The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1888-02-02

impossible; and ! trusted to luck-ano
pluck-to work my way home.
"If my skill and speed were only equal tc
what they once were, felt sure the thing
was feasible But had not been on skates
for three years, and months Of prison fare
and inactive life had greatly weakened
me. However, 1 gladly seized the oppor,
tunity of trying, but always feigned reluct-
ance and timidiiy whenever l ventured
out; and many were the awkward slips and
tumbles purposely made. i would have
given any thing to have dared, just for
few slides, to give my powers full play,
just to satisfy myself that my old skill was
as good as ever; but this would betray me,
so / affected TO be as awkward as the
others; yet all the while the old familiar
feeling would come back to me at each step
took, and l felt sure, if / once plunged
forward, l could skim over that lake Ike a
bird.
I'VE had been amusing ourselves thus
for two days, when, en- the third, as we
were marshaled out to our daily exercise,
the guard remarked: Guess there'n be no
more skating after to-day, boys. There'll
be thaw pretty soon, so you'd better make
the most of it this morning.
II felt the blood rush to my face as he
spoke. Should dare to try it to-dGyl 1t
was my last chance. ! thought of my old
mother at home, who was wearing away
her heart for her boy, and l resolved to
make the attempt.
There were no signs of thaw yet, rs
we came down TO the lake, but the temper
ature was decidedly milder than it had
been for several days. l watched the boys
bUckling on their skates, and then slowly
put On mine. l examined them carefully,
20 see that they were sound in every re-
spect, buckle and tongue and al, good for
4 two or three mile race.
Gas gCcd luck would have it, none of our
guards accompanied US on the ice this
morning, so secure did they feel of our in
ability to get beyond their reach. but sat or
stood around in the sun, prepared TO enjoy
to the utmost our awkward feats.
well, started off at last, very eau
tiously at first, as though afraid to trust
my insecure footing. My object was to get
as far IS possible from land and the armed
guard before | made dash for freedom.
l would go few PAGES, then fall and roll
over, apparently, in The mos helpless man
ner Imaginable. But l managed ct each
tumble TO get little farther away, till at
last was about fifty yards from the shore,
and quite distance from the rest of the
party before | attracted 8ny attention.
Then loud voice from the guards sung
out:
"'Hello! yuI there, Johnny Rebl Come
tumble back this way, and be quick about
it
Il Immediately 'tumbled,' but not in
their direction. T'm coming l cried, if
l can ever stand On this plaguy slippery
thing;' and sitting down l commenced to
silde around in the most awkward and gro
tesque fashion,
Here the narrative was interrupted by a
sudden laugh from Mr.. Harcourt. What
a figure you cut-must have cut" he said.
Yes, indeed; and the guard on shore
greeted my maneuvres, and those Of my
equally graceful companions, with shouts
of laughter, and such complimentary ejacu-
lations as 'bulEfrog,' 'terrapin,' etc.
II slowly scrambled to my feet, and,
while apparently endeavoring to steady
myself, rapidly took in the situation. /
was fully sixty yards from the shore Not
one of the guards was on the lake, and it
would take some moments to buckle ON the
skates. They would have their guns, too,
which would impede their progress. AS
all this fitted through my mind, / was
slowly shuffling back and forth, as though
making my way toward them. saw that
at the moment their attention was diverted
from me by the gyrations of the other
prisoners. wheeled and sped up the lake
like shot.
'Oh! the delicious sensation that tingled
through every nerve and fiber of my frame
as l flew like bird over the ice. In mo-
ment l was on the river at my old Kentucky
home, leaving my competitors far in the
rear. But now the race was for freedom
for life-and felt all my old skill and feet.
ness return to me fourfold at the thought.
'But loud cries, followed by rapid shots.
now came from the shore. | glanced back
and saw the guards scrambling into their
skates, while the prisoners were staring in
stupid amazement at my flying form. So
great was the eXhilaration of my physical
nature l could not realize the tremendous
danger l was i'll. l laughed aloud and
clapped my hands in an ecstacy of excite
ment. l felt as though l had wings, so
smooth and rapid was my flight-wings TO
my heels, if not to my shoulders, as l fed
on, like modern Mercury.
Il instinctively bent my course toward
hAAC AA4oAlAh.AN oOiIiC ndll-lElle aWaV.
but Of course had no idea OF attempting
landing until had quite distanced my pur-
suers; for only on the ice could l hope to
prove match for them. That they were
following in eager and enraged pursuit, l
felt sure; for 'Ealt! Haltp was borne on
the wind, and shot after shot came whiz-
zing through the icy air.
Il glanced back. Five or six of them
were in full chase; and they were fine
skaters, too, for l could see the speed at
which they came. But for the good start l
had made, had surely been oyertaken. On
and on l sped. Trees and other objects on
land, which l gradually neared, flew by me
like figures in Kaleidoscope. The cold
wind whistled through my ha:r and cloth
ing, but my whole body was aglow with
the rapid motion and excitement
Il suddenly remembered the guards re-
mark about the coming thaw. What if l
should come 10 thin ice, and find q cold and
watery grave! Oh, that there only were
Danger signals ahead! But the danger
signals behind me were sufficient to drive
me on TO any that might lie before.
son few. What distance was making
could hardly guess, but certainly two or
three miles must now lie between me and
my prison home. But at last the long con-
tinued and unwonted eXertion began to tell
on me- Ny breath came short and quick,
and my heart beat to Suffocation. could
not keep it Up very much longer. felt sure.
Again l looked back. Far III the distance
four or five men were still struggling on;
but, away in advance Of them, one resoIute
fellow was rushing toward ME with head