The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1902-06-20

judges got to charge 'em. amt he?
He amt done that yet ] said I'd let
you know in time, and amt 1? but
you better go now if you're goin'."
IF I'm goin'" the frail little woman
cried nightly. IF I'm soin' to Larry
in the bittercst hour o. his need!
Come-yes, you can carry him as fur
as the door It won't hurt any IL he
cries out O. doors, and my strength
needs savin' Easy, Moll!-there amt
any paddin' on his little bones. He's
dreadful poor"
They were hurrying away down the
bare street in the noon suns glare
The mother shielded the tiny old face
with one Of her rough, red hands Her
eyes dwelt on it.
ITO think his father amt ever seen
him!-to think it'll be the first time
there"' she sobbed softly quieted some
what from her frenzy. Him lookin'
up sudden-thinll o. that, Moll-and
seem the face of his son for the first
time It's queer to think of. amt it?
oh, yes, it's queer! Eow could any
thing come round like that, when we
were so happy a little while ago, me
and Larry? That amt the way things
happen-it amt rightw
She was sorely in need Of her breath,
and painted between the words. Yet
she talked on drearily.
The man on ahead of them, in the
crowded court room, waiting with de-
fant young face for his sentence was
charged with a grave crime. In a mo-
ment Of anger, he had felled a comrade
with single blow of his big fist The
injured man had rallied at first, and
then suddenly sunk in stupor and
died. The doctors talked learnedly of
cOmplicating conditions, but the out
look was dark for the prisoner His
stolid bearing was against him.
"He had provocation-can't they see
what proyocation Larry had! When
there's provocation, it always counts,
doesn't it, Mol? You've heard so time
and often, haven't you? l have, too.
The provocation Larry had had ought
to help out, l tell you! OF course it
will hope you don't think I'm afraid,
Mol Tinker! I'm only goin' there SOS
TO smile when Larry looks up. We
must hurry-hulIy! We're goin' so
slow"
Gasping and white she got to the
court room door and held out her arms
for the sick child.
"Nowr' she whispered, in sudden
pale calm. I'm goin' in now. You
tell somebody that I've got to have a
seat up near Larry. I've got to-l
can't help it if the baby cries. We've
got to go UP there, amt we, fathers
little son? Oh, you'll hush up for
father, won't you darlin'? Come, I'm
ready, Moll"
They went in Some one made a
way through the crowd and plloted
the two up to the front Some one
made a chance for them near the pris-
oner at the bar. The lawyer for the
defense was just winding up his YER
bose plea. There was already a rest
less expectancy on the weary faces OF
the crowd. 1t had been a tedious hot
morning,
The haggard little woman's eyes
swept the sea of faces rapidly and Their
whitened She had not found what
she sought She had not found sympa
thy. Public opinion was against tht
man whose life or death seemed
trembling in the balance. 1t was mo-
so much to be wondered at, for al
through the monotonous days of thu
trial he had sat there, defiant ant
sccrEful. The first shade of softnes
was yet to be seen on Lawrence
Knapp's face.
IT'S his way-it's his way" whis
pered the little woman to the girl, he
friend. IF they only knew it wa
LalTy's way! It's outside-if they coul
only see him inside! I can-why can
they? That's the way he looked whel
his mother died-hard just like that
! inst exactly, and don't I know hoy
Larry loved his mother?"
The judge got heavily to his feet
His voice was grave and stern. III
twelve faces of the jury, impenetrabl
: and dread as fate itself, settled to fres
= attention Then the baby cried.
, wailing, piteous cry at first, until j
? took on notes of pain, whea it shrille
and sharpened.
) Hush up-oh, hush ups breathe
Larry's wife IN agony Hush mp 70