Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1862-04-02

I DOSC. Il tTSOllS WIZ ldNO lhAo OOSh IL
positions of great danger will not be aston
/ ished to hear that forgot after my first
cry, to call out at all. thought only OF
defending myself.
This state of things did not last quar-
ter of minute. He would have beaten
me down soon enough, had not, IN sheer
desperation, made use of a trick which L
had once before seen successfully employ
ed. / set my eyes suddenly upon him,
and stared wildly into the space behind
him, pointing at the same time behind
him, and in the same direction with my
arm. By lucky chance l pointed to the
window.
| think that movement saved my life.
He stopped, irresolute, glanced at the
window, flung his hands over his head,
gasped as if he were choking, and DASH
ing the razor against the wall, fell tremb-
ling upon his knees. As stepped swiftly
across the floor, he called out to me.
Don't go, don't go!" he said. ''Stand
at the door ifyou choose, but wait min
ute, It's all over now; and perhaps, if
you hear me, you won't wonder that L
was driven mad"
l hardly knew how to act; but as | in
voluntary checked my steps, he contin-
ued:
Look out at that window, sir, and
you'll see, Just over the road, a woman
with child in her arms, standing IN a
doorway. That's my wife and baby-my
poor wife and baby. She dosen't know
I'm here-thank God for that. L came
here under a wrong name, and she sup
poses am far away at sea. I'm sure 1t
would break her heart to know the truth.
Well, sir, that's my house. I've seen it,
and I've seen her, every day now, these
three months. 1t used to make me crazy,
but bear it better now. But this chance
this great chance, was too much for me.
And to think that came near losing ali
hope of ever seeing her again.
Could | doubt those struggling sobs and
tears? There was truth in every tone. l
looked at the window, and saw as he told
me, a woman standing on the threshold
opposite, with little child. She tossed
it up laughingly once or twice and disap-
peared.
''You won't trust me, know" said
the prisoner; but want to beg you not
to let the warden know of this. It's no
use, know"
"Well, swear that III be true to home |
after this. Nothing but three years solit-
ary confinement now, and who can live |
through that? No, no, you'll let this 60
by, won't you? You may believe-you
may indeed"
Foot shutting along the passages an
the return of my companions.-l
The prisoner endeavored to calm him
self, and put on an air of concern which
| think was very successful under the cir
cumstances.
''Not shaved YETI" said the warden, as
tonished. If he had but known how close
a shave had been through
81 have broken my rasor," said John
son, looking appealingly at me. ''See,
sir, ! must have another"
Every WELL" said the warden, 'will
you wait" he asked me.
Il think not" said l. another time
will do for me-"
So L wiped of my face and we went on
1ur way.
OF course l was bound to tell the war
len what had happened; but even in that
great excitement which naturally follow
I'd so narrowed an escape, think that |
;et forward all that 1 could in the poor
ellow's favor. The warden received the
tory with perfect composure, and as
ured me that he would act in such man.
Ter as he thought the occasion needed
He condemned his own heedlessness in
opening so evident an opportunity for
suilt, with mach more ~earneStness than
he spoke of the event itself.
| could not resist visiting the wife OF
Johnson. discovered that his story was
rue, and learned his real name. She was
happy in her ignorance of his real condi- {
ion. | sought to ascertain. whether she
vas able to sustain herself until he should
'ejoin her, and then she told me that
Mr., the warden of the prison, had
llso come to her, shown interest in her
behalf; for which she could not well ac- I
count, and assured her of his aid and pro-
ection in any need that might come to
Ter. She was most grateful, but wonder
ID why he had done so.
A few months ago the following news
PAPER paragraph appeared. 1t was much /;
copied, and, l suppose, will be very read
ly remembered:
''It is the custom at the prison of D
o permit prisoners whose terms are with I
n few weeks of expiration, to work out
ide the walls under the supervision of an
,ficer. This privilege is in most cases
,ladly accepted. A few weeks ago, how
.ver, it was declined by man, who as his
ime of freedom drew near, appeared l
more restless under his confinement that
my of the others. On inquiry it was I
ound that this prisoner had a wife and
hid living directly within view of the
walls, and that for nearly three years he {
las seen her daily, she being all the while S
gnorant of his imprisonment, and suppos-
ng that her husband, who was a sailor, '
vas at sea on long voyage. He was un- I
Wiling that, at the last moment, the fact I
hould be revealed to her, and at his re-
Iuest, he continued within the walls un-
il his liberation, which took place some t
ime last week. Excepting on one occa- t
ion, his conduct has been without
Flemish"
From the 7th Regiment.