Shoshone journal., 1923-12-28
IN MEMORIAM
BY KARIN c. sUNDELEF

=
: oner that made the biggest impres
n sion on the crowded courtroom |
a was as If the knowledge and expert
. ence Of a man of fifty had beel
! stamped upon that face drawing to
I gether the lines OF defiance. sullennesl
, and bitter hatred which served t
, mar profile otherwise perfect.
, His sentence had been. "up the
. river for six months" on a charge OF
theft. The boy-for he was scarcely
more than seyenteen-turned pair OF
smoldering eyes on the judge as he
pronounced the sentence, with a
malevolenee which caused a shudder
to ripple through the court.
The judge. about to dismiss the case
with an airy sweep of plump white
hand. was suddenly interrupted.
Your honor. this is entirely out of
form. but by your leave, may say
few words that may bear on this
case?"
His honor, too surprised to refuse.
gave his consent. The speaker, tall.
spare, fine-looking man with kindly
gray eyes and the straight, white col
lar of the priesthood, paused mo-
Inent as if to make sure of his method
OF procedure There was a pregnant
hush in the courtroom. The boy in
the dock turned his indifferently dis
trustful eyes upon this new man. and
the smoldering fires in their depths
had died down
when | was seventeen" began the
stranger-and every eye was upon
him-"I stood in exactly the same |
place as my young friend here-the |
same room, the same bars, the same
sentence, the same defiance towards
my felowmen, but not. your honor,
the same judge.
my mother died when | was seven
| was brought up by my father, an in
dulgent man, who took little notice Of
my whereabouts, of my pleasures or
my companions. / lied, / swore,
smoked and drank. When | wanted
anything that | could not get any 9th
er way, | took 1t. When | was fifteen
my father married again. was re-
'entful. l made up my mind to make
he life of my new mother miserable,
md heaven knows | succeeded. She
vas a little woman, and frail, and it
S marvel to me now that she did
lot go under through the strain of {
hat long year.
Then | was arrested for stealing.
When the case came up, my step '
nother came. My father did not /
gain / was resentful. She was there a
My to goat over my disgrace She S
'as glad that at last | was to he put
way and she would have at least a t,
ew months of relief Ny sentence
as six months. Those six months Ii
'omed ahead of me like black night n
are. W
Imagine my surprise when she, the fl
ged woman whose life | had made
lbearable for fully a year. an. b,
cached the judge with light in her &C
'es that | had never seen there be- w
re. She pleaded for me as | have
ver since heard anybody plead She tn
ID him of her love for me. She on
gged for few mo.ths' probation II
me- Entirely out of form, your go
nor. just as my talking about is
W. But | am pleading for the mem We
or a woman who was dearer to
than life Itself, and through whose nj,
Iomtable courage and sacrificing in,
q have become what am today" on
Ihe speaker paused. The silence Iik
S thing that could be heard in if see
t, beating itself against the heart do,
ngs of all present. and heavy with
coming crisis. The judge stirred co,
'asily in his chair. To-,
What would you?r he asked.
'efore there was time for any reply. o,
oman detached herself from some
re among the crowd. and worked
way forward. She walked quickly =
to the front of the big room -"
light TO the dock where sat the bov. 'i''
in voico cho,.,., IT., YER
d: Give me another chance. your
or Let me have him Just few uee
ms probation. promise to vouch : n'
him" his
ne was small woman. and fraiI ""'
~ dressed in gray. with "A white. a
I iace. and large. calm blue eyes 'uN'
reached her hand through the su'
a'' aid ii before one of the men
:. INC was
Who are von9~ as,a, a. ihe
am his slepmother." she replied 'ur
mead bowed. 'he
Ie defiance had d,aa ...,., made
ie prisoners a,os ana 49, w, jolly
almost mechanically with his ''
hand the hand thar held bis The luagil
rose. and cleared bis throat be. p''yl
he spoke. ing
eonard P-six months ON nross ana
give you IN charge 10 mis- 'nf
ip' Madam, you VIII report IN niHi
'ouii every week" lnlns
lag WAS released. he eltng o.. me
and of fhe liine poman hi ars, oyer
'fpNnlps maO ciinss 10 . spar ppipS
Nher' bo said, rwe mnsi faans the
'''Nf ihe r