The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1872-05-14

COaSJ DelOW' IL WAS pultO u"AA oy UiiO
time reached the level ground. walk
ed boldly past the cottage of the fishermen,
meeting only an old woman and little
child on the way, and knocked on the cures
door. He opened it himself l told my story
in half dozen words. The good men be-
lieved and pitied me. He gave me food and
wine, an old handkerchief to wrap around
my head, an old coatf to replace my convict's
jacket, and two or three francs to help me
on my way. parted from him with tears.
/ walked all that night again, and all the
next, keeping somewhat close upon the
coast, and hiding among the cliffs during
the daytime On the fifth morning, having
left Antilles behind me during tho nights
march, came to the banks of the Var,
crossed the torrent about half mile below
the wooden bridge, plunged into the pine
woods on the Sandman side of the frontier,
and lay down to rest on Italian ground at
last My story would be too long to give in
full all the details of how, though compar-
atively safe, still pursued my journey by
tho least frequented ways-how bought
file at the first hamlet to which came, and
freed myself from the iron anklet-how,
having lurked about Nice till my hair and
beard had grown, begged my way to Ge-
noa-how i worked my passage on board a
small trader from Genoa to Fumicino,
touching at all the ports along the coast
and how, coming slowly up the Tiber in a
barge laden with oil and wine, landed
one evening in March, on the Ripetta quay,
in Rome. In so large city, and at SO
prisonment, was personally safe. might
hope to turn my talents and education to
account.
Outcast that was, slept that night un-
der dark arch near the theatre of Marcel
lus. The morning dawned upon glorious
day, and / crept out shivering into the sun
shine. Lying crouching against bit of
warm wall, caught myself wondering
more than once how long it would be worth
while to endure the agonies of hunger,
and whether the brown waters of the Tiber
were deep enough to drown a man. II
seemed hard to die SO young. My future
might have been so pleasant, SO honorable
The rough life that had been leading OF
late, too, had strengthened me in every way,
physically and mentally. Ihad grown taller.
My muscles were more developed. l was
twice as active as energetic, as resolute, as
l had been q year before. And of what
use were these things to meP must die
and they could only serve to make me die
the harder.
got up and wandered about the streets,
as l had wandered the day before. Onct
l asked for aims, and was repulsed. fol
lowed mechanically in the stream of car
riages and foot-passengers, and found my
self, by-and-by, in the midst of the crowG
that ebbs and flows continually about St
Peters's during Easter week. Stupifet
and weary, l turned aside into the vestibult
of the Sagrestia, and covered down in tn,
shelter of doorway. Two gentlemen
were reading printed paper wafered
against pillar close by.
"Good heavens p said one to the other
"that a man should risk his neck for few
pauls p
"Ay, and with the knowledge that, out
of eighty workmen, as many as six or eight
are dashed to pieces everytime," added
his companion.
"Shocking Why, that is an average OF
ten per cent ~
"No less. IT is desperate service"
"But fine sight" said the first speaker
philosophically; and with this they walked
away.
sprang to my feet, and read the pla
card with avidity. 1t was headed, "Illu
mination of Saint Peters, and announce,
that eighty workmen being required TO
the lighting of the dome and cupola, an,
three hundred for the cornices, pillars, col
onnade, and so forth. In conclusion, i
stated that every workman employed ol
the dome and cupola should receive in pay
ment dinner and twenty-four pauls, tn
wages of the rest being less than third o
that sum.
A desperate service, 1t was true; but
was desperate man. After all, coul
J but die, and / might as well die after
good dinner as from starvation. / went a
once to the ddministratore, was entered Il
} his list, received a couple of pauls as earn
] est of the contract, and engaged to preseu
: myself punctually at eleven o'clock on tn
: following morning. That evening suppe
alta street stall, and, for few bajocchi, oil
tanned leave to sleep on some straw in
: loft over stable at the back of the Via d.
t Arco.