Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1913-01-30
The Smile Of a
Child
BY EDITH V. ROSS

Jim Gorton was working for n safe
and lock company. lie was very
poor and had not long been given EN-.
ployment-indeed. he was In debt He
had a wife and several small children
and found 1t difficult to keep them In
food and clothing.
One day Jim was summoned to a
gentleman's house for the purpose OF
picking the lock of silverware and
Jewel safe. 1t was an elegant home,
and when Jim walked on the hand
some thick rugs he thought of the
bare floors in his own home and could
not be reconciled to this man having
so much and he having so little. He
was shown into n small room where
safe was inserted into the wall. The
combination had been lost. and he was
directed to open the safe by picking
the lock. He found the job not diff
cult one and. having arranged n com
bination. gave It to the lady of the
house and went his way.
Time came when the concern that
Jim was with determined TO reduce
its working force, and he lost his job.
His wife got sick. and the condition
of the family was deplorable, Jim
thought what difference little mon
ey would make to him and those he
saw suffering He remembered the
wealth scattered about In the house
where he had fixed the lock and espe-
cially the gems and silver plate he
found I'm the safe he had opened.
Then came the temptation to get at
that safe. open 1t and take enough OF
its contents to relieve the frightful
condition of his family.
For awhile he resisted. He had
boy. little Jim, the apple Of his eye.
and shuddered at the idea OF that boy
when he grew to manhood knowing
that his father had been n criminal.
But he could not bear the strain or
his children crying for what he could
not give them. and one night In ut
Of desperation he determined to get
into the safe. One small diamond-it
would scarcely be missed-would make
a great difference In his home.
At midnight. when not light APP
peared in the rich mans house, Jim
raised n window with a Jimmy and.
entering the kitchen. made his way
softly upstairs. He remembered the
location Of the room where he had
worked on the safe and went straight
to 1t. or. rather. to an adjoining room
that led into 1t. A light was burning
in the hall. which enabled him to see
his way. Softly turning the knob OF
the anteroom. he saw some one,
nurse, sleeping soundly with her face
to the wall He withdrew and tried
the door leading from the hall into
the safe room. 1t opened easily, and
he entered By the dim light that
came from without he saw child's
crib. A gas jet was burning low. and
he turned 1t slightly on.
For moment IL seemed TO him that
his own dear little Jim was sleeping
in that crib At any rate a boy just
like Jim was there. his two chubby
arms outside the covers. Jim studied
for a moment what to do. He could
shut the door. turn up the gas and
within minute open the safe, for
which he had the combination. The
boy might not awaken. and II he did
Jim could keep him quiet FIe turned
up the light and was working on the
knob when. gancing at the crib. he
saw that the child's eyes we're open
and fixed on him When jim looked
at him his face broke into a smile.
That ended Jim's attempt at bur.
glary Within few seconds what he
needed would be within his grasp. but
he couldn't take IT past that innocent
smile He left the safe ard. advanc'
ing To the boy, bent down and kissed
him. The little chap seized his finger
and held IL In his little fist. jim gent
ly lOOseued the clasp aud giving the
boy another kiss, left the room. He
was about 10 70 downstairs when he
heard mans voice say
Stand, I've got the drop on yon."
Jim obeyed i man ia a dressing