Louisiana capitolian., 1879-07-05
BATON ROUGE LOUISIANA, JULY s. 1879 TTT11T

fioor Of the eastern wing Of the prison
\ On this, the third day Of his arrest
ne was sitting despondingly on TIL
small couch which occupied nearl,
the whole cell; an earthen bowl, AMI
9 small wooden platter were placed
1 on the bench, which was the onl,
apology for a chair the room con.
tanned.
: It was evident that the turnkey had
already made his first morning visit
for the bowl contained the prisoner,
untasted breakfast.
AS the clock struck ten O'Brien wa
startled by the grating Of the prison
door; he turned impatiently to de-
mand the cause Of the intrusion, for
the turkeys second visit was not
generally made till noon. His sur
prise can well be imagined when he
saw Michael Cassidy's head protrude
cautiously through the half open door,
the stupid expression on Mick's conn
tenance, had given way to one Of ex-
treme caution and cunning, he waved
his hand to and fro, as implying
silence, then entering he closed the
door, and his first glance was directed
towards the untasted mess in the
bowl.
ooh! the saints be about u.s." he
exclaimed" and sure now if Id have
done it
"If you would have done what I
in Heavens name explain YOURSELF"
said O'Brien; for with extreme sur
prise he now recognized Cassidy in
the garb Of sub-turnkey Of the prison.
"Faith, your Honor, and we might
have lost time if I'd a done it." Oh!
the saints be betwixt us and harm
well ye see it just came into my mind
as | was receiving this mess from the
cook for your HOnOr's breakfast. and
then again after I'd dished it came
into my mind again, and then when
| put on the table to cool, l just re-
membered all Of a sudden, that when
was thinking about yourself and all
my other new duties, and my troubles
well you see it never came into my
mind till this blessed minnit, that |
had not had time to say my morning
prayers at all--well so, and nobody
being near, just dropped down on
my knees, made the blessed sign, and
had just got as far
-
Cassidy might have proceeded in
this strain to the end Of the chapter,
had not Bernard, no longer able to
repress his impatience risen from the
couch and demanded in peremptory |
tone how he had obtained access to |
to the prison.
"And sure" continued Cassidy,
''ain't l aide-de-camp to the head
turnkey But sure and l won't be
bothering your Honor a telling how
got the place, amt | here i''-
"And this is the hing"-presenting
O'Brien, with small but strong steel
file," this is the thing that was in
tending to hide in the bowl that was
brought in for your breakfast; but
then thinks l Master Bernard mayn't
eat his breakfast at all, Gagged up in
that little cell, and thin may be III
not be sint to bring away the things,
and that baste Of q turnkey will find
the file, and thin that will be the
death, murther, and ruin of us all
and SO | did not put it in at all, owing
as your Honor sees to that inspira-
ton; but here it is clane and bright
as a needle, and sure you have only
to cut your way through them bars
and then tonight III be on guard
outside, and sure Mister Power has
got a ship ready, and a new name for
yourself, and then we'll all cross the
ocean together and be in Ameriky in
. jiffy-but-and | have a letter in
my pocket from Mister Power to your.
self explaining all about the ship, and
the new name, and more than that I
beside." ,
O'Brien hastily opened the letter, ]
md found that no time was to be lost,
IS the vessel would sail on the follow
ng day. Power had made all the
necessary arrangements for the vOy-
lge, and all now depended on the '
prudence and fidelity of Cassidy and I
lis own address and courage. {
Cassidy was dismissed with the
breakfast service, and attwelve when
he turnkey made his accustomed
'isit, the first of the e'bars was nearly
evered, and before sunset the work Z
vas completed.
As the prison clock tolled twelve,
Bernard O'Brien made his escape from =
he prison, he was received by the d
aithfal Cassidy, they Immediately f
made their way to the place of meet n