Page:American Boy's Life of William McKinley.djvu/177

Rh accused of stealing ironware from some factories. The young fellows, who were little more than boys, were four in number, and their parents begged hard that they be allowed to go.

"I will have a talk with them," said McKinley, and went to each separately, delivering a lecture that none of the young men ever forgot, telling them of the wickedness of stealing, and of how such a course could lead but to one place, the state's prison. Then he told of how their mothers had passed sleepless nights thinking over what was to become of them. At this one of the young men burst out crying, and catching McKinley's arm begged to be let go, promising that he would surely turn over a new leaf. The others promised the same, and in the end the indictment against the young men was pigeon-holed, and they were released. They did turn over a new leaf, and in after life blessed McKinley for his kindness toward them.

Although the young prosecuting attorney attended successfully to the duties of his position, his thoughts were not altogether on his work. Years before, while paying