Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1857-08-06
Written Expressly for the Green Mountain Fireman.
w A L D o;
OR,
LIFE ON THE B0RD r.
ROMANCE OF THE STRUGGLE FOR
FREEDOM IN KANSAS.
Continued.
CHAPTER XVIII.
Maitland becomes Magnanimous
ny rnr AUTHOR OF q nAnleF HrnarRr Or rsg soosr or
TIE NIKE,


CHAPTER XVIII.
Maitland becomes Magnanimous.
The place in which the Free State prisoners
were confined at Lawrence, was only ht Tor men
guilty of some heinous crime. 1t was small
tent lily furnished, and as it was already full
of other prisoners, whom Sheriff Jones had ar
rested in the town, the position OF Waldo and
Montague was an exceedingly uncomfortable
one. What their fate was to be they could
not conjecture.
Night came, and with it they looked for the
promised signal of Ham. But they waited in
vain. for it came not, and looking around, they
endeavored to find some means by which they
might escape. But this seemed next to an I'M
possibility. Their hands-unlike those OF their
fellow prisoners--were bound, and even should
they get out of the precincts of the town, they
knew not what course to pursue Should they
get away from the tent unobserved by the SEN
tines, it was probable and almost certain that
their appearance would excite suspicion, and
lead to new arrest before they could escape.
The tent was closely guarded by sentinel on
either side, who were unusually vigilant, mas
much rs W aldo had escaped them once in such
strange and to them incomplehenslble man
ner at Lecompton.
81 think Ham can hardly fail u.s." remarked
Waldo
Something must have happened, Or he
would have been here ere this time"
:" 1t may be that he is in the vicinity, but
seeing no favorable opportunity for our escape
is waiting until one presents itself beIleVe
me, he will not give up until he effects some
thing
{" 1t seems to me that they are taking unu-
sual pains to prevent our escape. II 1t were
not for the sentinel inside here, we could easily
get some of the other prisoners to sever our
bonds"
" Nine are so tight that they are becoming
painful already, and if Jones shows himself, l
shall ask to have them oosened." y"
- 1t will do no good
Perhaps not but if he has got one spark
of feeling about him, he will not permit us to
suffer thus. | don believe he knows how we
are confined, for asked the man who bound
our bands if he had orders from the Sheriff tt
do 50, and he evaded the question:
"What will be done in case we are triec
and fairly convicted "
"Do not talk of being fairly tried. Walton
else shall begin to fear for your good sense
Do you suppose we are to have regular trial
such as you are accustomed to witness in yoni
own State" "
1--WE are entitled to it, at least.
''True: but we shall not have it. They
will 60 through with it, under the form of law
but that is all If we have a trial, which re
gard as hy no means certain no one can tel
where it will be, Do you know how they at
tempted to dispose Of me at Lecompt0n
NO"
II will tell you, then. Jones told the peo
pie that there wasn't Free State man in tn
meeting they were holding, and if they per
mite Linz to have trial they couldn't convic
me-"
What did they order your arrest for then
" That is a question that you can answer a
we'll as myself There is no reason or ustic
in many of Shannon's acts, and if he is no
possessed of II positively evil disposition, he is
weak minded tool in the hands of his inferior
in power. AS was about to tell you Jonc
and Maitland got the people excited, and ad
vised them to mob me- The idea took lik
wild fire, but when they came into the rooI
where was confined, they found it empty "
" How did you learn of their intentions -
" Ham, by some means or other learned O
my capture and conceived the plan of liber
ating me. Disgusting himself as begsar ant
teigning lameness and decreptude, he gline
access to the meeting and asked permission tt
lie down by the stove. Tnere was some OBJ
lection to it, but he gained his point, and hav
ing learned their plans slipped out unperceiv
ed, and started for the house in which wa
confined. With the aid Of some Of my friend
in Le;onpton, he procurel IL bottle of drugge
whi'key, chlns,l hi' clothes, AMI ls5ning in
toxiclton, went boldly up to the house. Th
sentinelS stole his bottlo as he expected, an
the liquor had the desired ef,cl. 70 find ii
room where WAS c,nfnel an libcrate me wa
the work Of but few moments
" He has fertil, brain in such cases"
Yes and you may be assured he is cor
cocling some scheme for our escape now
6 If we fail to escape and do not have ia
trial, we can appeal to the Governor
8" 1t is easy to talk about that but quite n,
other thing to do it. Surrounded by oar en-
mics, how do you suppose we are to get II +
monstrance carried before the Governor?"
1--WE could not, surely. Our only h,r
then, lies in Ham
1t does, and am confident he will not ia
us"
4" hope mt least that he will not "
1t was a vain attempt that they made to W
sleep to their eyelids The pain caused
the cords which bound their hands, was so gre