Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1892-03-29
TIE FREED PRISONER.

prisoners will think all they have to do
il to get sick 50 us to get free.p said the
judge, testify.
II Is but o question Of time, and very
short time, too, before greater judge
even than you will givehim his discharge,
and not only him, but good many others
besides, said the doctor, much provoked.
'El,, is that sos" said the judge, ignor-
ing sarcasm, lis there really so much
sickness in the jails"
|" A good deal, and chiefly confined to
the United States prisoners. Spotted
fever RACES with fatal effect among
them"
THAT is strange How do you account
for III Is Illicit distiling an unhealthy
occupation
When It reaches its natural result of
landing the operator into jail, there to
sicken, It may be called decidedly UNI
healthy. But, jesting aside, these noun
tain fellows suffer more than the other
prisoners for the reason that they have
always lived free life in the open air:
therefore the close confinement OF the
Jail proves very irksome and they sicken
under il. This spotted fever Is, think,
the result Of lack OF proper circulation
Of the blood 1t IL sort of epidemic
among the mountaincers Some of them
have died of il and others are very low,
and they will die too. if they stay in
that jail The thought of going home is
all that will save them now---Jaels Big
by, especially; release is the only hope
for him.
''He has no one to shank but himself"
said the judge. "Why did he NEEDLE
with illicit distilling?"
- grant all you say; but death Is a 80.
we're sentence for a few gallons of noun
tain dew, " said the doctor.
"True," said the Judge after a pause.
II will suspend sentence in his case. and
let him go home. Here is his release"
said he, as he filled out blank; take i.
to him--a new sort Of physic, trulyi But
tell him he won't get off SO easy the next
time he NEEDLES with the revenue
Thanks, said the doctor MS he took
the paper, ut will be many Il day, il
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"
rs the sun a-shinin outside, PAP
The sick man lay on his bunk in his
cell; his fever scorched tongue was stiff
aud blackened SO that he could scarcely
speak. 1t was difficult to recognize in
the wan shadow lying there the stalwart
monntaineer of u few months ago His
blue eyes Were sunk deep in his head;
his matted hair and beard were bleached
from a sunburni yellow to sickly straw
color. and over the hollow caverns of his
cheeks the white skin. blanched by pris-
on dank, was tightly drawn On its
bloodless surface the red blotches of the
spotted fever showed with startling WV
idness.
Could this be Jack Bigby, the mar
who could outshoot. eutride, outjump
and Guidance amy of his comrades?
Old Bigby, otherwise Pap, as he sat
by the bedside of his sick son, felt dazed
and stunned 10y the change, He had
only arrived that morning. and, in the
few hours that had passed. failed yet to
realize 1t, Could that be Jaek2 He was
changed in his ways as well as in his
looks. How strange he talkedl
"Set wl,ar kahn see ye, Pap" he
said, when his father had arrived. "1he
sight Of We is good fer sore eyes
And, its he said it, all at once the fla
Their lad choked up and felt like crying;
lie didn't know why, BUT he hadn't
done it.
"liit war powerful curious. jess ter
think o Jack a-sayin' sech a thing!
Rough an ready Jack ter wanter lay
thar an look at his ole papl"
Mr.. Rigby. it is true, was NOT "A very
beauteoas object, nor one ON which most
people would crave 10 feast their eyes
lie locked as il the summer sun rad
shone upon him very hot and the winte1
rain had beat upon him very hard. lie
could, in fact, be called weather beaten.
His long, iron gray hair and beard were
guiltless of barber or comb and brush
either, FOR that matter. The seams and
rugged lines Of his face caused his conn-
tenance To- look like IA bit of rolling land
seape. But all scanned and rugged as il
was, 10 the hoiaesick eyes of his son it
WAS more bSdutHu IMAM the race OF
Adonis.
Monntaineers are not emotional people,
and SO old Bigby sat there. his throat
swelling qneerly under the strange gaze
of his son, Mingled with his emotion
was feeling Of wonder aud horror at
his changed appearance.
His hands," thousht the father, "air
like chicken elawsr Could that pale.
shadowy thing he Jacks muscular fist?
lis the sun shiuin outside. pap" asked
lack, Tor his fathers presence has bright
sned up his cell
YES, said The old man, "hit's a-shin-
m right smart. but hits SO dim in hyar,
Ye KANT see hin"
"iIit air dim in hyar aIlus." said the
prisoner, "teil fer leetle taste o sun
shine, pears like I'd perish"
Yell git better now said the father,
taking the invalid's thin hand in his
brown, horny one. and awkwardly strok-
ing it. "Why, yer hand said he by
way of joke, is SO thin an white hit
books eenamos' like streak o light"
Il low looks like afternoon shad-
der anyhow said the invalid, feebly.