asked me if i could take care of horses & i said yes,
for i used to hang round livery stables & often would
help clean & drive horses, he told me he wanted a
man for that work, & would give me $16 a month & bord
me. You bet i took that chance at once. that
nite in my little room over the stable i sat a long
time thinking over my past life & of what had just
happened & i just got down on my nees & thanked the
Lord for the job & to help me to square it, & to bless
you for putting me up to it, & the next morning i
done it again & got me some new togs (
clothes)
& a bible for i made up my mind after what the Lord
had done for me i would read the bible every nite
and morning, & ask him to keep an eye on me.
When I had been there about a week Mr. Brown (that’s
his name) came in my room one nite and saw me reading
the bible—he asked me if i was a Christian
& i told him no—he asked me how it was i
read the bible instead of papers & books—Well
Charlie i thought i had better give him a square deal
in the start, so i told him all about my being in
prison & about you, & how i had almost done give up
looking for work & how the Lord got me the job when
I asked him; & the only way i had to pay him back
was to read the bible & square it, & i asked him to
give me a chance for 3 months—he talked
to me like a father for a long time, & told me i could
stay & then i felt better than ever i had done in my
life, for i had given Mr. Brown a fair start with me
& now i didn’t fear no one giving me a back
cap (
exposing his past life) &
running me off the job—the next morning
he called me into the library & gave me another square
talk, & advised me to study some every day, & he would
help me one or 2 hours every nite, & he gave me a Arithmetic,
a spelling book, a Geography & a writing book, & he
hers me every nite—he lets me come into
the house to prayers every morning, & got me put in
a bible class in the Sunday School which i likes very
much for it helps me to understand my bible better.
Now, Charlie the 3 months on the square are up 2 months
ago, & as you said, it is the best job i ever did
in my life, & i commenced another of the same sort
right away, only it is to God helping me to last a
lifetime Charlie—i wrote this letter to
tell you I do think God has forgiven my sins & herd
your prayers, for you told me you should pray for
me—i no i love to read his word & tell him
all my troubles & he helps me i know for i have plenty
of chances to steal but i don’t feel to as i
once did & now i take more pleasure in going to church
than to the theater & that wasnt so once—our
minister and others often talk with me & a month ago
they wanted me to join the church, but I said no,
not now, i may be mistaken in my feelings, i will wait
awhile, but now i feel that God has called me & on
the first Sunday in July i will join the church—dear
friend i wish i could write to you as i feel, but i
cant do it yet—you no i learned to read