The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-03-12
A cRAcksMAN's STORY

was only nineteen and easily tempted. I
was young and money had little or no
value TO me- My salary was not large,
but for awhile IL fully met my wants.
But soon / began 10 cultivate taste for
drink / began to visit places of Hire
pute and fen in with dissolute characters.
Then / met woman--a fend In human
shape--with "a face as bright as the day
and a heart as black as night She took
advantage OF my position and my youth.
and soon under her subtitle hattery | be-
gan 10 take small sums daily from the
bank, always with the idea that / would
some day replace the amounts before II
became known. All this time / was sup
posed 10 be leading an exemplary life.
No boy had better home-more loving
parents and a sweeter sister than had.
and loved them.
But the crash came My discrepancies
were made known and my manner OF liv-
ing disclosed. My father. God bless him,
did all q father could for hts son. can
see my mother now, with the tears
streaming down her face as she put her
hands on my shoulders. kissed me. cry
ing, "Oh. my SON. MY boy"
Tho bank officials refused to prosecute.
but that did not lessen my crime. AS |
walked along the streets It seemed as II
ell eyes were centred on me, and that
even the little birds chirped ''culpritl cul-
pritH' My degradation seemed 10 be on
every tongue | could stand II no longer.
and one night packed up little bundle
OF clothes, went softly into my mothers
room, kissed her and my father as they
lay asleep gave one last, long. loving kiss
TO my dear little iaxen haired sister.
ana with eyes full OF tears left the old
home-a wanderer on the face or the
earth. Boys, that was the first act Of
drama on which the curtain was lifted
tan huf ft,aa \ hat
er seen my parents but once. Then
sneaked back to my home under cover OF
darkness ana peered through the windows
OF the dear old place They were seated
about the table as I'm former years. but
how changcd-mothcr with her hair
strcaked with gray. and that look Of love.
pity and sorrow written on her face.
Father reading 60 her out OF that book
which [ had listened TO 50 often sister
WAS there. but grown 20 womanhoOd,
and not cloud apparently ovcrSpreadinR
her beautiful face Bess was Just ten
years old when I left home. could
scarcely refrain from calling 10 them NV
heart was bursting u seemed. But with
a final effort ! pulled myself together
and passed into the darkness"
lie stopped for a moment as II 10 think
not sound was heard except the
"cluk'' OF the glasses in tho outer room.
With q sigh he resumed his story
might before last Slug Moore and nv
self determined 10 make raid on the
Hotel c.. You know slug don't you7
Well hc went around in the afternoon.
looked over the register and settled ON
a a-lloLll-aeeunlad by "A cnunlc- iLIaL arrived.
n was on the fourth floor out Of hearing
aud possible Intervention and Slug. af-
ter some inquiry of tho bpll bov. who by
The way, is up ~ date. found that the
couple were n bride and groom on their
tour tic said ~ was dead easy and they
h1d lots OF dough Every arrangement
Jas made flr the Job. We were at the
hotel az two o'clock Slug gave me the
points. and T. being quicker was to do
the work while ho did tho watching The
hail was dark. save tho light M the head
Of tho landing. which cast n faint light