The Argosy, Volume XLIV — page 286: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

252 transgress any of the rules. I simply pegged along with the drudgery and waited for my time to expire. I received a rebate for good behavior, and therefore did not serve the entire two years to which I had been sen- tenced. Full of good health and a desire to rehabilitate myself in the-world, with about a hundred dollars I had earned making shoes, and a new suit of clothes, I felt that with my renewed energy and strength almost anything was possible. I had no desire to reénter the finan- cial field. tain honorable employment where I could forget my dreams of power and the disgrace that had followed close upon them. “T say, old man, you’ve improved a whole lot,” went on Jarvis. “ You've grown fat. By jove! Who’d’a’ thought it. I didn’t.” “Why,” I said, “ prison? ” Jarvis laughed. “Oh, a couple of times or so. But I say, I’m glad to see you. You’ve grown prosperous looking. I came to mect vou because I knew—from experience— that when a fellow gets out of Sing Sing he hasn’t got many friends. And then? s ‘the time ne needs one if he ever does.” “J thank you, Jarvis,” I said, touched by this thoughtfulness. “ Shall we go at once to New York?” “ Sure. That's why I came. ried now.” “ Married ? ” “Got the finest little wife in Man- hattan. Got a home, but it ain’t fine enough for the wife. "You see, I’ve had bad luck.” “ What has happened ? ”’ “Well, vou see there’s a prejudice against my business now, and things ain’t what they used to be. You don’t know the change in New York. Lord! If you were convicted now the same as before, you’d get ten vears instead of two.” “T’ll take good care not to be con- victed again. T shall enter honest em- ploy ment as soon as I can.” Jarvis looked at me with an expres- sion of pity. were you ever in ’m mar- rere gle I simply wished now to ob- - THE ARGOSY. “Tord! You're innocent yet.” “JT have alw avs been innocent of a desire to do wrong. I should never have been convicted.” “That ain’t what I mean. J mean you don’t understand. You can’t get honest employment.” I turned and stared at him. This view of the czse had not occurred to me. ‘jlere comes the train,” he said. “Got your ticket? Not Well, hurry up. Well talk in the smoker on the way down. I’ve vot a couple of good cigars. [ purchased my ticket, tered the smoking car. * You see,” said Jarvis as we lighted the cigars, * you ain't the same as _ be- fore. I’ve been through it and I know. Youre branded. Onee in prison, no matter whether justly so or not, you are a prison bird. Oh, you may stare. It’s so, I tell you. But we'll talk that over later. Tell me how they used you.” “Y have nothing to complain about. I was treated verv fairly.” Jarvis slapped his leg. “That’s what I alwavs said!” he ex- claimed. “These chumps who kick about their treatment always do some- thing to bring it on. I always found if you was decent they'd he. But it ain’t no fun. What did vou do?” “ Made shoes.” “Well, that’s as good as anything. I was in the laundry. That’s why my hands were always white.” In this strain we conversed on the way to New York, and I found myself almost wishing I was back in Sing Sing. The prospect “of recovering an honor- able position in the world did not seem so near. Arriving in town. we went direct to Jarvis’ flat. where he introduced me to his wife and Vera We had married a widow, daughter Vera, about nineteen years of ave, Vera was a pretty girl, and Mrs. Jarvis a comelv matron. “ T tell vou, it’s a good thing to have a friend,’ said Jarvis.“ ‘Take a4 man out of that place and set him down on Broadway and what is he? Even the kids revidle hin. But this is vour home, old nan, till vou eet a better.” “Mr. Jarvis has told me about you,” and we en- 1 29 who had a ECOMRiNIEloOO@ SS (GO) awa