The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1913-02-03
And What Stood Between
Him and Relapse
BY r. A. MITCHELL.


actually seemed 10 want 10 make me
feel better about IL.
by snyiE' that you're sorry" she
said. you have done all you can 10
atone FOR your famlt. That Is all any
of us can do when we sin against our
Heavenly Father, and | forgive you as
I hope 10 he forgiven myself. Now,
come into the dining room and eat "A
good dinner. I've killed chicken for
you. aud have some cream potatoes
and have made yon n cup OF coffee. !
can give you bread and butter and
honey for dessert
! didn't realize it at the time. but il
was this treatment that In the end
lodged ME in Jail The best way to
thaw ont Il cold hearted person IL TO
thaw Yourself There's lots o Grim
inals that are born wrong. and nobody
can't do nothin' with 'enI. and they
can't do nothin' with themselves. But
those of us who have got spark o.
decency In us 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. IN do il. Not that it's lit
that | should sit with you at table. but
| couldn't eat unless you did"
She sat down opposite the cotfeepot
and poured ME a 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 wlstful look.
that meant | wished she'd try To eat
somethin' herself, she took a bit q the
chicken and some bread and butter and
eat ii for my sake.
She didn't give me lecture when ]
left her: IL was no more necessary
than giyin' me another dinner and
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."
didn't think | could say anything at
fnst. | jest looked down Mt the floor.
but before ! got ont o hearn' | turned
and said:
Il don't know what my next line O.
work'll be. but IL won't be this one.
and it's all OWN 10 you
left her standin' in the front yarti
iookin' after me. and kind o. thort
her eyes were n bit moist. but the only
thing she said was God help you"
and. turnin'. went into the house.
reckoned she went up 10 her mother,
who'd been kind q quiet all the while
! hunted till | got Il job aud after
I'd been Ia work awhile concluded to
make u visit To the gal who had con.
verted me aud report progress. She
seemed glad 10 see me. hut she said
that her mother had been so frightened
ut my last appearance that II had made
her Ill. She said. too, that IT Id III.
low her to cit me up another dinner
I'd make her really happy saw that
she meant it, and. although wasn't
hungry. ! let her do ii. Id have eaten
shark teeth to please her.
| went 10 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 10 look pleased aud
sympathetic and all that. but il was
mighty hard.
You'll come To my weddin. won't
you?" she asked. and. seem she meant
IL. promised 10 go
! would ruther have been burned Mt
the stake than 10 go and see her mar.
ried. couldn't help shown that I'd
her the awful secret | was carryin
about as to why | didn't want to be
there. When the day came around !
was on hand. sure enough. though II
was no use tryin' TO look cheerful
My goin' brought on IA crisis that had
The police were lookin' for me. aud nj
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 n
hand rest on my shoulder. and | knew
what had happened. Without turnin'
! whispered. Don't interrupt the wed
din and let me slide out quiet"
He had the decency to do MS | asked.
and stood there lookin mt the bride
and groom bein' tied together. II was
mighty hard. and If I could IA got ont
without bein' noticed Id n gone mt once
with the cop. But the minute the par.
son said man and wife" | took the
cops arm-luckiy he was In plain
clothes-and walked out with him ns
though he was Il particular friend o.
mine. didn't look back neither. fear.
in to catch the brides eye.
Pm payin the penalty of 1t all. and
] suppose II 1t hadn't been for one act
Of kindness when ! get out Id go 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.
ever ] do, III have TO be honest.
Velvet Umbrellas Smart.
Because OF the tremendous vogue OF