462	LIFE ON T&E MISSISSIPPI.
come into my head just then to ask him for work; & i asked him
back the bill and give me a job— says he, jump in here & lets talk about it>
but keep the money—he asked me if i could take care of horses & i said yes,
for i used to hang round livery stables & often would help clean & dri7e
horses, he told me he wanted a man for that work, & would give me $18 &
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 biHe
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 &itold
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 eve?
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, &
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 under-
. stand my bible better.
Now, Charlie the 3 months on the square are up 2 months ago, & as yon
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 theatre & that wasnt so onee—onr
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
t& 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 and write while in priwafc