The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1905-02-01
A BABY'S
INFLUENCE
rOrtginal.l

much education, wouldn't "a known
what there is in this except for a cir
cumstance I'm goin' to tell. And l
wouldn't have known it anyway if l
hadn't been a man as needed somethju
to keep me from takiA' a plunge into
the ocean o. wickedness that would "a
drawed me under.
1 was the happy husband O. my wife.
Mabel. and the father O. my boy, Tom
my. and was earnin' good wage in a
safe and lock company. One day l was
sent to a bank to fix the safe lock. The
| next day u big sum O. money was miss
ed from the safe. and l was accused o.
takin' it. They couldn't prove nothin',
but | was discharged, and 40 other
company would employ me.
When / was turned out o. my HON
and saw Mabel and the kid starvin' /
grew desperate. Havin' the name of a
thief. l concluded / might as we'll be a
thief. The president and cashier of the
bank | was suspicioned O. robbin' had
safes in their homes, and the cashiers
I'd put in myself, n 1t would be
easy openin'. l went to the house one
night about 10 o'clock to get h bear
ms, intendin' to rob the safe just be-
fore dawn. While 1 was standin there
a carriage drove up, and a gentleman
| and a lady got in. 1 was thinkin' the
cashier and his lady was goin' out to a
ball or some'rs, and l made up my
mind to do the job before they got
back.
had no trouble gittin' into the
house, pickup the kitchen door lock
with a skeleton key and explorin' the
main floor. l found nobody there. The
gas was turned low in the hall, and as
went up l turned it out. l knew
where the safe was. well enough-in a
little room off the main front bedroom.
I skirmished around awhile and made
MP my mind there was nobody home
at all. Openin' b safe room door, 1
flashed my dark lantern about and
found from the furniture, toys and
such things that 1 was in the nursery.
I wasn't long bein' confirmed in this,
for suddenly the light fell plumb on
the face of a sleepin' bab
/ knew at once that there was some
body at home with the baby, though it
might have been left with the nurse
and she gone out with her Teller. l
was goin' to git out when the baby.
havin' the light in its eyes, opened 'em
and looked about. Fearin' the child
would cry, l 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
| eoor ~, t1,n hohx., oVoS unf mead tn tho
light il smiled at me.
That smile took me pack to my Tom
my at home in his 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. 1t eemed to
me it was a grip O. welcome, and when
1t said. 600. goo, goo! / was certain
it was sayin: Pm glad you've come.
My nurse has left me in the lurch, and
I'd "a been lonesome"
Well, the little chap would not go to
sleep till l put my cheek down beside
his'n and kept perfectly still for awhile.
I was anxious to get him off my hands,
for he'd saved me from what l was
a-goin' to do, and 1 was hot to escape
from the house without bein' caught.
AS SOC as 1 knew by his breathin' he
was asleep / eel on tiptoe to the gas
jet. turned it low and. openin' the
| door
Hands up" said a man In dreSSin'
gown and slippers, pointin' a revolver
at me. / recognized at once the cash
fer.
.sT Aaro1 11ooaI an Cofo Mr. Ofo
vens," I said. Your baby saved me-"
81 know you haven't I've been
watching you through the keyhole."
81 made a blunder," l muttered,
| crestfallen. at 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
house?'
"I'm the man as fixed the safe lock
at the bank. 1 haven't had a job since
and come here intendin' to help my
self
You that manY' 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.
ct know you didn't" he said.
You know? HowP
Come In here"
He took me by the wrist and led mt
back into the nursery and turned up
| the light.
MY child has saved you. and it has
made a man OF me. Promise me Owe
this bit Of innocence to keep my secret,
and III set you right"
II promise"
when o were working at the lock
I went into the safe and took the mon
~. ! needed 1t to make good my ac-
counts. which were short. I'm all right
for funds now and viii end the money
| to myself as cashier tomorrow from an