The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1896-04-02

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ders are bent forward He carries his
arms habitually before him now; he has
grown moody, seldom speaks to any one
nor answers 1t spoken to. In the general
deterioration of the body the mind keeps
equal step, and SO unfailing is the effect
that even Warders wait to see it and re-
mark to each other that So-and-so is
gong OF. " When the sufferer begins
to carry his arms in front, every one un-
derstands that the end is coming. The
projecting head, the sunken eye, the
liked, expressionless features are merely
the outward opponents Of the hopeless,
sullen brooding within. Sometimes the
man merely keeps on in that way, vast
ing more and more, body and mind,
every day until at last he drops and is
carried into the infirmary to come out
no more.
During all these years never saw my
companions. Mac had been sent to Port
land, Noyes to Portsmouth and George
to Dartmoor.
After 1883 strenuous efforts were
made for our release.
My sister came to England that year
and remained permanently there. She
worked bravely and we'll, but year after
year passed without result. None of us
was prepared for the vindictive fury of
the Bank of England. Its power was all
potent with the government. George
had been bedridden for years and was
slowly dying At length in 1887 the
medical officer of the prison certified his
speedy death was certain, and the gov
eminent released him to die, but he re-
solved that he would not die until was
free. With liberty and hope health came
slowly back, and he devoted every i.our
to working for my liberation, but for
time he devoted it in vain. Moe than
once had seen the prison emptied and
filled again. Of all the life prisoners I
had met there on my arrival or who for
years after had joined me I was the sole
survivor.
One by one sickness or insanity born
Of despair had laid them in the prison
graveyard or buried them in the asylum.
Out of more than 70 none had lived to
be liberated, and determined appeared
the Bank of England directors that 1
should not form an exception, but that
if ever the prison doors were opened to
me it should be only when so near death
that I might join the many who had
gone before 2
My fate seemed inevitable, but never
for moment did cease to believe that
fortunes frowns would one day disap-
pear and that should yet again feel
the warmth and sunshine of her smile.
From his sickbed and in his health
George never ceased his efforts. He sue
ceeded in interesting James Russell
Lowell and many others in my behalf.
The president asked the English gov
eminent officially to grant my release.
Mr.. Blaine, the secretary Of state, sent
very strong letter through Minister
Lincoln, in London, and I thought when
told of it that my day to 60 was not far
away. a.
It will interest Americans, perhaps,
to learn that the representations of the
president and Of the secretary Of state Il
the United States met the same cour-t
tesy as was shown to all the previous
ones. Still my brother was not discour
aged. He sent agents to England, who
managed to interest the newspapers in
the matter, and never did he cease un-
til by the statements Of the press upon
the ferocity Of my treatment, the re-
proaches Of my friends and the repre-
sensations Of many had never seen the
home secretary felt the pressure and
was forced to order my release.
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"Thou shalt forget thy misery and
remember it as waters that pass away"
Twenty years had passed away since
I had babe my friends goodby under the
Old Bailey, and now 1898 had come. It
was frosty February night, and was
alone in that little room, with it's arch
ed roof and stone floor. It was past
O'Clock, and the prison gloom and still
ness had settled down on all the in
mates, when suddenly there came the
noise of hurrying feet that echoed
strangely from the arched roof as the
warders tramped loudly on the stone
floor of the long hall. A rush of feet,
or indeed anything that broke the hor-
rible stiffness at that hour, was star
ting. They were the feet of the reserve
guard, which was never called in save
when the patrol who glided around the
corridors in slippered feet discovered
some suicide. Many heartbroken man
had I known in that 20 years who in
his despair ended his misery thus.
While wondering who the unfortunate
could be I heard their steps mounting
the stairway leading to my landing, and
then sudden thrill shot through me as
they turned down the corridor toward
my cell Ny heart stood still as l
thought, Can they be coming for me?
had sudden frenzy Of fear that they
might pass my door; but, no, they came
straight on, halted, and Ross, princi-
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