The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1885-09-25
NUMBER 1872.
Chambers Journal.


Some years ago I was making a
sketching tour in the West country
and found myself one September after
noon on Dartmoor, a few miles from
Princes Town. I had been strolline
lazily about for some time, when I sud.
denly came upon bit of moorland
which l decided it was imperatively
my duty to transfer to canvas, so ]
sat down on messy bowlder, and
was soon diligently at work, and alb,
sorbed in the task of trying to repre-
sent the lovely autumnal tints on
stream, rock and heather. Intent on
my picture, took no note of time,
till suddenly Iperceived the shadow
getting ominously long; and consult
ing my watch, I found it was past five
O'Clock, and that unless I made a
speedy start I should hardly reach
Princes Town before enightfall; so hast
lily packed up my traps, deciding that
would come and finish the sketch on
the following day.
was just lighting my pipe, prepara-
tory to starting, when l fancled that l
saw something move behind q large
rock few yards away and I heard
what sounded very like q smothered
cough. I was a bit startled, as, save
the birds, no living thing had been near
me for hours; but thought would
see what it was, so walked up to the
spot, and pushing aside the high
bracken, was going to examine the
place, when suddenly figure rose up
and confronted me. I am not ner-
vous man, but / must confess got q
start as Isaw before me man clothed
in convict garb, bare-headed, wild and
dishevelled. Even in my first alarm 1
remember / noticed the number 492 on
his clothes, and I don't fancy I shall
ever forget that number.
l grasped my stick firmly and
thought to myself that I was, so to
speak, in very nice little fix. Con-
victs arenot pleasant neighbors at any
time; but tete-a-tete with an escaped
convict on lonely moor, miles from
any house, is decidedly an interview
not to be desired.
However my fears speedily subsided
for my convict did not seem at all dis
posed to make himself disagreeable,
but merely stood looking at me, trem-
bling in every limb, and from time to
time coughing in a way that shook his
wasted frame all over, Poor chap!
he was a piteous spectacle prison
dress just hanging about him, he look
ed like aliving skeleton.
The situation was awkward to me.
AS law-abiding citizen I felt that it
was my duty to take some means of
restoring him to the establishment at
Princes Town, which he had evidently
quilted without leave; while, as an
ordinary human being, felt the sin
cerest pity for the haggard fellow who
stood there gazing at me with hollow,
feverish eyes. However, the contest
between duty and compassion was
speedily put an end to by No. 492 him.
self, for after a more than usually
racking cough, his legs gave way under
him and he rolled down among the
bracken. Duty fled; compassion won
the day. went and picked
him up and propped him with
his back against p rock, where he
gasped and choked till Ireally thought
he would die then and there. In a
minute or two, however, he revived,
and in very faint and feeble voice
said: "I'm nigh starved, guv'nor; I
guess it's about up with me-"
I went back to get some sandwiches
out of my case and offered them to him;
he seized them eagerly, and began to
eat them ravenously; but again a ter
rible fit of coughing came on, and he
sank back saying: "It amt no use; I
can't eat now; s'spose Pm gone too
far"
Here was pleasant position. The
man was evidently in the last stage of
exhaustion; and even my un-
practiced eye could see that No. 492
had his days, or even hours, numbered.
I moistened his lips with some
brandy out of my flask, and saw, to
my satisfaction that this produced a
decided improvement. But what in
the world l should do next perplexed
me sorely, so repeated the dose of
brandy and took council with myself
as to the next move.
Under the influence of the brandy
my patient propped himself up again,
and with great difficulty told me how
he had escaped from the convict prison
three days before, and had wandered
over the moor till want of food and
exposure had-to use his own words
'tspoilt his own game" and he was 60
ing back to prison to give himself up.
Seeing me sketching, and feeling his
strength almost gone, he had decided
to surrender himself to me; but when
he got near the poor fellows courage
failed him, and he had crawled away
behind the rock where had discover
ed him.
I did not think he would die in quod;
but I kept my thoughts to myself, for
I felt sure that before the prison could
be reached No. 492 would be far
enough away, and it would only be a
suit Of convict clothes on poor skele-
ton that would enter the gloomy gate.
'Look here, my poor chap" said I,
''you can't stop here; you must let me
carry you as well as can, and I must
try and get you back to the prison."
felt rather mean as I said this, for
I did pity him heartily. I knew moth
ing about his crimes. He might have
been the greatest villain; yet l felt for