The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1902-05-23
FOR THE LITTLE GIRLS SAKE.

FOR THE LITTLE GIRLS SAKE.
Late in an afternoon of October the
warden of the county Jail stood smoking
in the doorway of his office. In the wide
street of the little Southern town quiet
reigned. Two dogs were wrangling hap
PLY over bone; further along a crowd
Of boys were playing with ball.
A keeper came out and stood beside
the warden. who paid no attention to
him. The old man coughed slightly and
touched his superior Oh the arm.
9TH man in numbah 81 wants t see
you all.''
"Whut's he want now?' asked the
warden ENORMOUSLY. He's always at
ter sulnthin'. Does he think l amt got
nuthin' ter do but run arrants fer himY'
He still spoke with the accent OF his
New England birthplace.
Il Dunno" said the old man.
"Whut's he here fer, anyhow" went
keep track of all them fellers! You
fellers down here gets arrested fer tn
darnedest funny things hev ever heard
tell on. Up North we gifts fellers in
Jail fer reel sure enough crimes. Down
here tn criminals amt no account.
Whut's he in fer, | say!'
''He all rot kotched fer runnin' a
STILL explained the keeper. Hes a
right good Teller. few y
We'll, | amt goin IN there an
nounced the warden. ''You bring him
down here to me. l reckon he won't git
away
The keeper slouched away and re-
turned few minutes later in company
with the prisoner. He was tall, raw
boned, uncouth. He stood avkwardly
before the warden fumbliny a torn cap
il his hand.
Well, whut's yure name?" asked the
warden.
"N'i'hnr Rawljns.' said the man, with
a slow draWl;; II got kotched fer e, run
mine" lie we INT OH, after pause
"Oh. amt tn jedge," said the war
den cheerfully. ''Whut you want with
me?'
The man was silent. He rubbed one
bare foot over the other slowly and then
scratched his ear.
warden, not unkindly. 'Ye sent word
tibet We wanted ter see me. Wall. now,
We see me. Whit We want with me?'
II gotter go home fer couple O.
days" ,,
den Young o feler this ain amt no board ard
till you are tried.''
prisoner "rain't $ # ri i'd done much e
I amt killed nobody. amt even ben
in feud. l swar I'll come back heah."
'Cant do it, said the warden. '"They' s
no use askin' me. | tell We can't do it,
Il amt got nuthin' but er mewel,"
that eff you all IL femme go.'
The warden smiled grimly. ~
couldn't let ye go eff We offered me a
thousan' dollars" he said. "Whatje wan
| ter 60 fer, anyway" he added
Nah little gals all alone up Oh tn
mountain" said the prisoner, IAN they
amt no neighbahs ter 60 ter her, an
thar. God, man, ye CANT let her be
| thar alone at time like that! CANT
| ye see l jess natchelly gotter be thar?
| Cant be did," said the warden brief.
EFF you all II let me go I'll name tn
| baby after you ALL" He had the air OF
a man Offering a bride of stupendous
value.
| "Supposin' it wuz gal?'' suggested
| the warden.
"Ah doan' keer We all III name he,
aftah you all. Whut's yure name?''
''Zebulon, said the warden shortly. II
was sore point with him, this name
But, can't ye see, man, l can't let ye
baby named after me- he went on polite.
| ly. Il dunno es ever he'd baby named
after me. But, honest, can't let ye
| 60"
Jess fer one day." pleaded the pris
oner.
Not fer minnit," said the warden
'Now, look here. man.. Ye jest go back
ter yer cell an trust t. the Lord. Ye're
| w 10 oil no l.
some, mebbe, but it'll be all right"
| Il gotter go, an I'm goin'," said the
! prisoner defantly, as he turned away.
| The warden slept la,e the next morn
ing. He was still sleeping when his wife
came and shook him roughly by the
shoulder: She was crying, and SO wa:
cit up, Zeb!' cried the woman.
whats tn matter?' yawned the war
den sleepily
Tibet moonshner's killed Tom an
broke out" cried the woman.
out" cried the woman.
The warden leaped from his bed and
clad only in his night shirt, ran hur
richly through the house and up into the
On the floor in front of cell 81 ht
found the keeper lying dead. The ole
mans face was purple, and about his
throat was the imprint of fingers. The
| door or the cell was open.
..W NGods ., Mercy Mercy cried the ~: warden
Jest es peaceable es lamb"
Il foun' the front doo:. open when
got up his mornin,:' said the woman, "ar
| mistrusted all want right; so come
here an foun' tibet. It was turrible.
Shan At git over it ter my dyin' day, zebu
The man had been the only prisoner or
the tier. and he had been so docile anG
quiet that in his case the usual discipline
had been relaxed. The door of his eel
was, never locked when the keeper was
in the corridor.
''Thet's whut comes O. bein' kind tel
them prisoners" said the warden's wife
"Shet up. can't your cried the ward
en-. Amt | got trouble ernough 'thout
YOU chimin' in? Like es not I'll lose TIL
job fer this
"Whutje goin' ter do now?' asked the
woman.