Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-11-27
SAW TIE MOTHER OF HIS CHILDREN.

in the case shall be sent to you to ar
rive tonight. But doubtless you are
right about the matter; they might not
arrive. If they come, at what hour
will you release him.
The last delivery of mail has been
made tonight Another is due about 8
o'clock in the morning. Within an hour
after it arrives. should the pardon
come, the prisoner will be set free"
The woman's face fell. Again she
was silent for a moment, then said:
II fear there is a hitch and we shall
be disappointed. l will try to be here
in about an hour after the arrival of
the first mail, but 1t will be hard for
me to get away from the children. l
have not told them 1 have been hoping
that their father would spend Christ
mas with us for fear of disappointing
them. They won't know or understand
what takes ire away from them on
Christmas morning. However, / will
try to be here in time to meet him If
he is freed"
She went away much disappointed.
The governor had promised her, but
governors have so much to attend TO
and are bound by so much red tape
that their promises are seldom fulfilled
on time, If at all. She had very little
hope that the expected pardon would
arrive in time TO give her and those
dear to her united Christmas
That night on the arrival of the IL
o'clock train from the state capital a
special messenger from the governor
knocked at the prison portal and hand
ed the warden a pardon for George
Griffiths. At o'clock in the morning
the fact was announced to the prisoner
that he could leave the penitentiary
whenever he liked The warden en-
deavored to keep him till his wife
should arrive without telling him that
she expected to come for him. hut
Griffiths paid no attention TO him. In
deed. be did not hear what was said
to him. Ordinary clothes were given
him-they had been sent by his wife
he put them on, and without eating a
breakfast be walked out into the
world
He had counted the days as they
had elapsed from his entering a prison
till the expiration of his term. This
sudden release had thrown all his cal
citations into confusion. He did not
know that It was Christmas morning.
He had known that there were to be
changes in the prison routine for that
anniversary, but the unexpected event
had put IT all out Of his head. When
the gate swung back TO make him a
free man he stood for a few moments
looking out on the scene before him.
1t was a bright. crisp morning. the sun
shining on snow that had fallen the
night before. The light so dazzled
him that Il was some time before he
co1ld see clearly. The sounds were
different from what they had been IN
Drison-the rumble Of vehicles. the
snort1ng Of locomotives, a distant din
Of the city. When he went In be had
stood erect; now he was bent. 1t was
not time that had done 1t, but suffer
ing. The consciousness Of innocence
which he at first thought would sup
port him rendered his punishment
harder 70 bear than II he had been
guilty. In that case he would have
felt that he was expiating his crime.
AS it was. his whole nature had re-
VOTED against an injustice not only 10
him, but his wife and little innocent
children. Surely the state was a ty-
rant.
He took q few unsteady steps TO
ward and paused. what was be e
ing to do. which WY GOT At that
moment chimes from = nearby church