Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1862-04-12


upon his knees AS / stepped swiftly across
the floor, he called out to me.
Don't CO. don't gol he said Stand at
the door ir you choose, but wait minute
It's all over now; aud perhaps If you hear
me. you won't wonder that ! was driven
mad
| hardly knew how to act but as in
voluntary checked my steps, he continued.
Look at that window sir aud you'll see
inst aver the road a woman with her child
in her arms. standing in a doorway. That's
INV wife aud baby She doesn't know I'm
hcre--thank God for that / came here
under n wrong name, and she supposes Pm
! far away at sea. am sure it would break
her heart, the truth Well, sir that's my
house. 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 / came near losing all hope
of ever seeing her again.
Could / doubt those struggling Sobs and
tears2 There was truth in every tone l
looked at the window, and saw as he told
me. n woman standing on the threshold
onno,ite with little child. She tossed it
up luughingy once or twice aud disappear
ed
You wont trust me know, said the
| pri,oner; but | want to beg you not TO let
The warden know Of this. It's no use,
know.
Well, l swear that I'll be true to home
after this Nothing hut three years solitary
confinement now, aud who can live through
tha,2 No, no, you'll let this go by, wont
! your You may believe--you may indeed.
Foot shuflng along the passages an
nounced the return Of my companions. The
prisoner eudeavored to calm himself, and |
put on an air Of concern which | think was
very successful under the circumstances.
Not shaved yet? sail the warden aston
ished If he had but known how close q
shave / had been through!
] have broken my ruzor said Johnson
looking appeuliugly at me. See, sir, must
have another.
Very well, said the warden, will you wait
lie asked me.
think not, said l. Another time will
do for me.
So / wiped my face and VIC went on our
way.
|
what had happened; but even in that grea
excitement which naturally followed Sc
narrowed an escape, | think that Sc
forward all that | could in the poor fellow
favor. The warden received tho story Will
perfect cOmpOSule, and assured me that ht
would act in sHCh a manner as he lhUugh
the occasion needed. He condemned his
own hcedleS>ncSS in opening so cvidenl al
| opportunity for guilt, with much more earn
eStncSs than be spoke of the event itself
could not resist visiting the wife oil
johnson. | discovered that his story was
true and learned his real name. She wa,
happy in her Ignorance Of his real condition
| sought 10 ascertain whether she was able
TO sustain herself until he should rejon her
and then she told me that Mr.--, the
warden Of the prison, had also come % her
shown interest in her behalf; for which shC
could not well account, and assured her o
his aid and protection in any need tha
might come to her. She was most gratefu
but wondered why he had done So
A few months ago the following news
paper paragraph appeared. 1t was mucl
copied, and, | suppose, will be very readIl,
remembered
1t is the custom in the prison of D.
to permit prisoners whose terms are within
q few weeks of expiration, TO work outside
! of the walls nnder The supervision Of an Of
fcer. This privilege is in most cases gladly
accepted. A few weeks ago, however, it
was declined by man, who as his time of
freedom neared appeared more restless under
bis confinement than any Of the others. On
inquiry. it was fonnd that the prisoner had
a wife and child living directly within view
of the walls, and that for nearly three years
he has seen her daily, she being all tie
while ignorant Of his Imprisonment, aud
supposing that her husband who was a
sailor, was at sea on long voyage lie
was unwilling that, at lie last moment, the
fact should Le revealed 10 her. and at his
request, be continued within he walls until
his liberation, vi hich took place some time
last week. Excepting on one occasion, his
conduct has been withUu. blemish