Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-07-17
To BE HUNG FOR A SPY.

a beautiful early spring day The gar
den at the rear of the long, low rambling
Virginia farmhouse was well stocked with
vegetables, over which the passion-fow
er vine trailed in tangled luxuriance, and
beyond the green meadows sloped in soft
undulations to where a broad river, glis-
tening in the suns rays, rolled smoothly
beside the boundary fence of the pas
ture
Yet Virginia Drake stood at her faith
er's door looking sadly across the river to
the houses and spires which rose on the
other side.
go! mother, mother can't keep my
eyes off that dreadful place." she said,
turning to delicate looking woman who
sat within doors mixing cake for their
evening meal.
CHOW don't zee. Virginia, what good'll
it do anyhow" said the mother, rising
and going over to the door also. "Come
in, honey" putting her hand on her
daughters shoulder caressingly.
go, mother! to think of my poor old
playmate, Archie Moulton bein'"- and
here she fairly broke down and sobbed
outright
"Don't, don't, honey!" cried her moth
er, her own eyes full of tears. "Here
comes your father; don't let him see his
little gal a-cryin'."
Virginia ran hastily intoher edrOom as
her father entered the kitchen.
"There's no chance for poor Archie,
Silas?" asked his wife, as frank-faced,
kindly Hooking elderly man came into the
kitchen.
"Chance indeed" said he roughly,
while his face clouded. "No, no, he'll be
hung as sure as / stand here. [ never
thought to see poor John Moulton's son
swing on the gallows,'' he added, sorrow
fully, "but Isuppose it's the only way to
deal with spies in these fighting times l
shall go in on the colt tomorrow to see
| the last of him, wife"
"The Lord have mercy On his soul, :"
moaned his wife.
Over the opposite hill the sun was set
ting-was shedding his last radiant beams
over the houses that rose in steep success
sion on the hills, on the low, dark, strong
! buildings which crowned the height. The
red light seemed to concentrate itself on
the gateway of the building, where men
were putting up a strong, timber struct-
ure, watched from below by talking
and gestulating crowd, whose white and
| black faces mingled in their unusual eX-
citement. Inside the walls the other
workmen were busy on a more common
place job. Something was out of order
with the great sewer of the jail, on which
| they had been at work for some hours.
Now they are taking up their tools, put
| ting on their coats and leaving till next
day. They moved about in unusual
silence, ever and anon glancing to the
farther side of the yard; where youth
| in faded and torn soldiers coat, with
manacled hands, was pacing drearily up
and down.
"Wall," said one of their number,
''blessed eff hain't sorry fer him, if he is
a-Yankee!''
"'Tain't as eff we hadn't knowed the
companion. 81 recollect well enough
when he was playin' around with my own
boys"
at their days work, and to hurry them
through an inner court, whence the great
doors opened to let them into the street.
The manacled youth gazed after their
retreating forms with groan, as he
thought of their return to their homes
free and happy, while he--and glancing
up at the structure that reared its horri-
BILE frame within his sight, his soul sick
ened within him.
He was not confined to his cell on this,
the last day of his life, but was permitted
to walk about the quadrangle of the
prison. No one was with him, and the
sentinel pacing up and down an angle of
.,
sight.
His thoughts were bitter and despair
ing, indeed. He thought of his gray
haired, widowed mother, far-away on
the bleak New Hampshire farm; Of his
gentle and sickly younger brother, now
her only stay; of kind hearted Farmer
Drake, who had been to see him for his
fathers sake; of his sweet little playmate
Virginia, of long ago. Mechanically he
walked across the square to where the
sewer work had been gong on, and as he
did so thought involuntarily of how
large the opening was, and where it emp
tied itself. He stopped. Suddenly an
idea flashed through his brain, MAX
ing his wan face flush and manacled hands
tremble wish Excitement. He glanced
sharply around to see if his thought had
betrayed itself, and seeing no one, forced
himself into his former weary tread,
though his knees shook under him with
emotion.
Presently he turned to 60 into the
building. A turnkey started up from
the steps where he had been lounging
and preceded his prisoner through a
long stone corridor, and stopping before
cell door unlocked it. AS he locked
him in he said, graciously. .'Ef yeou
want enythin', Yank, yeou ken call, I'll
hear yer"
sThank you," answered the condemn
ed man, carefully turning his face away
from the official lest his secret should be
visible there.
Archie Moulton had noticed that the
bolt of the lock was very shaky and he
knew that shaky bolt is easily forced
back.
But he must be cool and cautious be.
fore all, and wait till dusk should give
the one desperate chance-hopeless it
seemed for liberty While the turkeys
step still echoed along the corridor he
tried the bolt with his iron wristlets
and with all his might he strove to
force it back. But it had shot in further
than usual, and he dared not make
noise.
In despair he waited to recover breath.
and hearing another turnkey coming,
went tn his cell-doOr and called.