River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1890-04-10
THE FREED PRISONER.
Pathetic Story of Convict Noon
sinner.

Pathetic Story Of Convict Noon
sinner.
81 consider it the only hone for him,
Judge" said the doctor.
1t will establish a bad precedent.
The prisoners viii think all they have
10 do Is To get sick 50 as To get free, -
said the judge, testify
1T i but a question Of time and a
very short time, too. before 4 greater
Judge, even than you. will give him his
discharge, and net only him. but a good
many others, besides" said the doctor,
much provoked
''Eh. is that sop said the judge, ig-
nOring sarcasm, is there really 50 much
sickness in the jail?"
"a good deal. and chiefly confined TO
the United States prisoners. Spotted
fever RACES with fatal effects among
them.
That is strange. How do you ac-
count for it2 Is illicit distilling an IN
healthy occupation?"
when it reaches its natural result OF
landing the operator into jail, there to
sicken, it may be called decidedly I'M
healthy. But. testing aside. these
mountain fellows suffer more than the
other prisoners for the reason that they
have always lived a free life in the open
air. therefore the close confinement of
tie Jail proves very irlsOme and they
sicken under it This spotted fever, is
] think. the result of lack OF proper cir
culation of the blood. 1t is a sort of
epidemic among the mOuntainee :.
Some of them have died of it and others
are very low, and they viii die too. if
they stay in that Jail The thought of
going home is all that viii save them
nOw-Jack Bigby. especially; release Is
the only hope for him."
''IIe mas no one 70 thank but himself. "
said the judge. Why did he NEEDLE
with Illicit distilling?"
Il grant all you say. but death is a
severe sentence for a few gallons of
mountain dew. said the doctor.
''TrUe, said the Judge. after a pause.
Il will suspend sentence in his case. and
let him go home. Here Is his release. +"
said he, as he GlleJ out blank; take
it 10 him-a new sort of physic truly!
But tell him nc won't get of 50 easy the
next time he NEEDLES with the revenue. -
Thanks" said the doctor as he took
the paper. 1T will be many day. if
ever, before he will feel like playing
with edged tools. Judge. this is the first
time ever envied your high position
when ! see the mercy you can show"
''Is the sun a-shinin' outside. Pap?'
The sick Tan lay on his bunk in his
cell; his fever scorched tongue was stiff
and blackened 70 that lac could scarcely
speak. Il was d.flicuI: to recognize in
the wan shadow lying there. the stall
wart mountainee~ of a few months ago.
His blue eyes v.ere sunk deep in his
head; his matted hair and beard were
bleached from 4 sunburnt yellow To a
sickIy straw-color. and over the hollow
caverns Of his checks the white skin,
blanched by prison dank, was tightly
drawn. on i bloodless surface the red
blOtches OF the spotted fever showed
with startling witness
Gould this De Jack Bigby. the man
who could outshoot, Outrlde. outjump
Old Bigby. otherwise Pap, Is lie sat
by the bedside of his sick son. felt dazed
and stunned by the change. He had
only arrived that morning, and in the
few hours that had passed, failed yet
70 realize il. Could that be Jack? He
was changed in his ways as we'll as in
his looks. How strange he talked!
set whar kahn see We. Pap" he
said, when his father had arrived.
The sight of We Is good for sore eyes"
And, as he said it. all at once the
father had choked up and felt like cry
ing; he didn't know why. But he
hadn't done it.
''IIit war powerful curious jest ter
think . Jack a-sayin' sech thing.
Rough an ready Jack ter wanter lay
thar an look at his ole pap
Mr. Bigby. it IS true. was not very
beauteous object, nor one ON which
most people would crave TO feast their
eyes. lie looked Is if the sun had shone
upon him very hot, ami the winter rain
had beat upon him very hard. lie
could. in fact, he called weather-bcaten.
His long, iron-gay hair and beard were
gUiltleSS Of barber or comb and brush
either. for that matter. The seams and
ragged lines Of his face caused his cOun-
tenance 70 look like a bit of rolling
landscape. But all scanned and rugged
as il was, 10 the homesick eyes of his
son il was more beautiful than the face
Of Adonis.
MoUutaineers are not emotional peO-
- 49,
throat swelling queerly under the
strange gaze Of his son Mingled with
his emotion. was 4 feeling Of wonder
and horror ut his changed appearance.
His hands" thought the father. ''air
like chicken claws Could that pale.
shadowy thing be Jacks muscular fist?
'.Is the sun shinin' outside, Pap?''
asked Jack, for his fathers presence had
frightened up his cell
Yes said the old man. hits
a-shinin' right smart. but hits SO dim in
hyar. We KANT see hit"
'Iit air dim in hyar allus," said the
prisoner. tell fer a leetle taste o sun
shine. pears like I'd perish
Yen git better now" said the father,
taking the iuvalid's thin hand in his
brown. horny one, and awkwardly
stroking IL why. yer hand, said he,
By way Of 4 joke, is so thin an white
hit looks eenamOS' like a streak o
light"
u low looks like a afternoon shad-
der, anyhow" said the invalid, feebly.
II KANT hold opt much longer"
'Yer mouths dry, honey" said the
.rxiO1s father. unronsciOusly going
back 70 his childhood's way Of speaking
20 hin "Hya-. let Pap gin We leetle
sup o water ter wet hit
But the prisoner closed his eyes and
slightly shook his head.
''Jes; a dap" cosxed the father; les
the matter o drsp. Jackie. honey.
Mot thet thar water" said the prts-
olsT Eoosing up 'Thse thar prison