The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1885-08-27

loneliness of the moor were terrible,
and No. 492 lay with his eyes closed,
and, save for an occasional groan,
might have been dead. Once or twice
he tried to speak, but apparently it
was beyond his powers, and he fell
back again exhausted. Once he put
out his hand, caught mine, and to my
great surprise, carried it to his lips and
kissed it. I am not much used to hav.
ing my hand kissed at any time, and
should probably under any circumstan.
ces, feel the situation embarrassing;
but to have it kissed by O dying con.
vict out on Dartmoor, in the middle
of the night, was a novel experience.
did not mean to hurt the feline
of No. 492, but drew it away some.
what hastily; and then, seeing his
lips move, as if he was trying to say
something, I bent over him to listen,
and in q voice little more than a whis.
per, he said: beg your pardon, sir;
but you have been precious kind to
me, and feels weak and silly; didn't
mean no offense."
Ihastened with some compunction
to reassure him that was not Offend
ed; and again he closed his eyes; and
AROUND US once more was silence,
At last, to my great JOY, the sky
frightened up a bit; the outlines Of the
trees became more distinct, and the
moon appeared over the hills, ard
shot flood OF silver light all over
the moor. My spirits, which had fallen
below zero, revived considerably; dark
ness has at all times q depressing in
fuence, and under my peculiar circum-
stances, had reduced met to most pro.
found melancholy. I felt quite glad to
see the moon rise, though, beyond the
fact Of being able to 500 where we were,
it did not materially assist mo out OF
the fix | was in.
I looked at No. 492 and he seemed
to be asleep I did not like to wake
him, SO l got up quietly, intending to
walk to the top OF a hill close by,
and see if I could discover the lights o:
Princess Town, or any house nearer,
to which might direct my steps. /
was not gone long-perhaps half an
hour; and when I came back, ! found
No. 492 with his eyes wide open, and
to my great surprise=thQugh I don't
know why l should have been SO sur
prised-tears running down his cheeks.
Really, my ideas about convicts we're
becomming quite upset; one who fur
lively kissed my hand, and who wept
was, I thought, indeed an anomaly,
/ bent over him and asked him if he
was in worse pain, or what was the
matter. Poor fellow! he lifted his
wasted hand, drew it across his eyes,
and said: "No; I amt in no pain now,
sir; but / woke from bit of doze and
saw that you was gone; and thought
as how you had left me; and somehow
felt lonesome and afeared" and then
q great sob shook him.
I assured him that l was not going
to leave him, and he appeared com:
forted. Then, after a pause, said: II
amt one as has been much afearea in
my time, sir; but; s0mehnw,npW Ican't
'efp it, it scents all Of a tremble; and it
looks awful dark ahead of me, and
be so weak don't seem able to FACET
po-haw.
I langed truly to be able to help
him, and wished it with all my heart
that could do it better; but feeling
rather ashamed, Itried to tell No. 492
something about a strong Hand which
will help in the dark valley, and One
who will be near us when of ourselves,
as he.said, eve don't seem to be able
to face it nohow." He listened atten.
lively and then closed his eyes, MUIR
muring something Icould not CATCH
"It amt no use my trying to get
aWaY, guv'n4t,"' said he, sadly; "1'm
that weak I can't walk a STEP !
couldn't escape now, not if a carriage
and-four was waiting forme. I'dwan't
a nuss to lift me up INTO it. Guess I'll
die in quod after ALL"
After g pause, | asked him if he
would try 10 90 on again. "All right,
guv'nor; you knows BEST" was his an
swer, but very faint and feeble,
Well, I picked him up again, and of
I started. By this time the moon was
high up, so we progressed e. good deal
faster than before, and had traversed
a considerable distance before Ihad to
stop and put my burden down: Even
then, could have gone a bit further,
but No. 492 whispered: "Stop, sir, now;
it amt no use; Ishan' get no further"
I laid him down, and saw at a glance
that our Journey together was akqtl
to end. In the moonlight he looked
CHASTITY and wan; and as | laid
him down, a. VIOLENT fit OF coughing
came on, and after it a red stream flow
ed from his mouth. Poor fellow!
thought 7, and vet could hardly pity
him really, for to him death must have
come as a true friend, He lay quiet
for some time, and I wiped the blood
from his lips; then, just as the first
gray streak OF dawn appeared, he
raised himself on his elbow and whis:
pered; s:Pve been bad 'un ! knows;
but L didn't lave no chance. Say q bit
of prayer for me, sir.'
There was no refusing; and as l fin.
ished, his face lighted up, and again re-
peating his formula, "All right, guv'
nor" he fell back-dead. He had sue
ceeded in his escape, after all:
lowered up the body, and think
ing no ono would be likely to come
near the spot, drew it aside near the
rock which 1 should recognize again,
and started off, walking bris1kly to
Princes town, considering MANY things
by the way. l went to the prison, and
came back with some wardens to show
them the spot; and, as was Obliged
to await the inquest, attended the
funeral OF poor No. 492.
~ trust III the "Other Land" it may
be for him-as for many of us for whom
it has been all wrong-"All right"
Queer Visitors who Fake Grover
by tho Hand Every Day: