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


nNLY two windows looked out upon
~ the garden from the back of the guard
house. From one of those windows l had
Just now let myself down, and the other was
partly shuttered up. ] did not dare, how
ever, openly to cross the garden. drop
ped upon my face and crawled in the fur
rows between the rows Of vegetables until
came to the ditch. Here the water rose
nearly to my waist, but the banks on eth
or side were considerably higher; and, by
STOPPING, l found that could walk without
bringing my head to the level Of the road
thus followed the course of the ditch for
some two or three hundred yards in the di-
rection of Toulon, thinking that my pur-
suers would be less likely to suspect me of
doubling back toward prison than of push
ing forward toward the country. Half ly-
ing, half crouching under the rank grasses
that fringed the bank above, then watched
the gathering shadows. By-and-by heard
the evening gun; and, aminute after, some
thing like distant sound of voices Hark
was that shout? Unable to endure the
agony of suspense, lifted my head and
peeped cautiously out. There were lights
moving in the windows Of the guard-house,
there were dark figures in the garden,
there were hasty tramplings of feet on the
road above Presently light flashed over
the water only few yards from my hiding
place slid gently down at full length,
ha 10 pOiO oil oil
over me. Lying thus, held my breath till
the very beatings in my heart seemed to
suffocate me and the veins of my temples
were almost bursting. / could bear it nc
longer-I rose to the surface-I breathed
again-I looked--I listened. All was dark.
ness and silence. My pursuers were gone
by! Ifltsl
l suffered an hour to so by, too, before
ventured to move again. By that time il
was intensely dark, and had begun to rain
heavily. The water in the ditch became g
brawling torrent, through which I wadet
unheard, past the very windows of guard
house.
After toiling through the water for 6
mile or more, l ventured out upon the roat
again; and so, with the rain and wind beat
ing in my face, and the scattered boulderi
tripping me up continually, made my wa!
through the whole length of the winding
pass and came out upon the more opeI
country about midnight. With no othe
guide than the wind, which was blowing
from the northeast, and without even |
star tohelp me, then struck off to th'
right, following what seemed to be a rougl
by-road lying through valley. By-and-b,
the rain abated, and discerncd the darl
outlines of chain of hills extending al
along to the left of the road. These, con
oluded, must be the Maures. All was vel
so far. had taken the right direction
and was on the way to Italy.
Excepting to sit down, now and then
by the wayside, never paused in m,
flight all the night through. Fatigue an,
want of food prevented me, it is true, fron
walking very fast; but the love of libert
was strong within me; and, by keepin
steadily ON, succeeded in placing abou
eighteen miles between myself AM
Toulon. At five o'clock just as the da
began to dawn, heard peal of chimes
and found that was approaching larg
town. In order to avoid this town wa
forced to turn back for some distance, an
take to TIE heights. The sun had nov
risen, and dared go no further: so, havin
pulled some turnips in a field as l weu
along, took refuge in little lonely copss
in hollow among tire hills, and there la
all day in safety. When night again close
in resumed my journey, keeping alway
among the mountains, and coming, no
and then, on grand glimpses of moon-l
bays, and tranquil islands lying off I'll
shore; now and then, on pastoral hamlet
nestled up among the palmy heights, {
on promontories overgrown with the, ca
tus and the aloe. rested all the secon
day in ruined shed at the bottom Of d
serted sand-pit, and in the evening feelin
that could no longer sustain life withoI