Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1925-02-06
THE
GOVERNORS
DECISION

r FRANK ALLEN

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tbs sfterzOoz a. four. Do rot refuse
20 Sc ne. 4 you have any mercy
Lazy winthrop
he governor vas hack - years IN
stde the penitentizry at Mansfield
Smith" said the head warden. the
governor wants 10 see you"
The convict followed the mzn into
the Office, where the governor was
standing before the window
This Is the man, SIR said the head
warden, and the governor turned
round and took the prisoners hand in
his.
-Smith, you are q free man" he
said Il have decided to issue you an
unconditional pardon In due tine.
II you show yourself worthy Of H.
your rights Of citizenship vii be re-
stored to you
He paused and added:
Remember, Smith, there l. the
stain Of murder on your soul You
killed a man There IL no way Of
Disgusting that, even to yourself That
you had great provoeation sTterUates
your crime, but does not excuse r.
hope you viii report to ne, Smith
from time TO time Now you can 20
back TO your wife and child
II was three years since the convict
had seen his wife The child had not
been born when he was sent to prison
When Smith saw the free heavens
above him and heard the eiang Of the
prison gates behind. the tears strezned
down his cheeks.
He went 10 the little cottage where
his wife had lived The place was
for sale. Nobody knew anything
about her. Smith spent weeks trying
to locate her. That be did 50 at lasr
was purely BY chance. He met her
| father in the street The old man
passed By as though be DID not SEE
him. Smith ran back and seized him
/ by the arm
For heavens sake tell me where
she is." he cried "She is not dead"
"She is dead TO you, forever an
swered the old man
@YOu have no right to keep her
I from me"
Il am not keeping her from you.
I She is keeping away from you be-
cause she wants no more to do with
you She helped you to gain your
freedom. now she is going to keep
hers She has secured a divorce"
Smith had killed one man. and the
memory Of his crime was strong upon
him Nevertheless he was ready tc
KIN another. He looked around: the
street was almost empty and II wa
growing dark He seized the old mar
by the throat
Tell me where she lives. or I will
strange you the ex-convict shouted
He saw . look Of terror In the 9th
ers eyes The old man stsmmered
out the address. and the sx-eonvict
releasing him. hurried away.
The old man had been too terrified
10 lie Smith found the place: II wal
a clean little cottage on the outskirts
Of the town. Smith would never have
found it without the information. h
raped at the door, and a momeni
later he was staring into his wife,
terrified eyes
You have come back r. she whIs
pered-
Before the man could reply b,
heard q child calling from one Of th'
rooms He hurried in Upon a utti'
cot the baby was seated, and. AZ tn
father entered. he looked up at hin
and smiled Something seemed q
burst In the mans heart He snatehe,
the child In his arms and covered hin
with kisses
Put down my child exclaime'
his wife's voice at his side. and smitl
turned to see fury confronting hin
"Yuu-murdererl the womal
gssped How dare you come her
and poIlute my child with your touch ?
your childT- the man stammerec
Yes. mine. The court gave me tn
custody Of him. You have no par
with him any more. You have no RICH
here. Leave this house and never le
me see you again :"
This was the woman who had clun
TO him % lovingly when the guard le
him away TO begin his sentence. Tn
man looked helpless, and the woman
J seeing his distress, softened q little.
Il don't want to hurt you NOR
than you have hurt yourself sh
said Don't you see that you mus
not come into my life againT'
NO" said the man stupidity
For the boys sake" she answered
what do you think his life win be
b grows up to discover that his 2,
htf was q convictr
We can 90 somewhere" the ma