The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-24

But occasionally this glib crook
studied his toe. He studied it once
and got three years in Auburn Prison.
He STUDIED ii again and sojournCd two
years in the pen" on Blackwells
Island for his miscalculation. Perhaps
at such times vague notions of reform
took shape in his mind.
As long before as the Plttsburg bank
robbery he and Big Ned Kelly had a
talk in New York and concluded to
lay up some money, quit the crooked
game and go into business. But they
were never able to carry out their in
tention. Both got out OF money, both
went from one trick to another and
both went to prison.
Indeed when Watson went up for the
last time, nearing forty years of age,
with twenty years of outlawry at his
back, he was by every mark man
confirmed in crime, and he would have
admitted as much himself. But in the
prison something happened which gave
an entirely new twist to his life Still
this something seems entirely made
quate to produce the results claimed
for 1t, unless We can conceive that the
criminal no matter how hardened is
really often a man Chock full of a GER
tain kind Of sentiment. What tapped
this low lying body of sentiment in
Watson's makeup was the entrance OF
young convict who reminded Watson
of what he himself was like when he
first passed behind prison walls
This prisoner was twenty-six years
old, much older than Watson on his
first entry, but he was very boyish in
appearance, and Dick always thought
of him as his younger self and devel-
oped n strong affection for him. Seeing
that the prison itself was fast making
felon of the newcomer, notwith-
standing that his first offence had been
rather a product Of circumstances than
OF criminal intent and knowing well
what lay ahead, even though he devel-
oped into a smart crook, Watson felt
the pity Of 1t. His own life seemed
doubly repusive when he saw it as
the possible career of this fine young
fellow.
In consequence Dick seized every OPP
portunity to influence the young man
against the criminal life. In time the
two became very chummy. Watson
called the young fellow his Little Pal
and felt a greater attachment for him
than he ever had for any human being
before. He regularly employed all his
trained cunning and his painfully ac-
CURED knowledge OF prison wire pull
ing to secure easier conditions for the
young man, whose health was none too
good.
on the other hand the Little Pal re-
clprocated Dicks affection was deeply
grateful for his many kindnesses and
gave evidence OF responding to his
good influence. 1t was upon this foun-
datlon that Watson's life later turned
as a sort of fulcrum.
But changes in prison organization,
discipline or routine frequently disrupt
associations such as that between Dick
Watson and his Little Pal, and the men,
although within the same walls, may
be long in getting in touch with each
other again. Such "A change separated
| these two for many months for so long,
in fact, that when Watson located his
Little Pal again he was in the tuber-
cular ward of the prison hospital.
Watson, grief-stricken, succeeded in
getting himself made a trusty and APP
pointed to nurse duty in the tubercular
ward Unquestionably the shadows
We're drawing near for the young man
and Watson often sat for long intervals
| bowed over his bed as If watching the
hourly wasting of his life. There was
little or no conversation, yet i'm these
silences the men got closer and closer
To each others hearts. one evening
when the Little Pal was very low Wat
son asked:
us there anybody you want to send
message to, Kid, before you go?"
With a grim shake OF his head the
| young man answered:
Nobody" while a mask OF utter lone
liness framed itself upon his features
But two hours later when Watson
returned the young man placed sealed
letter solcitously in his hands
Say, Pal" he said, speaking with
| d't'culty. there IL one friend, n woman