“But I must return home to-morrow,” said she, “and I could not go away without once more seeing and thanking him who saved me from ruin.”  She recalled her little boy, and said to him, “Look at that gentleman, and remember him well; for he was the best friend your mother ever had.”  With an earnest invitation to visit her happy home, and a fervent “God bless you!” she bade her benefactor farewell.

THE TWO YOUNG OFFENDERS.

In the neighborhood of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, there lived a man whose temper was vindictive and badly governed.  Having become deeply offended with one of his neighbors, he induced his two sons to swear falsely that he had committed an infamous crime.  One of the lads was about fifteen years old, and the other about seventeen.  The alleged offence was of so gross a nature, and was so at variance with the fair character of the person accused that the witnesses were subjected to a very careful and shrewd examination.  They became embarrassed, and the flaws in their evidence were very obvious.  They were indicted for conspiracy against an innocent man; and being taken by surprise, they were thrown into confusion, acknowledged their guilt, and declined the offer of a trial.  They were sentenced to two years’ imprisonment at hard labor in the Penitentiary of Philadelphia.

Isaac T. Hopper, who was at that time one of the inspectors, happened to be at the prison when they arrived at dusk, hand-cuffed and chained together, in custody of the sheriff.  Their youth and desolate appearance excited his compassion.  “Keep up a good heart, my poor lads,” said he.  “You can retrieve this one false step, if you will but make the effort.  It is still in your power to become respectable and useful men.  I will help you all I can.”

He gave particular directions that they should be placed in a room by themselves, apart from the contagion of more hardened offenders.  To prevent unprofitable conversation, they were constantly employed in the noisy occupation of heading nails.  From time to time, the humane inspector spoke soothing and encouraging words to them, and commended their good behavior.  When the Board of Inspectors met, he proposed that the lads should be recommended to the governor for pardon.  Not succeeding in this effort, he wrote an article on the impropriety of confining juvenile offenders with old hardened convicts.  He published this in the daily papers, and it produced considerable effect.  When the Board again met, Isaac T. Hopper and Thomas Dobson were appointed to wait on the governor, to obtain a pardon for the lads if possible.  After considerable hesitation, the request was granted on condition that worthy men could be found, who would take them as apprentices.  Friend Hopper agreed to find such persons; and he kept his word.  One of them was bound to a tanner, the other to a carpenter.  But their excellent friend did not lose sight of them.