The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1872-05-07
Two Escapes.

WdS SenJ W tho SuhVyo tVf tt-tiidb ldih WI
exile for it to this day. The brand was not
abolished in my time. If chose, could
show you the fiery letters on my shoulder.
Twas arrested, tried, and sentenced in
Paris. l went out of the court with my
condemnation ringing in my cars. The
rumbling wheelso of the prison-van repeated
it all the way from Paris to Bicetre that
evening, and all the next day, and the next,
and the next, along the weary road from
Bicetre to Toulon. When look back upon
that time / think must have been stupe-
fled by the unexpected severity OF my SEN
tence, for remember nothing of the jour
ney, nor of the places where we stopped.
Late in the afternoon of the third day
the van stopped, the door was thrown open
and was conducted across stone yard,
through stone corridor, into huge stone
hall, dimly lighted from above. Here |
was interrogated by military supcrinten-
dent, and entered by name in ponderous
ledger, bound and clasped with iron, like
book in fetters.s
NulnUCI WO Niu h'SNNiit
said the superintendent. "Grcen."
They took me into an adjoining room,
searched, stripped, and plunged me into a
cold bath. When l came out of the bath
put on the livery of the galleys--a coarse
canvas shirt, trousers of tawney serge,
red serge blouse, and heavy shoes clamped
with iron; last of all, green woolen cap.
On each leg of the trousers, and on the
breast and back of the blouse were printed
the fatal letters CT. f" On the brass la
bel in front of the cap were engraved the
figures "207." From that moment | lost
my individuality. was no longer Francois
Thierry. was number Two Hundred and
Seven. The superintendent stood by and
looked on.
"Come, be quick" said he, twirling his
long moustache between his thumb and
forefnger. at grows late, and you must
be married before supper"
"Married p repeated.
The superintendent laughed and lighted
cigar, and his laugh was echoed by the
guards and jailors.
"Down another stone corridor, across
another yard, into another gloomy hall, the
very counterpart of the last, but filled with
squalid figures, noisy with the clank of
fetters, and pierced at each end with cir
cular opening through which cannon's
mouth showed grimly.
Bring Number Two Hundred and Six"
said the superintendent "and call the
priest"
Number Two Hundred and Six came
from farther corner of the hail. dragging
heavy chain and along with him black
smith, bare-armed and leather-aproned.
"Lie down." said the blacksmith, with
an insulting spurn of the foot.
lay down. A heavy iron ring attached
10 a chain of eighteen links was then fitted
to my ankle, and riveted with single
stroke of the hammer. A second ring next
received the disengaged ends of my COM
panions chain and mine, and was secured
in the same manner. The echo of each
blow resounded through the vaulted roof
like hollow laugh.
"Good," said the superintendent, draw
ing small red book from his pocket.
+" Number Two Hundred and seven, attend
to the prison code. If you attempt to es-
cape without succeeding, you will be basti-
nadoed. If you succeed in getting beyond
the port, and are then taken, you will re-
ceive three years Of double claiming. AS
soon as you are missed three cannon shots
will be fired, and alarm-lags Willie hosted
on every bastion. Signals will be telegraph
ed to the maritime guards and to the po-
lice of the ten neighboring districts. A
price will be set upon your head. Placards
will be posted on the gates Of Toulon, and
sent to every town throughout the empire,
1t viii be lawful to fire upon you, If you
cannot be captured alive.
Having read this with grim complacency,
the superintendent resumed his cigar, re-
placed the book in his pocket, and walked
away.
All was over now-all the incredulous
wonder, the dreamy dullness, the smolder.
ing hope of the past three days. | was Q
felon, and slavery in slavery , chained tC
fellow-fellow. looked up and found hii
eyes upon me. lie was swarthy, heavy
browed, sullen- -jawed man of about forty
not much taller than myself, but of i'm
mensely powerful build.
49," said he, "you're for life, are you
SO am l."
HHoxv-do vo,i know | am for life ?''