The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1916-03-13
Barrington's
Convert
The Effort Was Disoouras=
ing, but Succeeded al Last
By JOHN Y. LANED


: By JOHN Y. LARNED :
ssssssssssssesssssssssssss
Bob Darlington was one of those
youngsters who are dead set against q
humdrum life Bob's father, when the
boy was fifteen years of age, secured
him a position in friends counting
room, but the friend soon told MIR. Bar,
rington that Bob was not fitted for
commercial life.
whats the trouble?" asked the par
ent
"Well, the Iife's too cramped. What
we want are young fellows for cog
wheels. They should go through the
same routine every day; never ask
questions or make suggestions, but do
what they are told to do and no more
II they see anything that looks to
them a bit-well. shrewd, they're not
to fare up and call it dishonest. Our
business is machine, and every part
must fit into every other part"
81 see." said Mr.. Darlington. Bob
Is not In your line"
Bob was withdrawn and asked what
he wished to do. He said he thought
he would like to get breath of fresh
air, which, being explained. meant that
he would like to go where natural In
stincts had fuller play. To state the
case more definitely, he proposed to 60
west and be cowboy. His father,
thinking that If his son had some ex-
perience in herding sheep during a
blizzard he would be glad to come
home and 60 to work In a civilized
way assented. Bob was well outfit
ted, being given a thousand dollars,
which he was told must last him a
year. He told his father that he didn't
want any more than enough to take
him to his destination and he wouldn't
call on him for any more. So he hand
ed back all but $500 and started on
his journey.
The new life suited him exactly. he
made a cowboy of himself for awhile.
but, having displayed considerable
nerve in several fracases. he was elect
ed sheriff, at which calling he made a
success.
One Of his exploits during his term
of Office was the hunting down Of q
notorious desperate named Donohue.
The outlaw came into the region over
which Sheriff Darlington had jurisdic
ton and commenced series OF robber
les that terrorized every one. Barring.
ton made 1t his business to capture the
man without killing him. Not that
such a kindly act was obligatory on
him. Indeed. his constituents would
have much preferred that Donohue
should be taken dead, for. In that case
the territory would be spared the, ex
pense of trial. The truth was. Bar
rington never quite succeeded In eradi
eating civilization from his system and
felt q repugnance against making an
executiOner Of himself.
One day the sheriff was missed, and
nothing was heard Of him till one day
he reappeared. with Mr.. Donohue In a
wagon, bound hand and foot. A meet
ing of citizens was called and, after q
vote of thanks to Sheriff harrington.
decreed that a committee be appointed
to hang the prisoner. Bob claimed the
captive as his own and insisted that
he be turned over to a court for trial
This excited much opposition. on the
ground that there was no evidence that
Donohue had murdered any one. Con
seQuently he could never be hanged
However. it could not be denied that
the prisoner belonged to Darlington
and. since he would not consent to the
hanging. the man must be sent to 9
place where there was q court. Here
too, Darlington stood in the way OF
justice. Certain persons who knew OF
murders committed by the accused OF
which there were no eyewitnesses
kindly consented to perjure themselves
that proper punishment might be in
ficted. The sheriff would not consent
to this, and when the judge proposed
to give the convict all the imprison-
ment the law allowed Darlington stood
out for two years. The judge, being q
stanch supporter Of the sheriff. acced-
ed to his wishes.
One would suppose that saving a
mans life and cutting down a term OF
ten years at hard labor to two would
touch the heart Of the subject of this
magnanimity. Instead, when Don0
hue was taken away to serve his term
he said:
Sheriff, eff We hadn't sneaked up on
me and got the drop when 1 wasn't
lookin' for you you wouldn't "a got
me. Howsomever. I'll git out O. Jail
in two years from this we're present
time, and It'll be you ASH have to look
out fur me-"
'Thank you kindly for mentioning
your benevolent inteHtions," replied
Bob. "Fn try and be In position to
congratulate you on having attained
your freedom and keep from getting
holed at the same time"
When Bob had been in the west q
year his father asked him IL he didn't
wish to return and take up .cfyiliza
ton again. Bob wrote that there was
too much of a mixture between the
good and the bad In civilization; he
preferred the two separate. as they
were In the west. The better class Of
people in the west made no pretense
to culture. but they treated one anoth
or like Christians. When q man was
bad he was bad all over and didn't
pretend to be anything else The con
sequence was that there was no mis-
taking either the good or the bad.
When Donohue had served some
eighteen months Of bis term BobS
mother wrote her son that his father
was iii and begged him to come home.