mpassion. "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. He reminded them that they were now
going among strangers, and their success and happiness would mainly
depend on their own conduct. He begged of them, if they should ever get
entangled with unprofitable company, or become involved in difficulty of
any kind, to come to him, as they would to a considerate father. He
invited them to spend all their leisure evenings at his house. For a
long time, it was their constant practice to take tea with him every
Sunday, and join the family in reading the Bible and other serious
books.

At the end of a year, they expressed a strong desire to visit their
father. Some fears were entertained lest his influence over them should
prove injurious; and that being once freed from restraint, they would
not willingly return to constant industry and regular habits. They,
however, promised faithfully that they would, and Friend Hopper thought
it might have a good effect upon them to know that they were trusted. He
accordingly entered into bonds for them; thinking this additional claim
on their gratitude would strengthen his influence over them, and help t