“The judge spoke: ‘Stand up, Pat. You are good on praying, and you have a nice way of doing it, if you did convict yourself. Go. I don’t think your crime is punishable, and I want to give you some orders. You had better learn to pray now, and do some of it. Don’t wait until you are in trouble and then ask the Lord to help you. Serve Him all the time, and you will then be guided, so you will not have to ask for help in time of trouble. Too many wayward boys like you, Pat, get in trouble before they ever think of praying. I hope that the Father to whom you prayed has heard your prayers. I feel that He did, and that is why I am going to turn you loose; so you may say your prayers were not in vain, but go from this court-room with prayers on your lips, and pray often. It will do you good. Now you may go, and may God bless you.’
“Well, if I ever get me another job, I will never get it in a prison—I may not get out so aisy next time; but the poor man, he is there yet, and I never told a word of his trying to give me all his money and fine clothes.
“Well, I’ll be willing to work, now, for all I get. And I’ll say to meself: ‘Didn’t the man who was boss of the job make a fine spache to me?’ He must know nearly as much as the lowyer did, and I felt sorry for him when he felt sorry for me and told me to pray. Faith, and I will pray, and I will kape it up as long as I live, and after I am dead I will come back and scare some of the poor devils and make them pray like the new man. Oh, how he did pray when he thought he saw the dead woman! And it was that very thing got me started to praying, and only for that I belave they would of hanged me this very day of me life.”
“Well, here I am back to the office, and I have me clothes all here, and I want to bid me old friend good-bye before I go. I can’t kape the tears back. I guess I am feeling pretty bad again. I belave I’ll just step in here and pray to meself now, while I’m waiting for me old friend that thought so much of me.”
In the court-room the trial proceeded. At length the judge arose, saying:
“I am not of the opinion that a crime of as long standing as this one is punishable in the eyes of the law. Twenty-one years would outlaw it. If the prisoner will give his penniless brother a home for life, I will set him free.
“What have you to say to that, Pearson? Are you willing to share your home with your brother?”
“I thank your honor. I am more than willing, and I will see that he shares my home as a brother should, without feeling under obligations.”
“Pearson, I feel that you mean all right, and I will ask you to let me hear from you as soon as you find your unfortunate brother who was freed several days ago. I want you to help him to live down the disgrace of his long imprisonment, and live as brothers should. We have all learned to pray through this unfortunate affair, or we should have learned, and that not waiting until we are in trouble, and then expect our prayers to be heard, but we have learned to pray at all times—not as Pat did, if we get help, say we won’t pray any more until the next time we are in trouble.”
Later, when Pearson appeared at the office, he said: “Officer, I am discharged from all, including my position, am I?”