The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-03-20

before except to face the bar on some
charge, and his pride was exhibited by
his failure to recognize any of his old
friends. He knew them not. although
they spoke to him, some through the
bars.
When court adjourned Judge Feagin
and Willie wendell their way to Mayor
Drennens office, where the story of re-
formation was told. The mayor readily
issued the license and Willie set up his
stand on South Twentieth street and
Avenue B.
For more than a week Willie was lost
to the Judge One afternoon after the
court had adjourned his honor was riding
home, driven by Charles Andrew Jack
son. the probation officer, when some one
came running out into the street, calling;
Judge Feagin! Judge Feagin! It's
me. It's Willie. Wait a minute, judge;
l wants to see yer!
The horse was stopped and Willie laid
his case before the pudge. he had built
him little stand next to restaurant.
The woman who ran the restaurant had
been very cross to him and had threat
ened to whip him and have him arrested.
Willie wanted to know If she could not
be placed behind the bars
Judge Feagin hesitated few minutes
after hearing Willie pour forth his
wrongs, undecided what advice to give
the boy Finally he said;
"Willie, you go make friends with your
neighbor, the woman who runs the res
taurant Go to her and tell her that you
are a good boy and want to live like the
Bible says. and love your neighbor as
yourself. Talk kindly to her and tell her
you want to run errands for her, sweep
the sidewalk clean for her and do any
thing you can to make her more corfort-
able. Try to be a good neighbor.'
Willies only reply was; "All right
Judge"
That was the last seen of Willie for
nearly a month, when finally one Mon
day morning the clerk called out In court
willie Fred Smith!
Again it was an altered Willie that
faced the court He had been arrested
and this time he was charged with steal
ing a lap robe from a physicians buggy
The heart of Judge Feagin sank in him as
he saw the boy. Was the plan TO prove
all right in its ideal form but bad in its
PRACTICAL form? He was prepared to hne
Willie heavily.
Willie in the Gang.
The officers testified that Willie was in
gang which stole the lap robe. Willie
admitted this, but entered plea of not
guilty He said that another boy had
stolen the lap robe and that all the rest
of the gang had run except himself, ana
that this was the reason he was caught.
with surprising ease Willie recalled to
Judge Feagin his words that the wicked
flee when no one pursueth. AT first the
Judge did not catch what the boy meant,
for he said he wasn't wicked and wasn't
one of them who fleeth when no man Is
after him. He knew he was innocent
and didn't run
One of Wille's friends testified that
Willie was innocent, and again Judge
Feagin began to have faith in the plan.
He, however, told Willie that he had APP
peared In court again and that he thought
the best thing to do was to send him TO
the country. The little negro pleaded
and begged, and the judges heart was
touched.
well, Willie, l will let you go on ono
condition You go catch the negro who
stole the lap robe,i arrest him and bring
him into court. BY the way, how are you
and your neghbor the restaurant wo-
man, getting along?
Willie told with much pleasure that the
woman and he were great friends. He
did favors for her and she in turn gave
him all he could eat. They were living
according to the Bible and loving their
neighbors as themselves were the words
Of the boy, as he answered the judges
question.
On Sunday afternoon following the APP
pointment of Willie as a special officer
Policeman Waldrop was surprised to hear
calls for Mr. Policel Mr.. Poliee1" The
officer looked up the street and there he
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