The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1874-09-25

HI
" That's me, sir
i" Let me see your arm.

IL MI 1iSIlGs SiAs
"All right, is it? In my humble
opinion. it's about as wrong as wrong
can be"
All looked down at the bruised flesh
and rCken bones he had affirmed to be
ssall rigat, with a half contem ptuous
smile, and then, resignjng himself to the
inevitable, laid quietly watching the
white hands OF the young doctor as he
prepared splints, bandages, etc, and
commenced the wolk of setting the bone,
now rendered doubly difficult by the
swelling of the bruised flesh.
The light of the setting sun stole into
the room, eliminating with a sudden
glory the bare walls and comfortIess
surroundings, and throwing into strong
relief the two figures which gave life to
the picture. The doctors frank, good
humored face, slight, easy figure, and
air of careless good breeding could not
have been out of place under any cir
cumstances but the other seemed
strangely in unison with, and yet in
contradiction to, his surroundings
His muscular frame might have served
as a model for strength and beauty-a
Hercules in a prison dress His hands.
= roughened and hardened by toll, had
been as slender and well-shaped as the
doctors own. His face, bronzed by ex-
posure to ali weathers, was still high
bred and retined-aquiline features,
clear, brave eyes, and, above all, the
close cropped hair of g convict. He
had that hair of reserve, totally distinct
from rudsAess, which only we'll bred
people epossess. and which innpresses even
the most vulgar and obtuse.
Though the sensitive mouth betrayed
his delicate nervous organization, moth
ing could be more stoical than the COM
posure with which he bore the torture
he was suffering
''Why on earth, man, don't you say
something, or cry outS exclaimed the
DOCTOR half impatientiy.
That's not my way, sir. y
Noticing the g4thering whiteness
roHnd his patients lips, the doctor has
.tily poured something in glass. and.
bidding him drink it, went quickly on
with his work. After few minutes 81
lence, he glanced up suddenly.
&c What's that pointing to small
blue figure on the brawny wrist.
"That? !? o my crest. I did it when
1 was boy" said the man, indifer-
emily.
"Did 1 say that ?'-and flush crept
over his face. 81 must have been
dreaming; people do dream sometimes,
don't they %
The doctor did not answer, but, look
ed keenly at him, as he turned away
his head with a short embarrassed
laugh.
What is your name ?"
No. AL
81 don't mean that I mean your
name" " persisted the doctor.
Jim Brown"
DR.. Harris laughed Jim Brown :
Why don't you say, Bill Scroggins i?
One name would suit you about as well
as the other"
All frowned slightly ''Why should
tell you my name ?"
sc I'm sure I don't know, was the
frank answer; '' unless because want
You to. The crest on your arm is very
j like my own. I thought, perhaps, we
were related"
"And il We were? You wouldn't
own me-
"Why not ? 1 am not bad fellow
IA 75--Wss5, neither do [ tbiuk you are.
Why shouldn't [ own you -
The man raised himself on his ann,
). and looked searchingly in the doctors
face.
ga conUict p he said, slowly.
Well said the doctor, dryly, {" I
don't see much society except convicts
at present, and I can't say but what 7
like them as well as I do those who
think themselves a good deal better.
I've found out it isn't always the worst
{
Z radical, you must know he added,
quantity, and very much disapproved
of by the family
All looked out into the ga herring
darkness for some minutes, and then
said, quietly
"WeI, sir, if you care to hear a coI,-
vict's story, sit down awhile. I've
never told It to any one, aud I don't
know Why I should tell it to you but
the moods on me, and I might as we'll
talk as think, may be; and then you've
+ guessed my secret partly-at least, you
: know I'm not Jim Brown and a smile
flashed across his face. g How old do
you think I am % he continued.
Dr. Harris looked at the powerful
frame of the man-at the strong, hard
Between forty and fifty, I should
say"
'Thirty-six, yesterday. [ was TWEEN
ty-four the day l was sentenced "a pleas
ant way of celebrating ones birthday,
wasn't it? There was Let of stuff in
the papers about my youth, and my
being so hardened. Did they think
was going to beg for mercy ?-not l.
I've been out here twelve years now,
and I've escaped twice and been caught
again ;.but Ill try it once more, some
time. -
''You ought not tell me that, sait
the doctor smiling,
"Why rot? They watch me all the
time any way. Just give me some water
will you ? Thanks. Well, [ ought to
comraease with my name. [ suppose
1t is Edward Tracy. I was the SECOND
son of q Northumberland squire, who
had inst enough money to keep up the
place for my brother, and no more.
ire old place it was, and the only thor
oughly happy days I can look back tt
were spent there. That was when was
a boy-home for the holidays, eager
about cricket and foot ball, and to whom
q gun and the range of the rabbit wa-
rem were perfect happiness. After
a while, it was unpleasant enough NJ,
brother-a lazy, good-lookipg fellow
who knew how to ride and shoot, ant
only that-was the idol of my mother
and sisters. All deferred to him e1eep
little Mary, my pet, who used to follow
me round like kitten. Poor it'll,
girl 1 wonder if she thinks of m,
now. Younger sons in a poor fanil,