The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1898-04-13

strength L wrenched the bar free at
the bottom and bent it inward and
upward like a hook. The aperture
thus made was small, but still 1 might
squeeze through. The remembrance
how, as a boy, 1 used to crawl into
our barn at home through a small
window from which pane of glass
had been knocked, came to my mind
encouragingly. Snatching up the
pistol 1 pushed the table under the
window, and, jumping upon it. began,
feet first, to work myself through the
hole. was about the same size all the
wayup in those deys"-here the major
looked rather regretfully at the pres
ent generous proportions of his waist
coat -''but when 1 had gotten half
way through 1 stuck fast. Just at
this moment / heard voices at the
door and a key crate in the lock.
They had some difficulty in unlocking
it, for ] had left the key in the lock on
my side. Meanwhile L struggled
valiantly, but the more wriggled the
tighter seemed to get wedged in the
window, and the blood surged up into
my head with splitting violence.
There 1 was, caught in my own trap,
waving my legs about and striking
them against the wall on the outside.
"The key on my side of the door
fell to the floor, and the key on the
other side turned in the lock. 1
called out as menacingly as my lack of
breath would permit: The first who
enters will be shot dead. Here |
gave tremendous squirm. I have
overpowered the sentry (wriggle), and
have his pistol The click of my
weapon carried conviction with it, for
the men in the corridor paused. By
a superhuman effort | drew myself
little toward the inside of the room,
and getting one arm outside, managed
to slide out of the window. Here /
hung by one arm from the bar, my
shirt, having caught on the ragged
stump of iron, prevented me for
moment from dropping to the
yard beneath. A sentry on the
prison wall spied me at this
juncture and fired his musket. 1t was
his last shot, for as his ball struck the
mortar from the wall near me raised
my pistol and picked him off his perch.
l let go my hold. There was soft
burr of ripping flannel, and 1 fell to
the ground. / was upon my feet and
over the wall like a cat AS l leaped
a volley of shot followed me, and the
soldiers poured out of the Jail in pur
suit. There were some horses tied in
front of the postoffice opposite, and
breaking the tether of one of them /
was on his back and away up the street
in flash. 1t was only an eighth of
mile long. You know how these little
Mexican towns are built. Pandemon-
ium reigned there for about ten sec
onds, and then l was off towards the
mountains. A dozen men were after
me in full chase, but they never came
within shooting distance again. You
see, I knew the country even better
than they, having been scouting in it
for weeks. L made my way back to our
lines with all possible dispatch, avoid
ing any encounter with the natives.
Once, however, urged by hunger, 1
stopped at a small habitation for pro-
visions. The Mexican who lived there
was not inclined to be curious, and gave
me an abundance of food, so to pay
him for his kindness [ gave him this
piece of money, which was all I had.
"When | finally reached the Ameri-
con army l found that Scott had given
up all idea of seeing me again, and was
to press forward to the at
tack.
"On the 18th of August our forces
were shelling the City of Mexico from
the very town of Molino del Rey, and
on the 10Th we took the city itself by
assault.
81 wanted to have hand at whip
ping Santa Anna, so took part in the
charge and received wound in the
leg which resulted in this" The
major stuck out his left leg from un-
der the table. ''Cork, sirl
''That, gentlemen, is how I come to
know how to open this remarkable
coin."
Then drawing fat wallet from his
inside vest pocket he fished out from
its recesses something folded in what
had once been white paper, now dark
with age. Unwrapping it he disclosed
a tiny file, with delicate sawteeth.
Fitting the file into the cavity in the
coin he handed it to the colonel, say
ing, as he did SO: "Allow me to re-
store to you all your property" But
the latter refused it. "No, major, l
think it should belong to you"
'Well, 1 should like to keep it
rs memento, but in turn
you must permit me to celebrate my
first meeting with the man to whom
am so deeply indebted, by ordering
bottle of champagne.
"With all my heart, said the genial
colonel.
"And now," continued the major,
after the arrival of the wine, as he
filed the glasses around, 81 want to
ask you again What induced you to
put file, of all things, into the centre
1f that coin after cutting it open?"
"And l can only say" replied the
colonel, "that it was because that lit
lie file happened to be lying on my
work table near at hand. 1t was the
merest chance"
1T was lucky chance for me, >"
said the major, devoutly, as he raised
MS glass, otherwise ! should not
have had the pleasure of drinking your
very good health to-day. Short