Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1897-12-02

against his sentence. The word dan
| perous'' left his record-the word
"trusty" was written there instead.
Then came n final, unexpected test
a supreme moment-thats set its seal on
months of patient effort, and the man.
once a criminal. became hero.
Convict Number Seventy-three. prize
fighter, burglar and general tough.
doing his third term in the penitentiary.
had been reported several times TO the
warden by Guard Joseph for disobedi-
ence.
You'd better watch out for Seventy
three. the older keepers warned Joseph.
but as the man had appeared tractable
and good-natured for weeks, the vigil
ance OF the guard gradually relaxed.
He WIS alone, in charge of half a
dozen prisoners, Seventy-ihree among
the numbsr. one morning. as they were
engaged in cleaning their cells, and
carelessly turned his back Instantly
the ex-burglar was upon him. struck
] him down with terrible blow, and
stopped TO possess himself of the pros
trate mans revolver. But Number Six
! tv-uine had seen the assault. and boldly
faced and seized the feroeious convict.
Alarmed by pistol shots the other
guards hurried in to find the two men
struggling fiereely over the insensible
body of the keeper. The other prisoners
had retreated to their cells, but Sixty
nine, though severely wounded. chung
i TO his antagonist till the latter was dis
armed and fettered. The keeper and his
savior were both taken 10 the hospital,
Joseph was about his duties in q couple
Of days. but SiNty-Dine lowered between
life and death for as many weeks.
lie reused from the long thrall of in
sensibility and delirigm to see the war
den at his side with paper bearing the
great seal OF the commemorative
know himself no more prison number,
but man. and his first feeble cry was:
Denny! Tell Dcnny!"
THE orders are he's TO be fetched in
the moment he shows his face" said
Guard Joseph, forgetting that the hand
he held belonged to sick man, and
shaking it vigorously.
lie did not think II best TO mention
that one Saturday had gone by without
Denny's appearance at the prison; and
when the second came and passed with
a like result. it was hard telling which
was the more disappointed-Guard Jo-
seph or the invalid.
But it's a terrible rough day" the
keeper assured Denny's father, Nigh
about take the little fellow Off his pins
TO cross the bridge. Nexi week'll fetch
him"
Next week. did not fetch him
however. though In, day was fair
Hes got tired Of coming-no won
ler!" said the sick man, turning wear
lily upon his pillow.
Don't you believe that. urged Guard
Joseph, speaking more confidently
than he really felt. Hell be along next
week, sure
Privately, Guard Joseph determined
that if the lame boy did not then APP
pear he would go in search of him.
The fourth Saturday came-a lovely.
mild spring day Guard Joseph began
making trips to the gate at an absurdly
early hour. Behold! as he swung it
open the third or fourth time, there
stood boy, leaning against the prison
wall.
"Whoopee!" cried the keeper delight
edly. Come right along in, sonny.
Where've you been all these weeks?
Your fathers crazy to see you"
Then he saw that it was not Denny.
but the older lad who had accompanied
him that first morning; and Guard Jo-
seph said afterward that he felt as il
some one had ''dowsed" him into the
river.
Where's your mate?" he demanded.
He's dead" answered the boy.
mournfully.
"Dead?" echoed Guard Joseph.
Yes; and ! wish you'd tell his father
that we couldn't hardly keep him in bed
sometimes-whenever he'd think il was
Saturday and want to go across the
river. l must go. Daddy amt got no.
body but me- he kept a-sayin': and
about the very last thing; Tell Daddy
I've come You'll tell him. won't you.
mister?''
Give me ten days in the dungeon
HTSl. hdlu budTu JoSepn. / ne Lord
help the mani Somehody'll have 10 tell
him, | s'pose."
The boys eyes filed. Denny was
good kid" he said, and went away rub
Ding his coat sleeve across his face.
Guard Joseph went straight to the
warden. mo, sir" said that official.
promptly; mo, sir; simply can't. I'd
rather lose q months salary than take
that news 10 Menly. Let the parson do
ii. It's more in his line"
SO it was the parson who bore the |
tiGings, and when the interview was
over the good man looked as if he had
had a weeks illness
When Horace AIeniy. free man and /
citizen once more by the governor |
grace, left the hospital, he asked Guard
Joseph to go outside Of the prison with
aim.
will you show me where" He |
!hoked over the name, but Joseph IN /