Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1905-05-17
The Convict and the Stars.
tWi,lCar,eton.)

| Twas a C. Id, clear winter evening. with tho
! SHOW wretths d flied daep.
And man. whose hair was snow white lay up
| oil his couch asleep;
| Lay IN SumDer sad and restless, as In talk with
some one near.
He could only s.c in glimpses. aud could seldom
!sel or hear.
| Not OH snowy featherod pillows OF 'noati en-,
broidored cOunterpane,
Such as often grace the evening of n l!fe OF toIl
and gain;
Not mid walls III picturcl spl.nIor, with tile
| brushes memory riic;
Not mid textures from the fingers of Il dang-
| ter or o wife,
But wnnin u cells c.oso borders to lie prisoncd
was Ills lot;
And the couch OH which he restel WAS Il d.ngy
Comes tho Changing Of a key bolt swirss i!,e
door more grim than Wide;
And tho prison surgeon marches to the
awakened suffers side.
"You are aiiing, they have told mo. 'Tis the
convlct,s usual song "
am alng." SAID the old man, but 1t won't be
WIN you listen to my. s.ory?" Then tho cal
loused surgeon said:
"Of such matters am weary; lot me feel your
pulse instead"
II am ilnocent"-"Yes. maybe; that Is e'er the
prisoners creed.
have never talked with convict, but gone
other did the deed"
Nay. but hear me-! I have just heard one
whose days are full Of strife,
On his death bed own the murder that has
murdered I'LL my life! Z
fes. the law forbure to hang mo. but 1t cruciiled
Instead;
II has nailed me to this prison. as 1t will till
am dead
And tomorrow comes o pardon; It's o way the
statutes run,
That the Governor can forgive me for crime
meier have done.
Yes, tomorrow comes the pardon but twill
enter Oveflate;
Long before '.is here to seek me Ill have passed
the prison gate" 4
Then the callpus hearted surgeon. holding III
the pr. hand.
Said. slow you fortell this pardon, 1 can never
understand.
How you know what now Is passing at q bed
side out Of view
Is question. but somehow feel the vision may
be true!
Then the convict said: Pray, listen, I've a
wife and children three,
They have passed the mystic boundaries; they
have gone ahead OF me.
No great wonder that the Villain who con-
demued me condemn,
For the sentence. ere is killed me. used lis
power to murder them.
Sometimes now see them plainly, then the
darkness steps between;
And Idoubt that Fnaye Viewed then, and my
sorrow grows more keen.
Surgeon, may ASK favor?-'tis the last
seek Of you;
would lind = southern window, where the best
stars are IN view;
with me, and loved SO we'll;
Stars have not seen for long years-fron my
grated prison cell.
have known such rank injustice, such peryer.
That almost fear that Gods stars have been
bl0ttsd from the sight"
Stake him TO = southern chamber''-stalwart
men in stripes obeyed.
BY large and lofty window carefully the
couch was laid.
'''They are there!" he loudly shouted as they
streamed Into his sight;
And the prisoner IN his gladness rose within the
,,r,, bed upright.
serene and true,
When upon her fathers doorstep oft we
There the Pleiades are shining, as when days
We Of sSs wonssted ri4S Il Gods palace was within
that brighter one.
There Aldebsran is burning; oft my children
He is driving his gold harrow through the blue
Still me mighty wheels of heaven draw the
sal. j see the great orion-mlshsy hunter
Ard ,sss.S ,s & ss' ols. proud Sirius. ssrugx,es up
lsas "a Ss a. ss'.s.s .s; v..shtus ii u. s~sss
HSyS long gea0 by y . z
God y a, E9Sd; ,; his law. are chanseles.i tloush
Vet when bars and clouds have vanished, they
flash out and CLEAN anew!
Who are these that stand beside me. who are
those feel aud see?
Wifo and children. you are with me-you hav
come III last for me.
Farewell sorrow. pain and misery; farewell
bolts aud prison bare;
II am ready to go with you on your pathway
'moDgst the Stars!"
stalwart men in stripes. with reverence bore
body through the door;
On the morrow came the pardon, but release
[ had come before.