The Washington herald., 1912-04-07

TT sometimes happens that the turning
point acts as the alarm clock Of a mans
life. II wakes him up. makes him bestir
! himself in spite of his slothful desire to
lInger awhile longer In laziness, ana u
often makes man out OF what was formerly
only an excuse for a human being.
That is why Robert J. Easton OF Missouri
can look back on the past and smile. Easton
heard the alarm clock OF life az q time when
he cared neither for happiness norfor money.
He had left life. as # Is ordinarily known. far
behind. There was nothing that interested
him. He was one Of those persons who be-
lieved that the lost love OF . girl can kill. or
at least rend the heart until nothing in the
world matters. Easton. In his early life, had
lost that love by his own foolishhess, and
then having lost lacked the will power TO
stay and bring II back. Once in awhile, after
he had wandered away from the home place.
he wondered whether or not she could for
give. Then came the deadening touch. OF
time. He began to forget her. But he did
not forget that he had been a fool, and IL
was that which kept him derelict.
For when Easton had cast himself into the
world he had become a drifter. For awhile
he tried to make something Of himself. but
his Iessening interest in life pulled him down.
GRADUALLY ne became q NdnQeTer on Ine IACe
OF the earth. with no especial bad habits as
far as Sc bad habits - are classed. but merely
a noneompetent listless not caring. q vags-
bond through choice.
And SO he passed the years wandering from
city to city. beating his way most OF the time.
working Just long enough in a place to pro-
vide his cheap food and bedding He had
chosen to forget all that was possible Of his
fa IND ha dK,o Att
The learning OF his younger years had been
submerged by the roughness Of the road.
His appearance was uncouth. He was Just
what he intended to be. a tramp.
=
Arrested as Vaerant.
Then began the change. One day he drift
ed into Cleveland and was promptly arrested
on a charge Of vagrancn He had no evidence
OF q means OF support He was found guilty
and sentenced TO term at CIsve!an6s farm
OF reformation. an urban place where men
are not imprisoned. but made to work In the
open. doing farm work that builds Up. not
tears down.
Eastou approached his sentence with the
stoicism that he bad regarded all the rest Of
his life. There was nothing that could change.
him. He had settled his course IN existence
and nothing could swerye II. His mission
was to forget and forget he would.
But Easton reckoned without the turning
point He had failed to see that he. man n
good education, good morals, good health,
and good ability. was not buit for the life he
had nodded for himseh- He had gone as far
In Il as was possible. There must be a change,
q complete change. 1t had to be. The turn
ing point was necessity Of nature with Rob-
ert Easton, ard one day It arrived
It was spring. Warm, pleasant. soothing
winds swept across the broad fields where he
was working, carrying with them the scent
fthe blossoms IN the orchard near BY. Under
the little stone bridge brook was whisper
ing, laughing to itself as IT hurried along.
Birds were circIing overhead or pausing on
he fences and telegraph wires TO strain their
throats with songs OF joyfulness. Easton
looked up from his work A little thrill shot
through him and his eyes moistened from
some unknown cause. Then his teeth grttted
and he settled doggedly to his workHgain.
Noon came and the marching men walked
toward the place where food was waiting
Some joked and laughed-for they are al
lowed to do this in the outdoor prisons-but
Easton's head was down He had always
mated spring.
Blossom the Turning Point.
They passed the orchard and, as a slightly
stronger pun OF wind struck against the line
Of plodding men, fuffy something settled
against Easton's breast and caught In a
hem Of his shirt His lowered eyes saw II.
regarded 1t moment. then closed. hand
reached up. grasped the little something as
II to throw It away, then paused and gripped
1t tight. queer expression came over the
n the a.
out. Il was the turning point.
It was only a sprig OF peach blossom. vet
what difference 1t madei- For had opened
again the gates Of memory. It had brought
before Rabert Easton the things he had been
trying to forget all these years. He saw her
again, Just as she had been the day he for
ever sealed his happiness. leaning against
the gnarled tree in the orchard, tearing the
petals from the be-blossomed twigs within
her reach. her face now angry, now wistful,
now pleading as he shot his foolish, imagi-
ary accusations at her. II hurt, that pic
ure. and Easton's face became grave as the
>erspective showed in his memory. But
here was more 70 come. There was at last
the rebellion against his cruelty to think Of,
there was the awakening to come. Eastou
tried to down 1t. Easton fought hard against
Il all that afternoon as he worked In the field.
Easton tried not TO think OF II. He endeay-
ored to stine the emotions that threatened
to engulf him. but In vain, 1t was the ineyf-
table. II was the turning point.
That night. as he lay on his bunk, staring
at the stars through the grated windows
he made the resolve. After all. had he not
lccentuated his first foolishness by still
more great dea worse7 Had he not ruined
his life all because a woman had possessed
enough spirit to resent practical insult2
Had he not acted the coEard7' Had he done
right? Had, he been Just to himself and 20
her? The thoughts pounded into his brain
with ever increasing intensity. They crowd
ed his intellect and demanded answers.
They bounded him. They encircisd him;
hedged him In. At last, a new Hight N his
TTI1NlIlp'Nx
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