The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-05-15
IN NY HAND,

~ M HAND.
ard you can readily believe that with
wits sharpened by twelve years OF war.
fare. it was no. very long before saw
my way.
You must know, in the first place,
that mad very great advantage in
having some knowledge Of the English
language. | learned it during the
months that spent before Danzig, from
Adjutant 0braint. OF the regimen, Ir.
landais. who was sprung from the an.
cient kings oil tho country. was quick.
ly able to speak it with some facility,
for do not take long to master any.
thing to which sctmy mind. In three
months | could not only express my
meaning. but could use the idioms OF
the people. 1t was Obraint who laugh,
me to say "Be jabera." just as We might
say "Ma fol-" and also Tho curse OF
Crummie" which means "Yentre
BlueI" Many time / have seen the
English smile with pleasure when they
have heard me speak SO much like one
OF themselves.
We officers were put two in q cell,
which was very little 10 my taste, for
my roommate was tall, silent man
named Beaumont, OF the Flying Ar,il.
Iery. who had been taken by the Eng.
lish cavalry at Astorga.
|, is seldom NEE, man OF whom |
cannot make friend, for my DISPOSE.
ton aud manners AREAS YOU know
them. But this fellow had never
smile for my jcs,s. nor al car for my
SORROWS, bnt would sit looking at me
with his suien eyes, until sometimes !
thought that his two years OF captivity
had driven him CRAZY. All, how [
iongcd that old Bouvet, or any OF my
comrades Of the hussars. was there. in.
stead OF this mummy OF man. But
such as he was had to make the best
OF him, and it was very evident that no
escape could be made unless le wero
nv partner in it, for what could pos.
siOly do withou. hid observing mo? !
limited at it, therefore, and then by de.
grocs spoke moro plainly, until it
seemed TO me tina. had prevailed upon
him 10 share my lot.
tried tho walls. and tried the floor,
and tried tho ceiling, but though |
tapped and probed. they all appeared TO
DO very thick and solid. Tho door was
OF iron, shutting with spring lock, aud
provided with small grating, through
which warden looked twice in every
night. Within there were two beds,
two stools, two notwithstanding
more. TWAS enough for my wants, for
when had had a. much during those
twelve years spent In camps? But how
was to get out? Night after night |
thought Of my 500 hussars, and had
dreadful nightmares. in which fancied
that the whole regiment needed shooing,
or that my horses were all bloated with
green fodder. or thattthcy were iloun.
dered from bogland, or that ak squad.
rons woro dubbed in tho presence OF
tho emperor. Then would awake in
cold sweat, aud got to work picking and
tapping At tho walls once more; for
know worry vol that thoro Is no diff.
Guilty which cannot DO overcome by
ready brain and n pair OF cunning hands.
There was single window in our
coll. which was TOO small to admit
child. II was further defended by n
thick, IRON bar in tho contrc. II was
not worry promising point of escape, M
you will allow, bu, became moro and
moro convinced thot our efforts must be
directed toward ii. 10 make matters
worse, il only lod out into tho exercise
yard, which was surrounded by two
high walls. Still, as said 10 my sullcn
comradc, it is timo to talk of tho vis,ula
when you arc over tho Rhine. got n
small piece Of iron, therefore, from the
fittings OF my bed, aud aot to work 10
loosen the plaster at tho top and bot.
tom Of tho bar. Three hours would
work. and then leap into my bed upon
tho sound oil tho warder's stop. Then
another throo hours, then worry often
another vet. for found that Beaumont
was so slow and clumsy at It that it
was on mysoli only that could roly. [
nlnluInl In Inuanll NJ ih Ii II