The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-04-06
A
CONVERSION
By DONALD C1AMbERIIN

Having occasion to visit a town II
Arizona, where there were no hote
accommodations worthy Of the name.
asked a man / met on the street II h,
could tell me where could find lodg
ing In private house.
Reckon I kin, stranger" he said
Come right along with me-"
He took me to his own house and
introduced me to his wife, woman
with as honest a countenance as ever
saw In man or woman. Several pref.
ty children were playing about who
evidently had the care of good moth
er. i was given a fine supper. and
when the wife took the children up
stairs to bed the husband and I sat
smoking and chatting together.
81 believe" | remarked. that you
people out here have settled down and
become more like those in the east
than you used TO be-"
Reckon we have. when | drifted
into these parts we was all bad except
N anu t1tt was bAooAAy
men and children"
Surely you were not one Of the bad
ones" I objected.
He took his pipe out of his mouth
and looked at me, apparently wonder
ing II he had better trust ME with
confession. l knew bis thoughts and
by my expression invited confidence.
Stranger" he said, II was one O.
the goldurnedest, meanest. snivelln',
low down critters in the territory.
was mean enough TO rob a graveyard
OF old bones. But | wasn't afraid o.
nothin'. and when II come TO fight
was thar. Fact Is, / was regarded SO
iesp'rit that nobody dast interfere
failed, and after that was let alone
al got so bad that the people couldn't
stand me. and the committee got after
ne. That ended my career as a des-
Evidently put In. they didn't
iang you or you wouldn't be here tell
nc the story now
My story hasn't begun. One day
when | was about as bad as could git
went into a house for a meal. which
intended 10 pay for by takin' any.
hing valuable ! could lay my hands
N. run across a young woman and
sked her II she could give me a meal
vittels. You just come right IN
ERE she said. and make yerself at
ONE
WAL. that gal cooked me as One
neal as l ever eat In my life. Anyway |
tasted IS good. for ! was hungry. /
nd there was somepin about the gal |
$ cooked II that liked. and when
ras eatin' Il she was sittin' right op- |
osite me and askin' me all sorts o.
uestions as innocent-likc as II she was
llkin' to a respectable party. When
got through with the meal what do
on suppose didi just told her
nat ! was Bill Hathaway. the noted
and I wanted Der 20 hand
" any yaluables there might be In
le house without troublIn me TO
I'd EN-
Somehow she didn't look frightened.
J most winner would look under the
circumstances. She got up without
yin a word. went upstairs and come
,wn with a wooden sock with some
'ins IN the toe and Put u on the table
fore me. Then she looked az me. not
ifh that hateful look I had been used
from winner ia robbed. but with
sorryful look a. much a. 20 say. !,
cor feller. what an awful life you're
adm and bow uncOmfortable you'll IL
some dsy dsngiin' from the end % o ,
De- Id
Somehow I couldn't sturnnick that
n 81 fhinF. Jlst 0pened the sf0ckfn'. )
q Instead q takin' anything cot Z
{ my hand IN my pocket tuk cut :
fui O loose chsnrs and some blns =
umed 'ezn into the sfo-kin' and !
0ved 4 toward ber. te1Hn' Der that a
I'd rlven ne q bGnrup good meal {
q deserved 10 10 vel paid for o. .
She turned the stsckin- ever. dump .
oil 20 money On Il or the table. :.
tinted out WhHf she'd had IN u - =
y ] PIT 81 srTttinr and showed NJ .
count baek 20 me. l.
We dunt take pr from Strangers
-e.~ she Nsfh nrd n ne did We
fuidnt tske money fhst hsd been
ned ~ rshhsrv II
Ia hsE an sa-rs o. things sd - !.
tiuf somehow I'd usrer hnd fur- =
~ uss that They US 81 slfhsr =
zia % us nna crinred ~ hsted NJ =.
J sEltfre1 e. me at up from ny =