DEATH OF ARCHIE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6730, 27 February 1900, Page 2

DEATH OF ARCHIE.

j „__+, SIXTZ YEARS A BURGLAR AND TEN YEARS A SALVATION A&MY WORKER. HIS GRIM EXPERIENCES. (PfiOJf OITJt COUBBSPONPBNT) LONDON, Jan. 12. Some of your readers may remember the!' "Westminster Gazette" and "Budget" publishing, through the medium of that) brilliant journalist Mr Charles Morley, the} ' confeesione of one " Archie ; a burglar," | converted by iht Salvation Army »fte* : spending forty years in her Majesty'* pn* i sons. Arcbie'ii disclosure* *ere«*a<sy to J i degree, and made quite a sensat on, th« pated a S a non-paying gue.t of her MaießL he pnpsed away in the odour of eanctity «'one 6i the Salvation Ann/, most »ealoui. "o?ke«. And it was no death^d repentnnce either which had been effected w tbi* pa McSar cue. For it is over ten pi* now since the ex-crackgrnan, Uymg aside the j«mmy and hanging up the d^k lantern, embark*/ on hi* evangelical cav*er, front which time the Salvation Army boauted no more ardent supporter in its ranks—or «n« who worked more vigorously, it may bo added, for " the cause." Naturolly it wa* among the companions of his unregenerate days that Arcme found his nu»t congeniaL >( subjects." As a leading member of tlie Armv's "Prison GRte " branch Arcbie wa« in his element, and many nh old gaol-bird wa« brought t& a better frame of mind almogfc before he knew Where he won by Archiaß judicious ministrations. At fire-t there were many anntstng mißconceptjons ; old band* emerging from incarceration, and greeted by their pal and crony of former deeperate ventures, were naturally attoniiihed enough when they discovered his new line. But he worked* an immense amount of good with, them all the same. For there was nothing of tire conventional, mawkish "penitent about Archie. There was too much grlb and character ab'out him for that. He remained a man, although «■ changed one, and won the respect of those who came across him in the new life hs in tne old. Nor was he in any way ftsnamed of his \urid past. On the contrary, nc wur immensely proud of it and to visitor* at the Army's offices he sold scores and scores of copies of the ■little volume recording his misdeeds in such, picturesque fashion. Aicliic looked the man he had been to the last. Here is a yen portrait of him from one of Mv Moriev's vivid pages; '* Archie's ' fflce is white us Monti 'Cristq's. His eyes are mild blue, set deep ,in,a mhss-ivb head, amply ihaded by a thick (hutching of lashes { ibis cheeks are hollowed out like n mountain' Bide ; bonefi stwud up like ridges. Cover l}i» upper Up with ii. moustache of bristles, short dipped ; Imp lienrl with wisps of silver hair ; his chin with r bushy white beard j beftd his back well, atid tberfe ybu b«ve him. When he laughs he ehftwfc a few sharp yellow fangp. Hfe li*b ai fierce a laugh as ever I heard when lift is roused ; at all times it has a fardonjc ring. He hn* suffered much." •Archie spent nhngether forty years in her Majesty's convict- prison, nnd was •flogjjpci eight timee, receiving in nil 100 lashes with the cat.