Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-12-19

first time I've wished ! hadn't"
Whether 1t was what | said or the
way looked don't know. but that soft
heart o. bern thawed again. and she
actually seemed to want to make me
feel better abont ii.
by sayin' that you're sorry" she
said. you have done all you can to
atone for your IS nit. That is all any
of us can do when we sin against our
Heavenly Father. and forgive yon as
| hope TO he forgiven myself. Now.
come into the dining room and eat n
good dinner. I've killed a chicken for
you. and ! have some cream potatoes
and have made you cup of coffee.
can give you bread and butter and
honey for dessert"
didn't realize II at the time. but it
was this treatment that In the end
lodged me in Jail. The best way to
thaw out n cold hearted person is to
thaw Yourself There's lots O. Grim
inals that are born wrong. aud nobody
can't do nothin' with 'em. and they
can't do nothn' with themselves. But
those of us who have got a spark o
decency in rs can't stand kindness any
more than other people. and unless
we've got some criminal blood In our
veins we've got to he switched Off by
1t on to the main track.
IF you'll sit down with me-" / said
TO the gal. I'm do 1t. Not that it's &c
that should sit with you at table, hut
/ couldn't eat unless you did"
She sat down opposite the coffeepot
and poured me cup OF coffee. Then
with her own hands she helped me to
the chicken. askin' me II liked white
or dark meat. Then she landed some
Of the cream potatoes on my plate.
and when ! gave her wistful look,
that meant | wished she'd try to eat
somethin' herself. she took bit O. the
chicken and some bread and butter and
eat it for my sake.
She didn't give me a lecture when I
left her: 1t was no more necessary
than givin' me another dinner and
would have gone against me just as
much. She just said: Some day when
you are along this way again drop In.
The latchstring Is always out, and
there are more chickens in the roost.''
i
fust. I Jest looked down at the floor.
but before got out o. hearln' turned
| and said:
Il don't know what my next line o.
work'l be. but IT won't be this one.
and it's all OWN to you"
| left her standin' In the front yard
lookin after me. and l kind O. thort
har avoS xvara N hIt moist huf tho onlv
thing she said was God help you."
and. turnin. went into the house. I
reckoned she went up to her mother.
who'd been kind o. quiet all the while.
hunted till | got job and after
Id been 10 work awhile concluded to
make a visit to the gal who had con-
verted me and report progress. She
seemed glad TO see me. but she said
| that her mother had been so frightened
at my last appearance that 1t had made
| her ILL., She ssaid. too. that IL I'd al
low her to git me up another dinner
I'd make her really happy. | saw that
she meant 1t. and. although | wasn't
hungry. | let her do 1t. I'd h<'e eaten
sharks teeth 10 please her.
went to see her every now and then
after that On one of my visits
found her loOkin' unusually happy. and
she told me she was engaged to be
married | tried to look pleased and
sympathetic and all that. but it was
mighty hard.
You'll come to my weddin'. won't
you? she asked. and. seem she meant
II, promised to go.
] would ruther have been burned at
the stake than to go and see her mar
ried | couldn't help shown that I'd
be glad TO stay away. but didn't give
her the awful secret | was carryin'
about as to why | didn't want to be
there When the day came around I
was on hand. sure enough. though 1t
was no use tryin' to look cheerful.
My gOin' brought on crisis that had
to come. suppose. sooner or later.
The police were lookin' for me. and at
one of my visits to the gal who'd got
the upper hand o. me some one I'd
previously robbed saw me comm out
o. the house and set the cops on to me.
and they watched the place for me.
Durin' the weddin' ceremony ! felt a
hand rest on my shoulder. and knew
what had happened. Without turnin'
] whispered. Don't interrupt the we'd
din and let me slide out quiet"
He had the decency to do as ! asked,
and stood there lookin' at the bride
and groom bein' tied together 1t was
mighty hard. and II could "a got ont
without bein' noticed I'd "A gone Mt once
with the cop. But the minute the par
son said IMAM and wife" I took the
cops arm-luckily he was in plain
cIothes-and walked out with him as
though he was a paEticular friend o
mine. | didn't look back neither fear
in to catch the brides eye.
I'm payin' the penalty OF 1t all. and
] suppose If it hadn't been for one act
OF Kindness when | get out I'd o-into
the old business. But the gal who did
It. though she doesn't belong to me,
stands IN the way. For her sake. what
Pver ! do. I'll have to be honest
II no4 TO - ~a~14o@