Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1883-06-21
safe: and that was the way he got

a safe: and that was the way he got
into prison.
He suffered dreadfully when he wa:
shut ND ard made to work hard, anC
never allowed to walk out except in thu
dreary prison-yard. He tried very
hard to escape, but he and all the othel
prisoners were too, closely watched fol
that: and so. after awhile he gave w
irving to get away, and worked faith
fully, partly because he was happiel
when he was very busy, and partly be
cause he won the good will of all thu
prison officers by SO doing, and once il
a while obtained little favors from them
such as little longer walk in the yart
on Sundays, and, after a while, worl
that was easier for him to do.
So two years went by, and one brigh
summer day one of hisfellow-prison
came to him and told him of plo
among them, which, if successfully car
ried out, would give him and severa
more the liberty they SO longed for
But to carry out the proposed plot i
was absolutely necessary to kill one o
the prison officers; then they would take
his keys. and. before the alarm could BIZ
given, get safely away.
What temptation twas to Williams
He wanted so much tOget ont to breathe
the free, fresh air again, for somehow
the air even in the prison-yard did moi
seem fresh to him, and he was only
there for such little while every day
But to kill the turnkey! That was 8
dreadful thing to think of even! And
yet there was no other way to get out
and he would be free-yes, he arould
So he agreed to the plan, and the Last
night came. At the cell three door,
below the one occupied by Williams the
keeper was to be stabbed, and then
within an hour twelve men would be
free again.
1t had been very, very warm day
the air was close and heavy and sultry.
Williams lay on his bed, thinking SIT
is the last night" when he heard the
turnkey coming down the corridor on
his evening round of locking doors.
Every step took him nearer to death.
Williams knew it, eleven other men
knew it, and he knew that these men
would if they could kill the man who
should even offer to betray them. But
the keeper came on. whistling tune as
he walked. The tune was common:
place enough, and worn threadbare by
endless repetition in singing. whistling,
and organ grinding only the old tune
of I" My Mary ANN but it saved his
life.
For, as the keeper came whistling on,
Williams listened. and then nOiselessly
sprang off his bed, while great drops OF
perspiratiOn gathered on his forehead
although he no longer felt the heat, but
seemed to have grown suddenly ice.
cold
He saw once more little face look.
ing in between the bars of his cell-door,
and heard sweet young voice thai
said: "Well, you're going to be good
nOw?H
Why did he think of that little limo
cent face just at that moment? Because
on that day when Tommy had been tC
see him. and just after he had passed
ont of sight, with his yellow curls and
big hat and faded dandelions, an organ
grinder in the street had stopped and
played that tune, and he had heard ii
very faintly-but clearly enough to for
ever associate it with Tommy and his
visit
"Going to be good?" Yes, he had
said he was "going to be good" And
yet that very night he was going TO be
bad-aye, worse than he had ever been!
Tommy's little face grew mora and
more plain before his eyes. "Going to
be gOod-going to be good now
seemed to be shouted in the air az Will
Jams stood leaning against the wall OF
his cell. The keeper came On; he was
the next cell but one abOve-at the next
AS Williams own; in second he
would be gOne--it would be too late.
He had already shot the bolt and turned
the key, when Williams, stan ling in
the shadow, with his finger on his lips,
whispered: ''Stop!' The keeper heard,
and halted with his hand on The lock,
bending his head slightly to listen, while
Williams, tremblingly and half under
his breath, told him ali the truth. Then.
as the low whisper ceased, the keeper
stared wildly for a moment, but recoy-
ering himself, said aloud, in careless
tones: an get it for you," and with a
quiet, steady step walked back the way
he had come.
There was nothing strange in that,
for he had often went back for 4 book
or to attend to some question of pris-
oner, as it was his last round for the
night; and SO the men farther down the
hall,whO were in the plot, thought moth
ing of it, and waited. But when he
came back there was a tread of many
feet, and he had brought strong
guard with him. The eleven men We're
put in solitary confinement. and Viii
liams received from the Governor of
the prison his most hearty thanks.
Within month he was pardcned out
and once more free, and nc really did
become good man. He went away to
a foreign country, where no one knew
his story, and from that day to this he
has led perfectly upright life. And
this is what came of Tommy's visit to
the Jail; and the story is a true one
Hate b. Foot, in st. Nicholas.
->s >----
Boiling Broth In the Higher Andes.