The Washington times., 1911-01-23

1 fuse the other AS q natural rule. So
long as man thinks first of his own in
! terest, that rule will stand. Against
| such a rule that closes the road of hon.
| esty, what chance does the discharged
tconvict have? He has none-absolutely
| none!
''Since the world will not receive back
! the thief, since there is no saving the
| thief once he has become a thief, the
| only chance whatever for him is to save
] him before he has turned to thievery-
while he is a child.
"And how save? I am a believer in
/ heredity-yes; but l believe far more in
the influence of surroundings. Let a
child be Graded in the gutter and
nursed by wickedness; let wickedness
| be its bedfeuow, playfellow. workfeIlow,
| its teacher and its friend-and what do
| you get? The prisons tell you. Let the
same child grow up surrounded by de-
cency and you will have decent child,
and later decent man. Could the
thousands and thousands of children
who are developing toward criminality,
| toward profligacy, toward a stunted ma
turity, be set amid good conditions, the
leak would be stopped. or almost-the
, great human waste would be brought
to an end. They would be saved to
themselves and saved to their country.
Nothing of all this is new to you.
Rut the world is so Indifferent. so negli-
gent I should like TO do my little part
toward rousing the world to the awful
ness of this waSte-toward making 1t as
economical of it's people as 1t is of its
pigs and pigiron. And that is my
dream"
He had spoken vibrantly. leaning to-
ward her with his hands tightly inter-
locked on the table, his eyes aglow, a
flush on his white cheeks. Color had
risen to his own face. For several mo-
ments after he had stopped they sat
looking at each other: then she said,
barely above whisper:
"Ah, There is greatness in you
mo, no." David returned quickly. II
have merely buiIded out of words the
shape of an impossible dream" 4 little
smile came to his face. but its whimsi
calItv could not hide its pain. II told
you it was dll a preposterous dream.
Look at what I dream: look at me-my
record. You may smile
Il feel more like doing the other
she said, with a quaver You are going
TO grow above your record, and above
this position"
Her praise, her sympathy, her belief,
thrilled him: and his purpose, set free
in words, had given him courage, had
lifted him ND. As from a swift, dizzy
growth, he felt strong big.
4 burning impulse swept into him to
tell her his innocence. For a moment
his innocence tremtled on his lips. But
the old compelling reasons for silence
rushed forward and Joined battle with
the desire of his love. His hands
clutched, his body tightcned.
May the prophecy come true his
dry lips said.
1T will
She began absently to draw off her
glove David casually noted the action.
He was wrenched from his thoughts
and whizZed away to a new one-what
was on her third finger? The glove
came off slowly. Every little pull at It
his heart
After an epoch the hand was bare.
There was no ring.
He caught in so sharp a breath that
Helen came out OF her absorption with
& start. You have new idea?" she
asked.
"Yes-no." he stammered. 1T doesn't
amount to anything
I'm sure it does"
Tit wouldn't interest you. It's of
no Importance" By an effort he cor |
trolled himself. But you were thinking !
of something.
Yes. And l want to tell you of it." /;
She rose. But I must be going. Won't !
you walk with me to the car, and let
me talk on the way?"
A minute later they were in the !
street, from which the day had all but |
faded, and into which the shop win
dows, and above them the tier on tier
Of tenement windows, were stretching |
their meager substitute. David offered |
ilSl MS al III WIN liCpiootAci 'iSAiDhii7
when she took it, and they set them
selves against the stream of home
coming workers. Her generous wor''s |
to him, ner Tingless finger, the hand
upon his arm. combined to send the |
blood leaping through him. to put into
him the lightness and the all-conquerins
strength of youth; and the crisp winter
air that thrust its sting into many of
the huddling passers-by tinglingIy
pricked him with the joy of living.