The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1904-06-17

'D ~ A"", alu IL Nc Is LOuuu guilty
ne is sent to prison in charge Of boy
| guard
A certain citizen who had had q
very bad record, indeed, was the de-
SPAR OF the authorities at the repub-
nc lie would lie and he would steal.
ana In many other ways he proved
himself unworthy of the confidence
OF his fellow-citizens. Time after
time he promised to do better, but just
as often as he promised he broke his
word
AT last he came to the founder Of
the republic, who is a good friend Of
all the boys, and told him that he was
going to be a different boy. "Will
you trust me?" he asked NO" re-
piled the man kindly. but firmly, Il
can't do that"
When will you trust me?"
Il can't tell"
We'll, I'm going to make you trust
me-"
All right. | hope you Will"
After while the boy came again
and asked; Can you trust me now?"
Not yet" was the answer.
Again he asked the same question
and received the same refusal But
at last the time came when he heard
the welcome words Eyes, | can trust
you now" The bad boy with the black
record had become a model citizen. He
was popular with his fellows, and it
was decided to bestow upon him the
highest honor in the republic. He
was elected president. and very proud
and happy he was over it, as any other
citizen would have been
AS the time drew near for his inaug.
uration, however, visible shadow fell
upon his spirits. He became nervous
and taciturn, and on the night before
he was to be inaugurated he did not
sleep. He did not even go to bed, but
wandered far into the country, walk"
ing and walking and thinking and
thinking.
He could not become president of the
republic. He reached that decision as
he wandered miserably about in Tho
lonely night.
The next day he went to his good
friend, the founder Of the republic, and
told him that he could not be president.
But why?' asked the man in SUI
prise
II can't do it," replied the boy with
groan. "Oh, have abused your con-
idence and deceived you all, am a
thief" he cried, bursting into tears.
In an agony of grief and remorse he
then told how he had been able in
position of trust that he had held to
commit theft week by week without
being detected He wanted to go to
college after he left the republic, and
the opportunity to take the money had
been too great for him tC resist. So
skilful had he been in covering up his
that it was probable that
it never would have been discovered
had he not voluntarily confessed.
But | could not stand up there In
the hall before all my fellow-citizens
and have them believe me good citi~
zen when was thief" cried the boy.
Il could not take the oath of Office.
am going to tell them just what I
am, and am going to take the pun
and I'll have to give up col |
Iege--you never will trust me again.
added the young fellow, with a gulp
That evening when all the citizens
lad gathered in the hall to do him hon
Or this boy stood up, very pale, and
very miserable, and confessed his
crime, not sparing himself in the least.
The story came from his heart and
ais humiliation was complete. you
see, | cannot be your president" he
concluded, in a heart-breaking voice.
Now, arrest me-" he se5d, turning
o the officer whose duty it was to do
20. But the officer did not move.
Order him to arrest me-" said the
confessed thief turning to his fellow
.itizens.
mo" they cried, with a mighty
hout, mo, we will not" They appre-
lated the struggle that he had had
md the innate nobility that had made
lin give up everything in the very
lour of his success, and they honored
i'm more than they had ever done.
hey recognized that he could not be
heir president with that stain upon
is character, but they refused to or
er his arrest.
well. then, if you won't do it for
ne I shall have to place myself un
er arrest" said the culprit, with a
rim smile as he walked away toward
he Jail.
That boy served every day of the