Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1900-03-02
THE TOWN REPROBATE.
4 Practical nnd Effective Way ofLivIng
Down the Consequences of Crime.

months IN the penltentlary-he had been
good time mana number Of citizens
made it point to be at the station. They
wanted to see how he would brave il
out.
He swung off the platform almost be.
fore the train stopped and lifted his hat
frankly but unsmilingly to everybody he
knew.
"No covert glances there" commented
one.
No. said another, nor yet any drag.
Ciug of the left foot. Doesn't seem to
have any of the signs that you read about
by which convict may be detected"
CHOSE weren't the government clothes
be had on either" added the first man
"IIc must have made the raise of an
other 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
unCraciOus facade with unusual interest
Hes got nerve all right enough"
agreed his townspeople, unable to decide
whether to condemn or to admire this
hardihood of dcmeanor. "If l had been
hc you would never have caught me back
in this town again"
Some who had known him in the old
days tried shyly to make overtures.
"Glad to welcome you back, Nc
Knight" said they. "If we can be of
any service, call on u.s.
The thanks were made with a strange
uuietncss which disconnected those who
received them They felt that in some
way which they could not understand the
soul of this man dwelt apart. 1t had
known peculiar and perhaps terrible eX-
pericnces. 1t was brooding in some
solemn place of its own and for the time
being it was unapproachabe
Mary Lester, the schoolteacher, had a
theory about it. at is not so easy to
liberate 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 anything
hangdog about the man." observed the
one who was talking to her.
"Nhy 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 as he deserved. | sup
pose 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.
think he has excellent courage. | wish
he would call on me- I'd make him well
come"
But he called on no one. He joined
no one on the street. This evidence of
senstiveness and suffering was the only
one he gave.
The second morning after his return
to Red Willow Lucius Mcknight rented
little, old, one story structure on Mair
street, which had been left over from
the early days, and proceeded to scrub il
out and to paper and paint it with hi:
own hands.
The people who had thought of hin
only as a luxurious and dishonest popn
jay, n driver of fast horses and a givel
of big dinners looked aghast. There ap
pcared to be no self consciousness about
the man. There was nothing approach
ing bravado in his manner of working
He gravely did what he pleased asking
odds of none.
There was still more occasion for sur
prise when he hung a sign artisticall!
lettered by himself before his door:
Cane Bottomed Chairs ReseateC
Here"
nerve for you!'
What else could he do?" said Mar!
Lester in almost fearful defense. "Whicl
one of you would have offered him job
He had no profession save banking, ant
that is closed to him forever. He had NJ
trade except the one he has recent,
learned. l think the man has more sens
than anybody ever knew"
And the next morning she sent a mai
down to Meningitis shop with tire
chairs to be recaned. She mailed a lttl
check in payment, and around the chez
was folded slip of paper on which wa
written in the distinct hand which tn
school children knew well:
hold it truth, with him who SINGS
To one clear harp in divers tones,
That men may rise stepping stones
OF their dead selves to higher things
The mayors wife was the next to offe
work to this strange artisan. That st
the fashion. The men laughed, but tn
women kept him Gaming chairs.
One day it was observed that he ha
fixed a lathe at the back of his shop an
that he was experimenting with it.
little later a completed chair stood in hi
window. 1t was not an ordinary chat
That love of beauty which had formerl
betrayed its possessor into extravaganza
anu crime demonstrated lSell now III d
exquisite piece of handicraft. In its PR
Portions its materials, its manufactul
and its finishing it stood an honest an
beautiful example of workmanship.
Miss Phoebe Dillingham;, who had teal
wood and rosewood and japanese inla,
ing in her new house and who knew
work of art when she saw it, came
purchase.
This particular chair is intended as
gift" said the town reprobate pleasant
but l shall be happy to make anoth'
one for you, Miss Dillingham;, eth,
from plan of my own or after any d
sign you may care to submit"
You remember those illustrations
antique furniture have had so long, M
Mcknight Don't you think we mig
find something good there? Won't y.
call this evening and look them over WI
me-"
Mcknight called quite as matter
course and was as self possessed as II
untoward event had not broken OIL tho
visits for several long years. But II W
decided that the chair was to be ma
from an original design after ALL
As for the first WORK of Mchnlgh
lathe, that was seen by the whole villa
ba dot -st nf