Of six years and fou1
months in the penitentiary-he had been {
| good-time mana number of citizens made
1t point to be at the station. They wanted
| to see how he would brave it OUT
He swung off the platform almost be-
fore the train stopped, and lifted his hal
frankly but unsmilipgly to everybody h
knew.
one.
No said another, NOR yet any drag
! ging of the left foot Doesn't seem to have
any of the signs that you read about by
which convict may be detected
''Those weren't the government clothes he
| had on, either" added the first man. 'He
must have made the raise of another suit >
Meantime, the man of whom they were
talking was walking briskly up the main
| street of his village, speaking gravely to
all whom he knew. He passed the bank
| where he had once been trusted officer
| and where he had. betrayed the trust re-
! posed in him, and he had looked up at its
| ungracious facade with casual interest
! Hes got nerve all right enough" agreed
his townspeople, unable to decide whether
to condemn or to admire this hardihood OF
demeanor. 'If l had been he, you would
never have caught me back in this town
again"
! Mcknight went to a cheap hotel far up
the street, and asked for a room. Some of
the meaher spirits rejofced at this, remem-
bering how in the old days there had never
| been anything quite good enough for him
at Red Willow. But after he had secured
his room he came out again and walked
towards the country, passing the preten-
tious house and grounds which had once
been his and which he had sold for the
benefit of his unwilling creditors in the
days of his disgrace. He looked at the
place with interest, appeared to notice with
satisfaction some changes which had been
made in it., and then he walked on
There were plenty to mark where he went.
Those who. watched saw him pass the chalk
quarries, and strike the old unbrageous
road that led to the cemetery He was
going to his mothers grave 1t was
g.: fresh grave, but there were no
howers on 1t. He went to a neighbor's
and borrowed a hoe, and made the ground
round about the mound ready for the re-
cetplon OF plants, and then he went back
to town: At supper time he appeared at the
table with the rest.
T Some who had known him in the old days
tried shyly to make oyertures
GLAD to welcome you back, Mcknight"
said they. eff we can be of anv service
call on u.s."
The thanks were made with strange
quietness which disconnected those who re-
cefved them. They felt that in some wav
which they could not understand the soul
peculiar and perhaps terrible experiences.
1t was brooding in some solemn place Of its
own. and for the time. being it was un-
approachable.
Mary Lester, the school teacher. had
theory about it. cit is not SO easy to uber
ate the soul as it is the body" she said
Il suppose his soul has not yet got out Of
its prison stripes
There doesn't seem to be anv hand -dou
about the man." observed the one who was
talking to her ..~s,ee--
Why, should there be-" she INQUIRED
with some spirit. He made what resti-
tuition he could for his crime before he went
to the penitentiary at all. He has been
punished ds he deserved I SUPPOSE he
reasons that that helps to wipe out the
score. After a. child in my school has been
punished according to his deserts restore
him to his rights and privileges A moral
coward would never have come back to this
town again. But Lucius Mcknight has
come back here where the worst is known
OF him. l think be has excellent courage.
wish he would call on me- I'd make him
welcome"
But he called on no one. He Joined M
one on the street. This evidence of sensi-
tlveness and suffering was the only one he
gave.
me second morning after his return to
Red Willow Lucius Mcknight rented little
old, one-story structure on Main street
which had been left over from the ear,v
days. and proceeded to scrub it out, and to
paper and paint it with his own hands
The people who had thought of him ONLY
as a luxurious and dishonest popintav
driver OF fast horses, and a giver of big
dinners looked aghast. There appeared tn
DO no self-conseiousness about the man.
There was nothing approaching bravado in
MS manner OF working. He gravely did |
what he pleased, asking odds of none.
There was still more occasion for surprise |
when he hung sign artistically lettered nv
himself before his door,
Cane -Bottoned Chairs Reseated Here"
MY soul'" gasped the citizens. chats |
nerve Tor you.
What else could he do?' said Mary Lea
.er. in almost fearful defense (Which one |
II you would have offered him lob? He
lad no profession save that OF banking. and
hat Is closed to him forever He had no |
-rade except the one he has recently learned
think the man has more sense than any,
body ever knew"
And the next morning she sent n man
Town to Meningitis shop with three chairs
o he recaned. She mailed little check in
payment and around the check was folded a
Hip OF paper. on which was written In Dis
1nct hand which the school children know
we'll:
I hold it truth. with him who sings,
To one clear harp in diverse tones.
That men may rise on stepping stones
% + their dead selves to higher things
The mayors wife was the next to offer
york to this strange artisan. That set the
ashton. The men laughed, but the women
zcpt him Gaming chairs
One day it was observed that he had Eyed
lathe at the back Of his shop, and that
le was experimenting with it, A little later
completed chair stood in his window. It
vas not an ordinary chair. That love of
'eauty which had formerly BETRAYED fts
ossessor into extravaganza and crime DEM