Valdez daily prospector., 1918-02-26
NOT ALL HIS FAULT
Incident Shows Peril of LoneIi-
 ness in Big City.
Youngster Easily Led Astray When Home Folks Failed to Keep in Touch With Him-Whole Ser
 mon in Judges Comment.

The warden of L. street jail in New York city sat at his desk buSily working on some records when there walked into the office David EaSconl from little rural community tucked away in the far hills of Vermont. He was pathetic. wizened figure as he stood there in agony and embarrass- ment twirling his hat and waiting for the warden to look up. There was heart hunger in his eyes that smote the man at the desk with pity.
 "Is Joseph Bascom a-a prisoner here" he finally stammered. He could hardly bring his tongue to say the word.
 we had a young man by that name brought in night before last for bur glary. Struck me as the wrong kind of fellow to be in that business; too in- nocent-lookIng and too straightfOr- ward-appearing. Are you his father"
 "Yes," said the old man as he dropped wearily into the proffered chair. "T don't see how he ever came to do that sort of thing. It isn't ac- cortin' to his bringin' up. Me and his mother never had no education to speak of, but we was always honest, and brought the children up strict like. He's been in New York less'n six months"
 Wait a minute and I'll call him in and see what he has to say for him. self" said the warden as he touched button on the desk.
 In a few moments a clean. open faced young fellow was brought in by a guard, and one of those agonizing scenes that only jails behold ensued. When the first shock of the meeting was over the warden said to the young man:
 "Now tell your father and me how you got into this scrape. Nothing you say will be used against you at your trial"
 "When first came to New York;" the young man began, Everything went all right. got a job and found . good boarding house. I didn't feel homesick at first. because was so in- terested in my work through the day. and at night 1t was interesting to SO out and see the sights. But after got used to my job and had seen most of the sights had more time to think and to get homesick and lonesome. The folks at home didn't write, and l didn't know anyone here. used to sit in my room. evenings and picture the toma- toes ripening on the window sills at home, and I could see my mother pov- ing about the yard in the sunshine and dad blowing in the back forty. l could almost smell the apples in the orchard and hear the dry corn leaves rustling, and 1t all made me so home sick and lonesome I just had to go out and walk the streets. That was the way I ran into the gang l was caught with. guess they used me as a tool. Anyhow. got caught at the first attempt"
 "That sounds straight, and if I'm any judge of faces I guess 1t Is straight" said the warden. "I want you to get your story before the judge through your attorney. Your record has been clean till now. and I think it will make difference in the sentence. ' The trial was held and the facts pre-, sented to the judge. "Sentence sus pended" he announced at the close with a gruffness of voice to hide his emotion. Then he added, looking at the father, "if had my way I'd i'm pose a jail sentence on parents who let their boys and girls come to this city and don't write them at least twice a week to let them know that some one in the world cares for then and is thinking of them. More young people go wrong in this city from lone sOmeness than we shall ever know You should have had backbone to stand alone, young man. But as your parents are particeps criminis, and ] can't sentence them. I'll suspend your sentence. Next case !''-Youth's Com m pfOn