The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-11-25
FREEDOM. AFTER
Twenty seven
!. WEARY YEARS
Thanksgiving Means Much to
Man Set Free Today on
!, Parole ~ s;;
IS AFRAID Of THE STRANGE
WORLD OUTSIDE PRISON

's WORLD OUTSIDE PRISON
Was Twenty-Five When He Entered
the Institution and Is New Fifty.six
Killed sweetheart's Stepfather in
p Quarrel.
80.
Lansing, Kas.. Nov. 25.-After
swenty-seven years IN the penitentiary
Juln kcgtr3 was Sc; freq. cL lLanks-
giving day.
How do you feel about 1t, John, !"
visitor asked him few days ago.
When the moment of freedom
comes Rogers will not be met BY an
Old time friend. There will be no kin
at the gate. He will be alone except
ior the friendship of woman who
naS, through sympathy for a deserted
and forlorn man, promised to give
him a home.
John Rogers did not answer the
question Immediately. His left palm
slipped up to his jaw and slid slowly
toward his chin. There came no an.
ewertng smile from his bloodless lips,
Instead, across his brow passed n
shadow Indicating timidity, distress
and worry.
"May Not Know How to Act,
How do feel about it?" he re.
peated languidly. "Well, I think 1
leel Just about the same that felt
itwenty-seven years ago, when I
caught sight Of this prison out there
from the road, when the sheriff
brought me here. reckon I'm lust
= bit nervous. Mebbe I'm some scar
ed. don't suppose I'll know how
to act"
Suddenly he raised his eyes for the
nrst time and the visitor had good
look at them. They had lost their
slustre; there was no life in them. So
far. as sparkle was concerned they
seemed to be dead.
There is lady from st. Joseph
who is coming for me. She'll sure
c6me, won't .she! 2" he asked, rather
anxiously.
what II size doesn'tr' he was ask
Cd. What will you dor, ~
"Dof Who, me? Why Il know how
to travel from New York to Califor-
MIA
Like q Boy Defying the Dark.
But there was no confidence in his
tone. He was a very little boy, boast
ing that he was not afraid to 70 up-
stairs In the dark, but at the same
time hoping against hope that he
would not be put to the test.
But she will come all right: I
know it because she said she would .
"What aro you ooino fo 10 o,,<
there!"
: Rogers huddled a little more and
more down into the big chair In which
he was seated. The chair was quite
large. rather accentuS Sn4 his slight
frame. Suddenly as H reading his
visitors thoughts he said:s.
Il was 20 when came In here;
now I'm Sc. was a pretty active
youngster then. There warn't no one
in the mines that got his task out
easier and quicker than me. don't
suppose could do 1t now"
Had Seen TrOlleys Only in Pictures.
STRENGTHENING up quickly as IL the
last words were an admission Of age
and decreasing strength he said:
Il suppose I'll find whole lot Of
things different in st. Joe. was
there In 20, you know. Do they have
trolley cars there7 You know, / have
never seen trolley car-except
those have seen in the picture pa
pers-and' it. always seemed that in
the pictures i looked at the trolley
car was where you couldn't tell what
It looked like" Suddenly he began
to- laugh. y 1t was not the laugh Of q
normal person, but q half chuckle
and half crOak
"Have you anything In the office
coming to your" was asked by the
Saved s1s5 in Twenty.seyen Years.
Yes, l have $185 coming" he an
ywered with show of pride. In
kwenty-seven years this man had ac-
cumulated $1s5.
What are you going to do with
It when you get out?"
1--WE figured that out. I'm going to
have q $50 new suit-made by tail
or. 1t was the very little boaatful
boy talk again Then I'm going to
buy me q $50 Elgin watch and q IS
pair Of shoes" 3S
Nearby sat guard who had been
IN the prison for twenty-five years.
He and John Rogers started In at
almost the same time, the one, pris-
oner and the other his controlling Of
deer. The prisoner was Johnnie"
10 the guard just as he had been q
quarter Of q century before.
Johnnie" he said. you have been
here !. long time. Maybe you will get
homeslck after q little while and
want to come back" The old man,
tor hef %. an old man at 56, looked
wistfully out Of the window at the
prison avenues and little streets. Day
dreams came and took away his de-
sire for talking. 81
Shot His Sweetheart's Stepfa&her.
Mrs., g. Z. .Artlip, wife of a shoe
merchant, Of Ct. Joseph. will meet
iRegersf f;at the prison. Mr. and Mrs.
,Artlip have promised the governor to
tSke care OF the old man and give
him such work q he ~ able to- do.
NrsaArtlip became interested in Rog-
afss through newspaper storiess She
Gfked Governor Hoch' to issue the
DaFdon and then che asked for 9 par
gY5 ss;3 s.sS tt AZ II VS. K. VA .Sjstt