Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1885-08-28

II my IS Vehement enueaNOrS were only
putting him to complete torture SO j.
stopped, laid him on the grass, and
! told him that we would not try to go
on till the moon rose. All right,
guy nor, said he, feebly, and fell back
fainting; SO I administered the last few
drops of brandy [ had left, covered
him up as well as IcouId with my coat,
propped his head upon my sketching
case, sat down by his side, and won
dered what would be the end ofmy ad.
venture. b. -" - ill.,.
| Hooked at my watch and saw that
! twas nine O'Clock. Themoon, knew
would not rise till nearly midnight, SO
wehad three hours to wait. think
those three hours were thelongest ever
passed in my life. The silence and the
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 tito his lips and
kissed it, am not much used to HAY.
| ing my hand kissed at any time, and
should probably under any circumstan.
ces, feel the situation embarrassing;
but to have it kissed by g. dying con.
vict out on Dartmoor, in the middle
of the night, was q novel experience.
! did not mean to hurt the feelings
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 a voice little more than 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."
! | FASTENED with some conjunction
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 o!the
| trees became more distinct, and the
moon appeared over the hills, and
shot q flood of silver light all over
the moor. My spirits, which had fallen
| below zero, revived considerably; dark
ness has at all times depressing in
! tluence, and under my peculiar circum-
stances, had reduced meto Almost pro-
found melancholy. / felt quite glad to
see the moon rise, though, beyond the
| fact of being able to see where we were,
| it did not materially assist me out OF
the fix was in.
I looked at No. 492 and he seemed
to be asleep did not like to wake
him, SO l got up quietly, intending to
walk to the top Of O. hill close by,
and see if 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 came back. found
No. 492 with his eyes wide open, and
to my great surprise-thongh don't
know why should have been SO sur-
prised-tears running down his cheeks.
Really, my ideas about convicts were
becomming quite upset; one who fur
lively kissed my hand, and who wept
was. thought, indeed On anomaly.
I 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; amt in no pain now,
sir; but I woke from a bit Of doze and
saw that you was gone; and thought
as how you had left me; and somehow
felt lonesome and ateared'' and then
q great sob shook him.
I assured him that I was not going
to leave him, and he appeared COM
forted. Then. after q pause, said: II
amt one as has been much afeared in
my time, sir; but, somehow, now Ican'U
'elp it; it seems all of a tre;nble; audit
looks awisl dark ahead Of me, and I
be so weak | don't seem able to lace it
no-how.
I longed truly to be able to help
him, and wished it with all my heart
that I could do it better; but feeling
rather ashamed, TRIED to tell No. 492
something about o. strong Hand which
will help in the dark valley, and One
who will be near us when Of ourselves,
as he said, awe 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.
lit amt no use my trying to get
away, guy nor," said he, sadly; "Pm
that weak I can't walk a step. I
couldn't escape now, not if a carriage
and-four was waiting forme, I'dwan't
nuss to lift me up INTO it. Guess I'll
die in quod after ALL"
After g. pause, I asked him if he
would try to 90 on again. '*All right,
guv'nor; you knows BEST was his an
swer, but very faint and feeble.
Well picked him up again, and off I
I started. BY this time the moon was
high up, SO we progressed 81 good deal
faster than before, and had traversed
considerable distance before Ihadto
stop and put my burden down. Even
then, could have gone a bit further,
but No. 4o2 whispered: "Stop, sir, now;
it ain't no use; shan tget no further"
laid him down, and saw at 81 glance
to end. In the moonlight he looked
CHASTITY and wan; and as / nld
him down, q VIOLENT fit OF coughing
came on, and after it red stream hoWs
ed from his mouth. Poor fellows
thought 7, and yet could hardly pity
him really, for to him death must have
come as O. 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; GIVE been bad I'm I knows;
but didn't ave no chance Say bit
of prayer for me, sir
There was no refusing; and as I fin
ished, his face lighted up, and again re-
peating his formula, tsAll right, guy
nor" he fell back-dead. lie hadsuc-
ceeded in his escape, after all.
covered up the body, and think
ing no one would be likely to. come