The Mena weekly star., 1921-02-03
LITER" IS FREE
 AFTER z YEARS
white-Hairrd Man. Pardoned for Mur- der. Tries to Take His Place in the Easy World of Industry Again
 Wears CoIiar for First Time.
,ny International News servicol

Detroit, Jan. 27.-Timorous and ap- prehensiye. white-haired man climbed aboard a Woodward avenue car at the rush hour
 "A little speed" grumbled the con ducfor Move up front--show a lit- tie life.
 Obediently the man went forward, lie was used to obeying commands. lie was former "liferA going to work for the first day in his life. He has just been pardoned from Mar quette after serving twenty-two years in 'the big house."
 In 1898, youth of nineteen threw little town in the northern section of the state into panic when he killed three people, Jealousy--and drink, he pleaded. Life" said the court.
 The prison board decided that he had paid his debt to society Never once had he broken the prison rules But he way always held as "bad ac- tor" He had been placed in mur- derers' row, along with the others do- ing the stretch" that has no end.
 "I'm going to work he said slow. ly. fin an automobile factory. You wouldn't believe it, but l have never ridden in an automobile in my life. never was up close to one before until Saturday. From the window I've seen sem roll up to prison, but they were far away
 Prayer for Freedom.
 A. Ill II. town who has pledged that l will gc straight l will, too. He got me this job. They know all about me. wouldn't hurt fly l want to re deem myself want to be man How I have dreamed of thisl In all the awful watches of the night with the guards passing by the cells. have prayed for this freedom.
 It seems so strange to be able te get up and come and go as you please without being restrained. l found il difficult to begin to talk again. keep looking out for guards anC keepers. One can't forget the screws after being under their iron rule fol twenty two years.
 And the newspapers Wonderful \ watched the presses Saturday. Wher i first saw newspaper press it wa: n slow thing Now they go like light ming.
 "It's wonderful, being able to go t, bed at any hour you want to. AnC to think that you can walk into { restaurant and order what you wan and take your time to eat it. No on, to say faster there and who is tha ehisperinw Y
 "And can take my bath whenever ! want it. No being dressed out O. the cell block and marched to thu baths and allowed only so many sec onds' for a bath and then made t dress and march back into line wheth CT you are through or not.
 ''You do not know how they kill { man in prison. I served lifetime Many a time 1 have gwen up. Ont gets so he can't cry any more. He il dead to that emotion. His heart ha. been cut too deep.
 Lost Track of Days.
 T used to go to the services in tht that Christ would forgive even tn, worst sinner. l tried to be good, Blu 1t was always hte same awful old lift of living without manhood Il trieC to keep track of the days and weeks and months on the wall of my cell ! marked down the years. For the first five years l hoped. Then as the years went on--went on to ten and fifteen-i began to die inside It was awful torture. no longer dared to dream hated the look of the out side world. of the birds and the trees that l could catch glimpses of when ! was in the prison yard. And then l no longer asked for parole. l had given up Twenty-two years. I'm only forty-one now--but twenty-two years of that in prison turns a man aflt0 stone. And then came the word that l was wanted in the warden's of flee. l couldn't grasp what he was saying at first They they told me that was to be paroled into the care 0f this man here. I was dazed-and then l realized. went back to my cell and fell upon my knees and thanked God after all he hadn't for gotten me l was ashamed of myself for ever d0ubting him.
 Move up front" again came from the conductor "pll tell you when we come to the plant"
 Thank you sir" came from the former slifer.'"
 What has impressed you most in your new life of freedom?" the old lifer" was asked this morning.
 For moment his face was inscrut- able. Then a slow grin overspread the faee of the man who has come back.
 The greatest surprise to me- he said. reaching to his neck. 'eis this white collar Do you know it is the urSt one l have ever worn in my life. think they look good, but they're sure unconifortable.r