Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1914-12-22

rested for embezzlement This in time
viii undoubtedly prove that he and not
your husband was guilty of that other
stealing which he managed TO fix on
your husband. If he can be induced to
confess to that we can get a pardon
from the governor"
Mrs. Walker looked disappointed
Il will see VAIL" continued the law
yer, "and learn what may be expected
from him. Since / defended your hus-
band | may have some weight In the
| matter by promising TO use my infiu-
ence in making Wallis sentence as light
as possible"
Mrs. Walker left him and the next
day received a telephone message from
him that the cashier had confessed that
he was guilty of both deficiencies and
would SO plead He had carried the
losses in the accounts by going to the
bank In the night and "doctoring" the
books.
1t now rested with the governor OF
the state to pardon Walker, which was
the only way his release could be eff
fected. An application was at once
made to that effect. and the head of
the commonwealth promised to look
into the matter. He consulted the
state attorney, who also agreed to look
into the matter But the state attor-
ney had a great many cases to look
into and must take them up In turn.
Meanwhile the Walker family were
making preparations for Christmas
celebration to be finer than any Christ
for papa oceasioned the most consd-
Grafton, for there were few articles
that would please him. However, with
the mothers assistance the list was
completed. and every child had some
thing to offer the returned father.
But Christmas was drawing near,
and there were no signs Of action on
the part of the governor in the matter
of the pardon. Mrs. Walker made fire.
quent applications to Mr.. Spencer, who
did what he could to hasten the mat
ter, but was unable to get any salts
faction as to the date the pardon would
be granted.
One day Spencer called on Mrs.
Walker to report progress. George
was in an adjoining room. unknown to
his mother, and heard Spencer tell her
mother that he had been to the state
capital and seen Governor Brown, who
had told him that it would be impossi-
bic that Walker should be released be-
fore Christmas because there was not
time to remove the legal obstacles in
the way.
The overhearing of this statement
quite broke Georges heart. He was
naturally reticent little chap and said
nothing to his brothers and sisters
about their father not being at home
for Christmas, but his little brain was
active. He had heard of children writ
ing letters for gifts. Why should he
not write to this Governor Brown to
let his papa come home in time for
Christmas? So he sat down and wrote
as follows:
Dear Govner BROWNIE expect to
have a bully Crismas, but we cant unles
papa comes home to spend it with u.s. /
wish you wood give him to me for
Crismas present. / would thank you ever
so mulch. Yours trooly,
GEORGE WALKER.
George addressed his letter, "Gov-
ernor Brown. the Capital" which prac-
tically was as good an address as could
bava haa,, ,rcaI Gaoroia didn't Iypor.,
where the capital was, but the post
Office officials did, and they also knew
all about Governor Brown. On the
morning of the governors receipt of
the letter be telephoned the state at
torney for information as to Evan
Walker. The reply came that it could
not be taken up before next week"
Il have letter." replied the COVER
nor, from Walkers little boy, asking
me to let his father come home for
Christmas. This one gift | propose to
make this year, and If you ever expect
another favor from me you'll have to
remove all legal obstacles in the way
of my doing So"
''All right, governor" was the reply.
''I'll attend TO the matter Immediately"
The state attorney got busy at once.
for politically he was nothing without
the governor, and in very quick time
he presented to the governor papers
that enabled him to issue pardon to
Evan Walker which enabled the ward
en- of the penitentiary to set him free.
On the afternoon Of the day before
Christmas Mrs. Walker was at the pen
itentiary to accompany her husband to
his home. Walkers vindication, taken
with his freedom, was q cause of ex-
quisite relief and happiness both for
him and his wife. AS for the children.
they only knew that after long, long
absence they had their father with
them for Christmas
The parents were received with
shouts Of merriment by the children,
who climbed all over their father. The
frst gift bestowed on that happy Christ
mas was silver watch sent through
his mother to George as his other
Christmas gift from the governor.
So passed the first really merry
Christmas the family had spent and
the first they had spent together in a
number of years. And it was the
Dawn Of new era in their lives. So
great was the sympathy for Evan
Walker that he was restored to his
position and advanced rapidly as some
atonement for the injustice that had
been done him.