The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1913-04-12

lest Satan enter into him through
idleness. His mother died when he
was boy; his father loved him, I
believe, but never showed his love.
When he was sixteen James got into
some trivial scrape. 1t was about
money. It was not honest. but no
should have had pity and sympathy.
But his father only thought Of justice.
He turned him out of his home. The
son fell among bad companions. He
was weak, he sank lower and lower
until I met him. It was in a mission,
and he had gone there to listen and
deride. Instead Of that the spirit Of
love entered into his heart. We
worked together for three months. !
was engaged to marry him.
"Then-well. he fell in with some
old friends. They laughed at him
when he told them Of his changed
life. In mockery they tempted him
with liquor. He could not resist
He fell once more. For two weeks
he was gone-where, do not know.
On the fifteenth day he stood in the
magistrates court, charged with mur.
der. But 1t was his father who should
have saved him. and the guilt 10 ON
his soul. not on the boys"
For the FIRST time she glanced I'm
at Henry Alton. The man was Wis.
ibly shaken. The perepiration was
streaming down his forehead and his
hends were shaking. Her words had
gone home. "One Of those hard un.
yielding men," she had said. A mask
seemed to fall from before his spir.
itual vision and he saw himself, q
Pharisee. one Of those who obeyed
the letter and not the spirit.
And you intend to marry him
when he is freed?" he asked.
Il have waited nine years." she an.
swered. II can wait eleven more.
Hut. Mr. Alton, will you not set him
free? o. what good will 1t do to keep
In prison one who has long repented.
whose crime was the result of a life
Of evil already atoned for? Make him
happy"
She might have said Make me
happy" thought Alton.
The train rushed on, but he did not
answer her. He was struggling with
a whole uprush of new feelings which
had long lain prisoned beneath the ICY
bonds Of his conventional righteous.
ness. He thought of his own son, his
only child. whom he had driven from
home for just such a boyish escapade
years before. How often he had long.
ed for another chance to help the boy,
but pride forbade. He had tried to
balance his deeds before God. and he
had forgotten that Gods dice ara
loaded and his balances weighted.
Nothing but love could counterbal.
ance sin.
miss Lomax," he said presently.
turning to her. II told you that base
my convictions upon Justice. In this
case l think justice has been done. l
will see the prisoner at once-1 can't
say what / will debut II the circum.
stances merit setting him free l will
vote for his release"
when you look into his eyes," she
said, you will know that there will
be no danger Of his proving undeserv
ing"
She snapped open locket. and
showed Alton a photograph within
THAT was taken nine years ago." she
said. He has changed greatly. bu,
not for the worse. YOU"
She stopped suddenly, for Henry
Atoms eyes were filled with tears
and he was staring at the photograph
with an expression that no man had
ever seen upon his face before. He
was looking at the photograph Of hia
son.
Copyright, 1918. by W. g. chapman)
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