Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-12-21


the means nv which the few copt,,, tse ,nanv
m L. NOT licht and pieasant MACE Tnere re
no soft luxuSies there~idleness and comfort are
unknovS within it, Sr;my vslls Hal he hen
a kings son there vss no hetfer niaca for him
And here the unfortunafe aesertsr took nm his
abo0e. The corrmandsnt passed Rim as re
worked among the urisoners In this lonely
spot in the wilderness the guara- house gang n.
ihey suIlenly Wandered xith clankiny chains
wherever there was work to do. was siwars a
reminder that even a land having 40 little in
common with the world was not wanting IN lite
crimes, and not without its means of punish
| ment. As he came near, the new prisoner threw
! aside his bToom AMI $500 ner n,issi,n IN sseak
| of himself
There was never o soldier who had nothing
| whereof to complain In his best estate, and
most certainly every desefter can urge the act
This was what the cemmandant expected and
he deemed it wise to forestaH his petitioner.
"Are you deeerter?D said he.
"I am. butt
80 Are you aware that desertion, according TO
the law under which Won live Ia A crime without
possible excase?''
Certainly, and do not wish to make any
excuse. L ONLY want tn show you that 1 had
Justification In DESERVING, Tor the cake Of yew
good Opinion.n
Now, WORDS like these the eommandant had
never heard spoken by one man to another ur-
der like circumstances. Here was man In the
chain gang, guilty by his own confession OF
crime which ought to keep him there, talking
OF "good OPINION" The commandant went
away pondering the curious case he had got on
his hand-a man with the jewelry of crime
vanclng his claim TO be regarded as gentle
man by one who also claimed that distinction.
Ere long the two or three ladies OF the small
garrison began 70 inquire concerning good
LOOKING prisoner VINO had been seen piling up
wood and carrying Stops in their back areas.
contrary 10 orders In sucn cases, savory meals
were passed out 10 him through Windows,
and dainty mcrseis were enclosed in napkins
ana sent 10 MIN. Allthis the commaRdant saw
ana ud not see Nay, more, he became con-
vlhced thst the man VINO excited SO much pity
WAS 0dlty lea from his own table, much to the
envy and dissatisfaction of ether prisoners,
and he 80 careless that he neither saw nor
heard.
by and by 1t was discovered that the prisoner
was possessed OF great clerical ability, and he
was placed Ia an upper room which was 90 con-
sructed that window opened from 1t through
the wall to the outside OF the post. He was
caused 10 make Typographical drawings and
copy the letters OF the post adJutant, and In
order that ne might be near his work he was
allowed 10 sleep IN his room. All night long
sentinei paced 70 ana ITO oeReath the window,
ana Immediately beneatn WAS the guard-house
out ali Of which when Il reached sSeiT cane
Tue tehder -nearteu iaoies Uo relgiousiy oeheye.
Much as MS condlton had improved, IL was
Ry tn sn ns AZ ana
ana 30 handsome) snould stiII De compelled To
wear pairand chain. bets ana feminine
pleugee were Freely onereu, Ten 70 one ana no
Iakeis, tnat oteih Wouiu not Try 10, ana lndee1
coui1 not escape. Dut oy TINS ume tne COM
manaant hsa received printed descriptions OF
drsc,;onS s,r iiV IN ;n, WIZ sPeeisi
orections for MS apprehension. The ladies
could feed and pity the unfortunate, but, for
MohieI, tney cru not succeed IN riuuiilS nlm OF
the odious !e"elry; rms may De speciaIy SET
Esu ihuch 10 enuuIe sliently ~ their nands, ana
wno ha( khoWh Whoie uisuicts 10 De ruled DIV
o me, c1n,m anuhg once1s VIE but had tney
vhy Snomh II, tney neeu ny nave uouDied
theH neens on TINS point. There was another
$500! 20 y III TUG Oas7' III coih-
par iSoh VAN 'uose enorIs lneirs "ere as hoth-
Much of the succs.s of par.tcular indiv;duo,s
has baeo ettainad hv thar sb;iit ~ i,arns
inti,ra taiv tSa ,Iocs than hid ~ en- i We
o.bars 20 to- r Sit,atIoSrs 81 :. rienoa NJ
against his Will the commandsnt tnsw ,bat
~ nrisons, ra1,rJsd Sirn q : ~ s-ianL u
did nor sav a. or sct a. bit - 80 oraot
nerertbeiess Soirteras,iDo q n;aco 81 hpIpu
tv bsd tbe des.Tfer bacome win sIiii hi ,,nnd
looks AMI his friends That the comma,SSo 49,
siDcs,eIr nishadba "a 49, -. 49, - l; NJ ~.
shnIe 2 81 L., 80 az, nS ti aSem hIi Due
had tboE yht he corIa shaw the nrisonar 1,tS
narfsct consistencv. he conId coUnsol -
h view of his anproaebing trial. One Sav ni ha
n fFsrad "a pncb I'D tha Sssartar $500 ~ -; Lo
an eIsborats1v wri1tsn 1890 20 % wei MN
that occasion He Md i'm g;nsd witb astorn "a
inc acuteness every sage Of the nrosecntion
He h ad tbouyht ont of he prohabfe evidanra
against himself. and had written ont the whole
in fautless English. Without access to any of |
the text books OF military law he had re-
membered ard used some former study of tn m
with an erudition and faculty OF Advancement |
which caused the amiable comnanSant to retire |
with decent prec1pttApcy from the position of |
legal adviser. |
By this time Stein had gained complete as |
cendancy over the whole guard-house. He was |
their friend, and they his, and indeed all his |
acquaintance in the garrison yielded him |
allegiance. BY some means he became pos /
sessed OF money. The Mexican men aud women |
VINO hved near, acting as guides and laun-
dresses, or Claiming protection from the Ind ans,
passed in and out unquestioned, almost unob-
served. They hsd always done so, and they |
were regarded as harmless and useless people.
Senunels and sergeants OF the guard thought it |
so small a matter that one OF these women
should frequently speak with the prisoner that
the circumstance was never even mentioned.
lt was hard indeed they argued) that the pref
Hest and Proudest OF them all should not be al
lowed TO stand sometimes In the cool night |
below bis window, and chatter Spanish 10 him
IN voice 20 low that the sentinel could hardly |
near, even II he could have understood. |
Neither, surely, was there any harm in hand
'ome girl standing afar OF in the moonlight, |
md watching that lonely, unlighted upper |
window Tor hours. She was only foolish, they |
thought, or probably very much in love, which |
8 the same thing.
Three months passed in this way, and there |
,ame new officer to command the post. The |
prisoner Immediately became restless. It be- |
,ame evident to Smythe, now no longer respon-
lble, that the gentleman of the guard h use
denoument which would some