The daily Alaskan., 1909-02-09
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The Man Who Weakened


 We all realize how hard it is to be good, but are not often reminded of how hard It is to be bad. The truth is that our lives are Ike the gyrO- scope, that paradoxical toy which, once set revolving in a certain place, resists being turned into any other plane,
 Michael Herman had been sent to school when boy, had been brought up rellglously. and his associates were respectable people of the working class Mike was a good workman. but when the commercial panic of 1907 came on, with thousands of oth- CTS, he dropped out of employment Having a wife and several children, his heartstrlngs were strained by a terrific tension. To see his little ones hungry, paling every day for the want of necessary sustenance to be driven with his family from one lodging to another each successive rooftree being more rotten and shabby than Its pred ecessor. was crucifylng to the poor mans sensibIlities.
 Mikes boy, Little Mike, four years old. was the apple of bis fathers eye. Little Mike became III, and tempta- ton came to his father at the same time Little Mikes calling for food that was not to be had, needing med lcal attendance that was only for the prosperous. was too much for Nike l. He was approached by two men who were entering houses and appropriat. Ing the contents. They wanted third to assist them and made him prop os!tion. The question What should he doT" Is one that has puzzled the best ntellects. In the eye of society there Is but one answer,
 A few days later the three men, Pat Dolan. Jlm Murphy and Mike, broke into a dwelling in the center of large grounds, far enough from other houses to enable them to work without being heard by the ucighbors, One of the women of the family, awakened by a bright light being flashed in her face, began to scream. Dolan ordered her to keep quiet. meanwhile feeling for the electric switch. and-when he found 1t be lighted up the whole floor. The master of the house Jumped out of bed to sec what was the matter and ran into NIurphy's arms. Dolan knocked the screaming woman scnscless, then placing Mike on guard over every one on the floor, went downstairs to collect the ynluables there. while Murphy ran sacked the bedrooms,
 Mike found himself in a position that he had not counted on He had prepared himself to be brave and had partially satisfied his conscience that he was doing no wrong in taking what another did not especially need to keep life in his darling boy. But he had not prepared himself to pose as burglar. The situation to the Inmates of the house was appalling. The wo- man who had been stlllcd had faiuted, and the master of the house was try ing to revive her. lie turned to Mike and said:
 You are not even respectable bur glars. None but the most contempta- ble will lnjure a woman
 Were driven to it, sir" said Mike. ''We can't get work, and our families are starving"
 At that moment a door opened and little boy in white nlghtie, tumbled curls falling over his forehead, under which hls eyes bllnked in the sudden HSht. came out into the hall.
 "Papa," he said, what has this man a false face on for?"
 This was too much for Mike. He snatched the boy in his arms, crying at the same time:
 "Rve got one like him at home.'
 At the same moment Murphy came out of one of the bedrooms with a bag full of jewels. Seeing Mike caressing child he called to Dolan below:
 Mikes weakening"
 Without word Dolan rushed up- stairs. Mike heard him coming and put down the child. Dolan ran up to Mike and hammered hlm with the butt of his revolver. Then, having ouieted. as he supposed, the better nature of his assistant, he resumed his plIlaging. An hour after entering the e. premises the burglars left with the usual threat to kill any one giving an alarm within a certain time.
 The next morning Dolan read an account of the robbery in the morning papers and noted a statement that hopes were entertained that the bur glar who had weakened if offered i'm munity might be induced to turn states evidence, Dolan paled, The three had separated before daylight and he could not reach Mike tlll even- ing. During the day he resolved to put his assistant where he would tell no talcs-under the sod-and revolved in his mind methods for doing so Mike did not read the account of his weakening, but his mind was uade up as to his future course. Scarcely had the plundered family finished breakfast when 1t was announced that man was outside with information
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