The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1891-02-19


spent her holiday was as follows;
She rose at an early hour and walked
from b 'lewood House to the cross
roads. Here shs waited until the lum-
berlug old fashioned bus came in $ ght.
She took seat in it and was in due
time deposited at the tlacktown
station. At Blacktown she took the
train to Weymouth which fashionable
water-place !, he reached about eleven
o. clock.
1t was, however. clear that she had
not come here TO enjoy a stay at the
seaside. Instead of gong at once to
the gay esplanade, she sought the
shad of the general waiting-room-
herr she remained an hour
She then embarked in another train;
one that ran on single line of railway
ran nearly the whole of its way with
the sea on one side and a nigh y hill
of smooth, rounded pebal known as
the Chesil Beach, on the other, while
in front of it loomed tall, serrated,
precipitous cliffs, at the foot of VIII cb
was its destination.
Mrs. Miller paid no attention to the
natural scenery of the place. She
stepped from the train and walked out
of the little station in a methodical,
business-like way. 1t was evident that
the woman had not come so far on
mere pleasure iaunt
She drove a bargain after the man
ner of her kind then took her seat in
che of the dusty vehicles She was
driven through the little gray town
which lies at the foot of, ana retches
a long way up the hill. The horse
toiled up the steep street; on and on
until the occupant of the cab looked
down on the tops of the houses which
she had ust passed. Then turn, and
a bit of level ground, another turn and
a steep hill; so on and on in zgzag
course until the table land which lies at
the top of Portland island was some
how reached, an event which must
have been grateful alike to the horse
and to the occupant of the cab, suppos-
ing the latter only possessed of nerves
of ordinary strength aud therefore apt
to rebel against being drawn up hill
as steep as the side of q house.
Some time before the cab reached the
top of the eli IS it had at intervals
passed gangs of men working by the
roadside At q distance these men
looked little different from ordinary
navvies, but closer inspection showed
that the garments of most of them con-
sisted OF dark yellow jersey covered
by sleeveless jacket of light fustian or
some such material. This jacket,
moreover, was stamped in various
places with the government broad
arrow. Every man wore CATERS and
cur,ously shaped cap. under which no
hair was visible. Occasionally one
might be seen who moved with GER
tain stiffness in his gait, as if something
which he would willingly have dis
penset with restrained the natural
elasticity of his lower limbs. Here
and there the monotony of the attire
was broken by the appearance of some
who were dressed in blue instead of
yellow but taken altogether the dress,
If comfortable and enduring, was
scarcely one which a man being a free
agent would choose for himself
The gangs which Mrs. Miller passed
on the roadside were for the most part
engaged in handing Jumps of turf from
man to man They performed these
duties in listless perfunctory man
ner although standing on the hillside
above every band of workers, were
two men in long dark coats with the
shining buttons of authority, and each
of these men held rifle with hxed
bayonet.
Further away in the quarres could
be seen many other such gangs, dip
ging, delving. hauling, Wheel o
barrows, and performing other opera.
tons needful for extracting the famed
Portland stone from the ground
after passing various sentries and
driving for some distance along the
level ground, Mrs Mller's cab reached
a beautiful, tall, buttressed wall; skirt
ing this 1t turned AT right angles and
very soon drew up before an imposing
entrance bu 1t of gray stone, and bear
ing over the archway the royal arms of
England. This was the entrance to
her majesty's rson of Portland.
n front of it, across the road,
stretched the governors garden, still
brilliant with flowers, and looking like
a glorious oasis in the midst of barren
land. A man who in the discharge of
his duties has to live on the top of
Portland sland wants garden or
of that sort Without it the
monotony Of the place would drive h m
mad
ut Yrs. Miller did not even look at
ehc StN DttS Nut ulSmOuulcu, and
after telling the rabman to wait for her
walked boldly through tho prise gate.
She was immediately accosted by
portly, good-tempered looking ianitor.
whose gold-laced cap spo of superior
standing. re ushered her into little
wait ng-room just ms de the gate and
asked her to state her business. Mrs.
Miller's business was to see one of the
convicts, by name Maur. ce Harvey.
Now, convlcCs are only allowed to
SEQ the + friends once in six months; so
the janitDr shook his head obviously.
Still, as Mrs. Miller was most respect
able looking woman, he said he would
mention the matter to the governor.
He begged the lady to take chair and
then left her. After while the good
natured ianit)r returned He told
Mrs. Miller that the convict had not
seen a friend for many months, so upon
his return from work he would be
asked If he would like to see her. She
must give her name.
She wrote it down; then waited pa
tiently. BY and by there was meas
urcd tramp of many heavy feet, ana
she knew the convicts were returning
to dinner. After the tramp had died
away. warder MADE his appearance
and told her to follow him.
It was but n step He opened a door
in the rear of the waiting room, and
Mrs. Miller found herself in a plaoe
whifh could suggest nothing else than
n nj n al a D..