The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-05-02
Jammie's Pardon.


belled. 'Tf go. Lizzie" lie said-"If
/ go, might never come back. And
even ~ do come back-them years Will
be gone. The kid might die, and some
thin might happen 10 you. 1 can't 20
back, Lizzie. It's spring, and you know
them lines i was saying this morn
ing
AS spring approaches,
Ants and reaches
From their holes come OUT
II can't bear TO be shut up again,
Lizzie"
The mans eyes We're watery, and his
voice husky as he pleaded; but the
woman's eyes. set I'm the direction OF
Jack Boykin's fishboat. did not soften.
She would be rid of him, come what
might: but she knew the game was in
her own hand. and IL was better 10
have him go quietly. OF his own accord.
Trying TO conceal her expression OF
contempt and disgust, she turned ON
Sammie. Don't you know you are in
danger OF being caught" she cried. 1T
was only yesterday tnat a strange look
ing man stepped from the fishing tug
and asked me many questions--whose
wife was. and what you were like. /
did not know what was up until I
found this letter. an so told him all
he wanted ter know, and when the tug
comes agin. sure as shootin' he will bic
on her with ther sheriff. This kid and
me will be disgraced then fer good and
all, and no one Will ever try ter help
you agin.' If yer go back and give YER
self up. no one here will know, and
they VIII give yer er pardin in er little
while. and yer kin come back. But IL
yer go in disgrace, with handouts on
you. I'll never look on yer face agin--
never."
And the end OF il was that Sammie
had gone, clad in his best clothes, with
his hair neatly combed and his shoes
CREASED as II 10 a festival. But there
was a strained, white look on his face
as he kissed the kid good-by and plac-
ed the bag containing his little savings
in Lizzie's hand.
And. as usual. Il had all been in vain
all the humble heroism, all the weary
tramp. A horses cruel hoof had tram
pied him down. and, instead of being
locked up in his little cell. away from
the spring sunshine and the twittering
birds and blooming flowers, he lay
broken and dying on "a narrow iron bed
In the hospital.
Lady" he said presently 10 the
nurse by his side. ''am l going to die?"
'I think" she said. with "a gentle in
difference born OF many death-bed
scenes. you Will live until morning.
Have you anything you wish to say?"
Sammie turned his bandaged head
uneasily on the pillow.
IL never was any hand TO say much" !"
he said family, but 1 suppose orter.
All the -HIggeFs think yee ge-to hell IL
you don't, and they are the only relig-
ious folks ever know'd. Could you tell
me what ter say lady?'
"Is there anything you are sorry for?"
she suggested, with the orthodox idea
OF repentance, and Sammie's face
frightened.
yes. there are" he said. emphatical-
ly. I'm sorry i left that letter in my
coat pocket"
And then some cruel hand seemed TO
pinch in his nose; blue lines came
around his mouth. and his lips fell
helplessly apart, and SO he lay, broken
and bruised and dying, and no one
could have told why he was born, or
why he had lived or what good had
come OF all his useless struggle. only
the sunbeams seemed TO gild the lashes
on his white cheeks with the sunlight
of eternal peace, and a little tow-head-
ed baby girl looked with tearful eyes
around the bend I'm the river. where
San1nie had gone to get his PARDON
New Orleans Times-Democrat.