St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1883-06-23

surprised, and said: "Whys where haze
YOU been, my little boy?''
So. although Tommy wasvery sleepy,
he told about his visit to the.man. After
Tommy had finished his story, his moth
er held him very tight in heSE arms for a
minute, and then said: g But, Tommy,
you know I said you mustn't 60 into
Carry house. y
ssWell, I forgot said Tommy-ssI
truly did, and I won't gH any more;
only, mamma, do let him. out. cause
he's goin' to be good" Tommy was
very. very sleepy, but he found time to
wonder, before he fairly .vent off into
dreamland, why his mothers eyes and
mouth looked so queer whe5l she leaned
over and kissed him good Eight.
s.Just like crying" he thought, and
the next minute was fast asleep. And
at about the same time Mr.=Young stood
talking to the man in the isil.
$50 YOU had visitor thu morning?"
Eyes" said the man, sand l spent
the best half-hour with that little fell
low that I've had since I cook up my
lodgings in this hole" 4
'.Well, goodnight y said Mr.. Young,
and he went on. s
The man threw himseIS on his bed,
but not to sleep; he tossed restlessly all
night long, and through tie long, mar
row window opposite thes door of his
cell the very same stars locked in upon
him that looked in on listle Tommy,
sound asleep in his crib: He lay fiat
on his back, with parted lips and rosy
cheeks,one fat arm thrownover his head
and one extended along hisside, with his
fingers thrust out of the bars of his
crib, that he might put ouS his hand to
find his mothers If he SHOULD wake
in the night.
A day or two after Tongny's visit to
the jail, the man, with whom he had
talked so innocently, amt who called
himself Williams, was taken to the
courtroom for trial. There was little
to be said in his defense: and the evil
dence against him was strung. He was
found guilty of robbing a. safe. and so
the Judge sentenced him 10 five years
at hard labor in the State Prison at
Charlestown, Mass. He YVES taken there
at once anu put TO WOIk.
Now, this man had nevfr worked in
all his life. His father was a rich
man, and had, for gears, given
him plenty of money to spend.
But he got into bad Company, partly
because he always had plenty of money
in his pocket, and when be fell into bad
company his father refused to give him
any money, and then turned him out Of
his house. And he had learned to think
it easier to steal than to work; and one
night he, with several otheE men, robbed
a safe; and that was TIP way he got
into prison.
He suffered dreadfullyswhen he was
shut up and made to weak hard, and
never allowed to walk OUT except in the
dreary prison-yard. Hsss tried very
hard to escape, but he and all the other
prisoners were too closely w; -ehed for
that; and so, after awhile he gave up
trying to get away, and gorked faith
fully, partly because hesswas happier
when he was very busy, aad partly be-
cause he won the good Wei of all the
prison officers by so doing and once in
while obtained little favors from them,
such as little longer walk in the yard
on Sundays, and, after Il while, work
that was easier for him to.do.
SO two years went by, and one bright
summer day one of his fellow-prisoners
came to him and told him OF plot
among them, which, if successfully car
ried out. would give him and several
more the liberty they SO longed for.
But to carry out the proposed plot il
was absolutely necessary to kill one of
the prison officers; then they would take
his keys. and, before the alarm could be
given, get safely away.
What temptation it was to Williams!
He wanted so much toget out to breathe
the free, fresh air again, for somehow
the air even in the prison-yard did not
seem fresh to him, and he was only
there for. such little while every day.
But to kill the turnkey! That was a
dreadful thing to think of even! And
yet there was no other way to get out,
and he would be free-yes, he aroNId.
So he agreed to the plan, and the last
night came. At the cell three doors
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 cit
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,