Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-08-09
CATCHING A PRISONER.
By ISABEL j. ROSDEAU.

town OF B. The schools were
closed and business was almost sus-
pended. Good nurses were scarce at
any time; now there were scarcely
enough well people to care for the
sick, and even schoolgirls were press
ed 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 a little girl
who lived quite distance from Us 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 few
hours.
Highly gratified by her trust in US,
we FASTENED to assure her that we
could do very well without her; and
after many cautions and directions
about medicine, ventilation, noursh-
ment, etc, she left us, telling US to call
her at three o'clock or sooner if neces-
sary.
1t was very warm evening and |
feared a storm, for in the southwest
black rim OF clouds showed just
above the horizon, from which clme
occasionally low growls of thunder
that made the window rattle. The
cloud came up slowly, however, and it
was, think nearly two o'clock before
it darkened the sky above us. Then
the storm broke upon Us 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 be-
fore
How Mrs. Jamison and the child
slept through it, | cannot imag CINE;
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 as
nervous as eels; we awakened Mrs.
Jamison and prepared to go home.
She urged us to stay until morning,
but we would not consent to do this.
w polIoNti ONtIrllOtS lOT II Ill,
whose shoes were thinner than mine,
and, as there was no one 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 same inclosure. over
shadowel by the court house, stood
the Jail.
This was a ghostly looking brick
building with little frame attach
ment in which the iailer lived. 1t
was SCARED all over with patches Of
new brick put in to fill up the holes
prisoners had made trying TO pick
their way out Not a difficult thing
to do, we would think from the crumb-
ling look of the old walls; and only the
day before Ham Ford-a murderer.
convicted ana sentenced during the
spring term OF court, TO be- hung in
the following June had been brought
back 10 the place from which he had
escaped several weeks before.
Ford was indeed "A desperate charac-
ter; and there had been talk, when he
was brought back, OF stationing IA
guard around the Jail; but the jailor
said the prisoner would not catch him
mapping again. and beyond n thorough
examination of bolts aud bars, and fur
bishiug up OF firearms, no extra pre-
cautions were taken. All this my
sister and | knew as did every one
else in town; and as we walked brisk
ly. chattering like magpies. all the
time | was thinking OF Ham Ford, and
wondering what | should do IL he had
taken advantage Of the noise made by
the storm TO break his way out again
and we should meet him. But moth
ing unusual happened until just at the
corner of the square Fans overshoe
came off, when. as she stopped 10 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 lit
tie quivery chill, my heart gave one
quick jump, then seemed TO stop beat
ing. For minute | suppose. though
it seemed an hour, we stood there too
frightened TO move; then the very
greatness OF the emergency brought
me TO my senses.
Lets rum" breathed Fan in my
ear.
Never" whispered back heroical-
w. 1--WE must give the alarm and"
then put my hand over Fans mouth
just in time to prevent her carrying
out my suggestion in the quickest
way.
Don't scream" said hurriedly..
1--WE must tell some one, some man
the jailer, or sheriff. or somebody
who can stop him before he gets away.
IL We make noise he will burst out
and likely as not kill US the first
thing"
But to arouse the jailor without
alarming Ford. was impossible, and
the sheriff's house was half square
beyond the jail
DR.. Jones. Our family physician.
lived just across the street from where
we stood. II occurred to me that he
would be the proper person TO call
upon. because doctors, being often
aroused from their slumbers are neith-
CIR surprised nor alarmed at such q
summons.