The Arkansaw traveler., 1889-06-01

1t was late in the spring of 1879, and low fever
was raging in the town of B. The schools
were closed and business almost suspended.
Good nurses were at any time; there
were scarcely enough well people to care for the
sick, and even school-gi were pressed into
service.
Our family was one of the few which escaped
the disease and my mother went day and night to
the help of her more unfortunate neighbOrs until
she was completely worn out, then sent my sister
Fan and to take her place.
We had gone on this particular night to sit up
with little girl who lived quite distance from
on the opposite side of the town.
Soon after we arrived the mother, who seemed
hardly able to keep her eyes open, declared her
intention of leaving us in charge-if we were not
afraid-whie she slept for a few hours
Highly grstifed by her trust in u.s. we FASTENED
to assure her that could do very we'll without
her and after many cautions and directions about
medicine, nourshment ventilation, etc. she left us,
telling to call her at three o'clock or sooner if
necessary.
1t was a very warm evening and feared a storm,
for in the south west black rim of clouds showed
just above the horizon from which came occasion
ally low grows of thunder that made the windows
rattle. The cloud came up slowly, however, and
it was, think nearly two o'clock before it dark
ened the sky above us. Then the storm broke upon
all at once each gust harder than the last, while
the rain fell as if everything in the heavens had
dissolved, and such crashes of thunder l never
heard before.
How Mrs Jamison and the child slept through
it, l cannot imagine; but they did. Fan and
crouched in the bed with the sick girl and covered
our heads with the bed clothes
1t was soon over, but left US nervous as cells !;
and promptly at the stroke of three we awakened
Mrs. Jamison and prepared to go home. She urged
us to stay until morning, but would not consent
to do this. We borrowed her overshoes for Fan,
whose shoes were thinner than mine, and, as there
was no one to go with us, started alone.
Our way lay along Court Square In the middle
of the square which was fenced in was the court
house; and within the Enclosure, over
Swallowed by the court house, stood the Jail.
This was ghostly looking brick building with
little frame attachment in which the jsier lived.
1t was SCARED all over with patches of new brick
put in to fill up the holes prisoners had made in
trying to pick their way out. Not difficult
thing to do, we would think from the crumbing
look of the old walls and only the day before Ham
Ford-a murderer, convicted and sentenced during
the spring term of court to be hung in the follow
ing June-had been brought back to the place
from which he had escaped several weeks before.
Ford was indeed desperate character and there
had been talK, when he was brought back, of
stationing guard around the Jail; but the jailer
said the prisoner would not catch him mapping
again, and beyond thorough examination of bolts
and bars, and furnishing up of fire. arms, extra
precautions were taken All this my sister and /
knew, as did everyone else in town; and as we
walked brisky chattering like magpies all
the time was thinking of Ham Ford and wonder
ing what should do if he had taken advantage of
the noise made by the storm to break his way out
again and we should meet him. But nothing
unusual happened until just at the corner of the
square Fans overshoe came off, when, she
stopped to pick it up, heard click, click, click,
that sounded like nothing in the world but the
chipping away Of stone. Fan caught my hand and
whispered "Ford," for she, too, had heard the
sound, and the same thought flashed across the
minds of both. / felt q little quivery chill, my
hear uuir I'M Than IN N