The daily Alaskan., 1906-01-20
MIR. TINKER'S FALL
 FROM GRACE

enough for an angel. I believed in him then, and I believe in him now. The moment q man sets himself up to be a spiritual guide for others we im- mediately put him on pinnacle of our own from which he shall shed the light of perfection. He is no longer a man like ourselves, but superior being freed from earthly passions, earthly weaknesses.
 Tinker was an evangelist, was fitted to be an evangelist and was fitted for nothing else than an evangelist. He chose for his speciality prison life. When he came to us there was not even regular prison chaplain, none being willing to take the position for the pay and the regular ministers be- ing otherwise occupied. Tinker walk, ed into it of his own accord and Oc- Cupied 1t without remuneration. How he got living we never knew. That he lived from hand to mouth was cer- tain. After praying in saloon and warning its proprietor that he was do ing the devils work the holy man would be invited to partake of the free lunch on the counter, and in this way he secured many a dinner For short periods he would occupy sleep Ing room, but the landlady did not ex- pect him to pay from the first. All she asked was that he would not stand in the way of a paying lodger, and she would often have been the loser had Tinker permitted it.
 In such ways Tinker managed to ex- iSt. and so long as he could fight sin and give comfort to prisoners, possibly turning them toward better life after serving their terms, he was satisfied. He prayed with them, he talked with them, he advised them, being re poSitory for the confidence of the whole prison. He had free access to them, and both guards and prisoners all knew him.
 No one had ever thought of Tinker as a husband Ur father. When one day a woman with q scowl on her face and an underjaw denoting resolution came along to claim him as her spouse great was our astOnlshment Her ap- pearance had a paralyZing effect upon Tinker. Those whom he had eXtorted to stand up under calamity now en- dcavored to inStill a like firmness into him, but without success. The wO- man went to the court, produced d. vorce papers with alimOny and proved tllt $G54 was due her from the de linuuent Tinker. She had little diff cUity In getting an order for his ar. rest, and he was required to give a bond not only for the amount due, but foy the coming year, in all about S1,' GOO.
 Had any one confidence that Tinker would be able to make up the amount we might have gone on his bond. As it was, the judge sent him to the work house to work out the amount Mean. while Tinker was confined in the city jail where he had been the self con- SUtutcd chaplain. Why he had moi applied for that or some other such pO- sit.on was now made clear The wO- man with the square mouth and the beetling brow stood ready to bounce upon his salary before 1t was due. The method of obtaining a living he had chosen gave him a freedom that must have been relatively delightful.
 I took 1t upon myself to go to Mrs. Tinker to see if could soften her ob- durate heart. The yolley of words she poured upon me I can only liken to that of a Calling gun. l retired in- glOriOusly, at the same time resolving never again to interfere in domestic troubles. It was all up with Tinker and he was doomed to spend term at work for which he was by no means fitted and fOrego a work at which he was doing great good.
 We had no workhouse In our city and used that of a neighboring town. Once a week those persons who were to go there were collected, marched to the black Maria," driven to the station, put on the train and taken to their new place of confinement One morning nine prisoners, including Tinker, were thus driven to the train. On being un- loaded they were marched inside the station and put in care of a keeper, who was to take further charge of them.
 It Is here where Tinker fell under temptation. But who less than an an gel would not have fallen? On the one hand a prison to which he had been consigned by a virago, on the other liberty. At the moment he allghted from the black Maria the keepers back was turned. When the official saw him on the platform, supposIng him to be there in his capacity as evangelist, he said:
 Good morning, Mir. Tinker"
 An inspiration came to the prisoner. Taking off his hat, closing his eyes and throwing up his head, be began to pray more lustily than he had ever done be- fore for the poor fellows who were going to the workhouse. He had scarcely begun when a car was backed up, and the keeper shouted, "An aboard" The train pulled out, and Tinker disappeared in the crowd.
 A few hours later word came to the jail that one of the prisoners scheduled to be turned over at the workhouse