River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1883-03-29
FORGED TOGETHER.
A Wild Tale OF the Mutual Hatred of
Two Convicts.

/ am French by birth, and my name is
francois Thieny. I will not burden you
with my early history; but will begin by
stating that | was sent to the galleys, and
find myself to-day in exile. Branding was
not out of date at that time, and until my
death I shall bear some fiery letters on my
shoulder.
| was arrested, registered, condemned,
and sent to Paris. As / left the court of
justice my terrible sentence rang in my ears.
On the long road from Paris to Bicetre-all
day and all night--till we arrived at lou
Ion, the dull rolling of the prison wagon
on the pavement repeated it to me. When
] look back to that time, I think must
have been stunned by the unexpected severi-
ty of my doom, for have not the slightest
recollection of The particulars OF that jour-
rey. lizard labor for lifel' Hard labor
for lifeF' l heard nothing else, I could
think of nothing else. Late in the after
noon o. the third day, the wagon stopped,
the door was unlocked, and / was led
through paved court, into hall that was
but family lighted. Here an officer asked
me my name, which he entered in large
book, banded with iron as though it were
fettered
'No. 207, cried the officer, "green."
Then was led into another room, where
| put on the uniform of a galley slave
From this moment / lost my individuality
/ was no longer Francois Thierry; but No
BOT. The officer was present while was
dressing.
Hurry upl" he sale; it is getting late,
and you must be married before dinner"
sMarried?" repeated.
He laughed as he lit cigar. l was again
led through anot ler corridor into damp
court, where Withholding men with clank-
ing chains were walking up and down be-
fore the muzzlcs of cannon.
''Bring No. 2O6,n cried the officer, land
then call the priest" No. 206 came in,
dragging heavy chain behind him, and
with him robust blacksmith
The ring of an iron chain was put round
my ankle, and forged together with single
stroke of the hammer. A like ring bound
me to my companion. Each stroke re-echoed
through the arches like the scornful laugh
OF demons. The officer drew small red
book from his pocket, and said:
mo. 207, listen to our prisoners laws:
If you attempt flight and fail, you will be
bastinadoed. If you succeed in getting to
the harbor and are there captured, you will,
doubly chained for three years. As soon
as you are missed, three casnon-shots will
be fired and signals of alarm will be hoisted
on each bastion. Telegraphic messages
will be sent to the harbor-guards and to the
police throughout France.
After the officer had read this with a terri
BILE satisfaction, he re-lit his cigar, put the
book away, and left the hall. l was now
prisoner forged to another prisoner. As
looked at him found his Eyes turned to-
ward me. He was sinister-looking fellow,
about forty years old, not any taller than l.
but of herculean build.
"Then you are in for life?n he said.
"How do you know that?" / exclaimed
angrily
II can tell by your cap-green is for lie.
Why are you here?"
~ conspired against the government"
He shrugged his shoulders contemptuous-
ly. "Then you're an elegant one. We
other prisoners hate such aristocratic COM
pany."
] made no answer.
"This is the fourth time that I've been
here continued my campanion. Per
haps you have heard of Gasparo, the coun-
terfeiter?"
/ had heard of the daring criminal, and
drew back tremblingly from his gaze. An
uneasy look in his eyes told me that he had
noticed my shrinking. From that moment
he hated me. Gasparo and |, with two hum
dred other prisoners, were put to work in
stone-quarry on tue other side of the harbo :.
Day after day, and week after week, froru
SUNRISE to sunset, the rock resounded to
our blows. Thus spring and summer
passed, and autumn came. My fellow pris-
oner was a Piedmontese He had been
thief counterfeiter, incendiary, and when
he last fed from prison he committed
murder. Heaven alone knows how my suf-
ferings were intensified through this terrible
comradeship. How | shrank from the
touch Of his handl What Ioathing took
possession of me when / felt his breath on
my face at night! / tried to overcome this
aversion; but il vain. He knew it as well as
/, and took every opportunity to revenge
himself in such ways as only depraved
mind can think of However, it woeld
have been of no avail to put myself in oppo-
sition to him, and any complaint to the
overseer would only have provoked the
wretch to worse tyranny. At last there
came day when his hate seemed to dimin-
ish. He allowed me my nights rest, and
seemed to be in a hurry. The next MORN
ing. shortly after we had begun work, he
came close to me. and Whispered in my ear:
"Do you want to escape?"
/ felt the blood rush to my face, and could
not say word.
'Can you keep a secret?" he went on.
'Until DEATH"
''Well, then, listen: Tomorrow Marshal
d'Auverge will inspect the harbor, docks,
prison, and stone-quarry. Salutes will be
fred from the walls and ships. which will
make it difficult to hear the guard signal
for two escaping prisoners. Do you under
stand me?"
Eyes"
What, then, will be easier than to knock
of the letters with the pick-axe, ana escape
when the overseer is not looking our way
Will you dare?"
with my life!"
Your hand"
81 had never before touched his blood
stained hand, and could not refrain from
shuddering as I clasped it. The next morn
ing we had to undergo an inspection before
going to work. An hour before noon the
first salutes from the harbor reached cur
ears. The dull report went through me Ike
an electric spark Gasparo whispered to
me:
when the first shot is fired from the
barracks, strike witt your pickaxe on the
FIRST ring Of my chain close to the ankle"
A sudden suspicion came over me
"And if / should do il, how can l be
sure that you will free me? No, Gasparo,
you must striz the first blow
''As you say be answered, smilingly,
but with d altered curse.
AT that rloment a flash came from the
barracks, and then a report that reverbera-
ted hundred times from the rocks. As
the echo rolled over our heads, saw him
get ready to strike, and felt my chain fall.
Hardly had the thunder of the first shot
died away before the second came. Now,
/ was to free Gasparo. I was less dext erous