The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1904-12-31
A BABY'S
INFLUENCE
orIsInar

Of heaven /, workin' man, without
much education, wouldn't "a known
what there is In this except for a cir
cumstance I'm goin to tell And I
wouldn't have known It anyway If |
hadn't hsen a man as needed somethin'
to keep nsv from takin' plunge into
the ocean o wickedness that would "a
drawed me under.
was the happy husband o my wife,
Mabel. and the father o my boy, Pom
my. and was earnin' good wages il a
safe and lock company. One day | was
sent to bank to fix the safe lock. The
next day a big sum o money was miss
ed from the safe, and was accused O
tazin' IT They couldn't prove nothin',
but l was discharged, and no other
company would employ me-
When / was turned out o my home
and saw Mabel and the kid starvin'
grew desperate Hayin the name Of q
thief. I concluded I might as well be a
thief. The president and cashier Of the
bank / was suspicioned o Robin bad
safes in their homes. and the cashiers
I'd put In myself, and it would be
easy openin' | went to the house one
night about 10 o'clock to get the bear
ms. lntendin to rob the safe just be-
fore dawn While / was standin' there
carriage drove up, and gentleman
and lady got in was thinkin' the
cashier and his lady was goin' out 70 a
ball or some'rs. and / made up my
mind to do the Job before they got
back.
had 40 trouble gittin' into the
house, pickln' the kitchen door lock
with skeleton key and explorin the
main floor. / found nobody there The
gas was turned low In the hall. and as
| went up / turned it out. ! knew
where the safe was, well enough In q
little room off the main front bedroom
/ skirmished around awhile and made
up my mind there was nobody home
at all 0penin the safe room door, l
flashed my dark lantern about and
found from the furniture, toys and
such things that was In the nursery.
I wasn't long bein' confirmed in this,
for suddenly the light fell plumb on
the face of sleepin babe.
knew at once that there was some
body 1T home with the baby, though il
might have been left with the nurse
and she gone out with her Teller J
was goin' to git out when the baby,
havin the light in its eyes, opened 'em
and looked about, Fearin' the child
would cry. / made up my mind to a
bold stroke to prevent bein' given
away. shut the door and turned up
the gas, which was burnin' low. AS
soon as the babys eyes got used TO the
light 1t smiled at me.
That smile took me back to my Tom
my at home IN bis little crib beside his
mother, for my Mabel wouldn't have
no nurse for her boy even If she had
loads O money to pay one. l went up
to the little thing and put out my fin
ger. 1t give me the same grip Tom
was used to givin me. It seemed to
me it was a grip o welcome. and when
it said, 600, goo, gooI' | was certain
it was sayin I'm glad you've come
Ny nurse has left me In the lurch. and
I'd al been lonesome"
Well, the little chap would not 90 to
sleep till | put my cheek down beside
his'n and kept perfectly still for awhile.
/ was anxious to get him off my hands,
for he'd saved me from what was
a-goin' to do, and / was hot TO escape
from the house without bein caught
AS soon as knew by his breathin he
was asleep / went on tiptoe to the gas
jet, turned 1t low and, openin the
door
Hands up!' said man in dressin'
gown and slippers, pointin revolver
at me ] recognized at once the cash
Ter.
II haven't opened your safe, Mr.. Ste
yens, said Your baby saved me-"
q know you haven't. I've been
watching you through the keyhole."
Il made a blunder," muttered.
crestfaIlen. Il thought you went out
with Mrs. Stevens"
Luckily there was no one but me
TO stay with the baby, and / am very
much at home, as you see Who are
you and what are You doing IN my
housef'
I'm the man as fixed the safe lock
at the bank / haven't had a Job since
/ and come here intendin' to help my
SELF
"You that mangn he exclaimed, turn
in sort o. pale.
Yes, but ! didn't take the banks
money"
He hung his head and seemed to be
| thinkin'; then he looked up.
eIknow you didn't" he said.
'You know How?"
"Come in here"
/ He took me by the wrist and led me
back into the nursery and turned UP
the light
MY child has saved you, and It has
made man of me Promise me over
this bit Of innocence to keep my secret