The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1907-05-18
For Minis Sake
~~~~~N~

The prison gateway stood open, the
warder moved aside, and l stepped out
"a free man once agen. You bet, the
sense o. freedom arfter the stretch OF
ard wus good, Sam. wanted to shout,
to laugh, to shike 'ands wiv everybody.
Wheer wus Min an the kid that they
didn't run ter greet me? They knew
my time wus up that mornin'. wy
'adn't they showed up?
1t struck me at once that sommut
must be wrong Min WIS queer In the
lungs when l wus put AMY, alwus 'ad
bin since knowed 'er, but IL she could
ha' come knew well she would, even
II she'd 'ad ter crawl ev'ry yard O. the
wy. / knew 'er, SAM knew that 'er
whole bein' WIS wrapped up in my
worthless self, spite O. me bein' con-
victed crook, an sense O. fear grip
ped me as / stood theer by the prison
gate. Theer wus sommut wrong.
As the certainty forced itself upon
me I started 'ome at run. People
In the busy streets turned an glared
at me as l thrust 'em out O. my way
an tore bllndly along Pantin' an
nearly done, l reached the Rents an
stumbled up the stairs. From the room
stayed wiv my and on the door, my
cart thumpin', an sorter choky feel
In In my throat. Then pushed 1t open
an staggered In, to stop, like man
suddeny paralyzed, as took it all in.
Theer ON a mattress in the corner lay
Min. wiz beautiful smile on 'er thin
white face an 'er eyes fixed in a glarsy
stare. Sittin' by the table wus wom-
ana Idly, you could tell at a glarnce
-wiv my little gel in 'er arms murmur-
In words o. comfort, an by 'er stood
the little parson who 'ad done 'is best
fer me at the trial.
For a spell ev'rything swan in my
'ead, blindin' mist wus before my
eyes. an reused ter find Is and on
my shoulder.
Heaven comfort you. Jake, my poor
fellow" card I'm sym, as If from a
distance. "She-your wife-'as CORN
'ome."
Corn 'ome! threw OFF is and an
staggered acrorss the room.
'Mln" I cried. min. speak ter me !"
The kiddy scrambled outer the wom-
ans arms an run forwards me, sob
bin 'er little cart out. Stunned wiz
the Glow, l stared at Minis set face, an
gradually the bitter truth took old OF
me.
Tell me-" whispered. turnin' to the
parson.
"She died but an our SINCE" he arm.
swered. softly. died with your name on
'er lips. The doctor tried Is best, Jake
but there wus little 'ope. an the dis.
ease galloped in Its latter stage.
'oped she might live till your return
but II wus not to be-"
He pointed to the pile Of match boxes
on the table.
''That Is 'ow she as managed to ex
list all these months" e went on
"When the chest grew more trouble
some. the fight for bread an roof be
came 'arder an 'arder. For Ions
time she refused all 'elp, sym Their,
were others who needed 1t more. An
It wus only in the larst extremity, wher
the agent 'ad threatened to turn 'er ou
Of this miserable room because sh,
could not find the rent, that she woult
allow us to assist 'er. She wanted tt
be ere, she told me, when you came
out, to welcome YOU"
The kiddy put 'er arms about my
a.,
'er little wet face agenst mine.
Ev'rything wus dark. 1t seemed al
II all the d'ys of my life 'ad CORN fol
ever, an there wus nothing before m,
but black night
The Idly wus speakin'. wot wus 1
she wus s'yin'f
THE little girl. What do you pro
pose to do with herT
THE Lord knows, ma'am," cried.
"Give her to me-" she said. "I will
take care Of her until you want he
back"
put the child down an laughed
laughed aloud In my bitterness. Tn
resolve to live clean, the determination
to make Min an the kid Apply an
proud o. me, the 'opeful thoughts whicl
'ad been wiv me In the black d'ys
seemed now a cruel mockery. Min WI
gorn-gorn from me forever.
LET the child go, Jake" said the par
son. 'she will be well taken care Of
II will be for her benefit"
The kiddy, too. taken from me!
ciutched 'er frail little body in my arm
an. kissin' 'er agen an agen. shook m
cad. Ny little Min, who showed 1
eY'ry feature resemblance to 'er mott