The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-01-08
BOg's, Ia Crime.


inx boldly into its haunts ma disuiout-
frr tracts, with here and there a word OF
advice and warning, or timely assistance
An distress. He was a quiet good man,
of a snbdyed religious tendency, who
sfent a deal of time and money In this
way. and II he accomplished httle good
\ ne at least did no harm Real criminals
only laughed at him as harmless 'gos-
pel grinder" or violently slammed the
door in his face, lighting their pipes with
the tracts he thrust underneath. lnaeed'
10 apply such an influence to criminals
as | always insisted 10 him. Is like trying
70 soothe a raging tooth with laudanum
when tine decayed and pestiferous stump
calls for the dentists forceps as the ohig
remedy.
Poor Mr.. Barclay ! believe that to the
end he Thought me slightly irreVerent be-
cause 1 smiled at most of his efforts, but,
10 show that he was mistaken, shall
here give curious case which proves
that all his efforts were not made In VAIN
About ten o'clock at night MIR. Barclay
was moving up a narrow close leadins
20 North College street.-The same IN
which was the den of our esteemed ac-
uuaintance. Mr.. William Pike. noticed in
detained 10 that hoar at the bedside *
dying woman.
Nj. Barclay was In a meditatlyc moo
al.i moyeo up the close but sio W. WIN
hls hnrfs clasped behind him on the III
Bile he had been using, and his eyes halt
closed when he was suddenly aroused by
a vicious blow in the stomach. and tug
at his watch chain. The blow took ms
breath away, and sent him staggering
n ts.at In
the time he looked around the assailant
had dashed down the close and vanished.
Then ne discovered that his watch and
chain-both valuable gold Ones-were
gone. There was only one lamp near the
spot, and by its dim light he had been
just able TO decide that his assailant was
a powerful and lithe-bodied fellow OF
middle age. Not another soul was In
sight and, strange TO say, after the trst
shock was over, Mr.. Barclay was glad of
the fact.
How fortunate that was not garroted
and my purse taken as wellY was his
first reflection. '"The man Is a stranger.
TOO, I'm certain, or he would never have
robbed me- On the whole. though the
watch and chain are gone. i have much
to be thankful for IL was wrong OF me
10 put such a temptation I'm their way
Nothing here, IL will be seen, Of an In
fention to inform the police of the, rob
berry. and have the stolen goods traced.
jf possible Not only had he peculiar
views against going to law, but, secretly
he dreaded being laughed ut for getting
into a scrape against which We had often
warned him. ht
''MGovan might get me the watch and
chain, but he would get me the thief too.
and perhaps force me TO rfvet convicts
chain upon him for life." was his thought
as he hurriedup the close to get out of the
dangerous quarter ''If l sent but one of
the misguided beings to prison, II would
weaken my hold upon them ever after.
viii bear II in silence"
North College street at that time was
quite a narrow street. having little traffic
In It, and was good deal infested by
ewarms OF ragamuffins from the closes
beiew, 70 say nothing of pests of older
growth. When Mr.. Barclay emerged
into IL from the narrow and steep close
in which he had been robbed, he came
full upon group of these gutter waits
deeply absorbed in a game of pitch and
toss on the smooth macadamized road
They had taken advantage OF the light
OF the nearest lamp. and had their pitch
right across the road. Just as Mr.. Bar
clay paused they were clustered I'm the
centre OF the road wrangling hercely over
some dispute in the game, and swearing
quite as volubly as IL they had been men
instead of children. Mr. Barclay had full
ly resolved 10 pause and rebuke the ju-
venile profanity. when flying cab. turn
ing the corner al terrific pace. took the
task out OF his hands by crashing down
Vn the fierce group, and scattering them
without warning. All the boys but one
managed TO wriggle aside, but this eX-
ception slipped his foot and was among
the horses feet In an instant.
Some persons seeing an accident OF this
kind instinctively jump back and hold
their breath, or avert their heads; others
ny forward and before they know any
thing are into the thick OF the danger
IN an attempt 10 save. Quiet and subdued
though he was in general, Mr.. Barclay
was Of this nature, and the boy was
scarcely down when the hand of the gen
teman was on him.
The horses hoofs I'm a wild splatter
rained blows about them both, as II was
reared up on It's launches by the terror
stricken driver. but the wheels were
checked fffe,-tt4stl, Though A-heth- were
bleeding and bruised, the boys life was
saved.
MIR. Barclay was helped 20 the side
with the boy hanging limp and senseless
in his arms, and then the Infrmary close
by was naturally suggested for both
Though hurt himself, MIR. Barclay would
not rellnquish his charge. hut carried ths
boy acroes the Bridge and down 90 the
surgical hospital himself and not I'll
the dirty little fellows arm had been set
and his bleeding head bound up. did M
even hint az his own injuries Thes,
were chiefly bruises and bumps, and aftei
a close examination OF his swollen hand
the doctor was able 10 decide that n,
bones were broken. and that the brave
old man might go home IN "a cab.
The boy rescued looked almost an ol,
man IN features but he was I'm realii,
only eight. His name. he said. was BIN!
Gouger. and he had no particular home
just whore his father took him Bll,
was grateful in a way, for being save,
80 promptly. and expressed the feeling q
queer fashion. When Mr.. Barcla'
promised 20 come and see him next day
he warmly claspcd the proncrcd hand II
his uniniured paw. and said generously
"ril stand reading Bibles or tracts. q
anything 10 me. .sir--l'il stand anythlnl
from you. though It's ever 40 bad"
MIR. Barclay went home moro sad an
depressed about tho boys condition tha
about either ~ their bodily Injuries
There was n manifest cunning and rcti
cencc about ihe chlld's answers whic
pointed but too clearly 20 ono Inference
his father was y professional criminal
and the less that was said about him an
his dolugr tho better for the boys rnfef