La Junta tribune., 1899-02-01
ON THE RAILS.

Tho windows o. tho crowded cafe had
6een thrown open. and the fresh, cool air
OF the spring night struggled fnr mastery
with the close, tobacco laden atmosphere
which filled tho large hall The inembers
OF the society TO which / at this time be-
iongcd Ind been accustomed for some time
past TO reserve n certain table In the cafe
! for themselves. whore they met every even
ing TO chat over and discuss the events OF
the passing hour On the night l am
speaking uf the question had sprung up II
II were roally creliblc that mans hair
could autidenly become gray In conse-
quence Of violent shock to the mind
Some of those present were only half in
clined To disbelieve this somewhat star
Ting theory, while Others could not be
sufficiently scathinR In the remarks they
made concerning people who were simple
, enough to plnce any crodence in such
nursery tales
As the discussion grew warmer and
warmer until every member OF our party
was engaged either in championing or
combating the question In point, man
seated near us arose slowly, pushing his
chair from him, ard approached our table.
He WAS . fine, tall fellow OF herculean
build, and his Intelligent features, which
bore an expression OF great determination,
were rendered very striking by n pair Of
keen blue eyes But whht mnde his ap-
pearance still more remarkable WAS the
fact TINT both his hair and beard were as
white as snow, although they surrounded
q countenance which would not permit
one to reckon his age at nore than about
35
Excuse mo. gentlemen, if am inter
ruptinH yonr conversation, he remarked.
, bowling Politely to all of US. 'You were
it,at stttt hat haa
than ordinary interest to me happen
myself 70 be living proof that under Ger
tain circumstances terrible shock to tho
mind can produce that self same physical
effect Of which you were just speaking
and which the majority Of you seem to
discrcdit .
These words naturally excited tho curl
osity OF all present TO the highest degree
We quickly mnde room for our new ac-
quaintance at the table, and when no had
seated himself comfortably urged him to
relate 70 us the circumstances which hnd
produced such strange and sudden
change in his appearance The stranger
told us this story
IF any of You gentlemen have ever in
terested yourself closely in American nf-
fairs, the name Of Auburn cannot well be
strange to you II denotes much the same
for the United States MS Spielberg does for
Austria. You must not picture Auburn
70 yourselves merely as q gloomy and ex
tensive prison-ns one large, solitary
building Mott is rather an entire col
ony Of crininals--a sort OF town or me-
tropolis for tho wretches that the COM
munity has thrust out
shut In by immense walls. which Mss
up from the level plain to . con-
siderable height, arc crowded to8eth-
er large number OF detached build
ings-houses that contain the prison cells.
wartiers' dwellings, hospital and work
shops, all sullen and forbisiding IooSing,
and here and thcre dotted about may be
seen . small patch Of grass, few trees
and very occasionally flowery bed, like
the last lingering recollections OF innocent
childhood among tho black thoughts OF o
criminal.
"Certain events which would have but
little interest for you had led to my jour
neying from Hamburg. my birthplace, TO
America Immediately after the completion
Of my studies, and after q short stay In
New York accepted the post Of prison
doctor at Auburn. was intrusted with
the medical supervision over that part Of
the prison which was set apart for the
worst clnss of criIninais-men. or l should
say human hycnas, whose blood, as Meph-
istopheles says, had already ccaaed to be .
duid Of rare quality.
1.-TWO Of these wretohes were destined
to spend the remainder of their days in !
the prison, and they. by reason Of their
great physical strength. as well as by the
extraordinary canning they had evinced
In several Desperate attempts to regain
their freedom, werc subjected 60 even
closer supervision than tho rest Of their
companions. l was an object of particular
hatred and tiislike 10 thep two scoundrels.
bs6sues bad hesn instromentsl In the
discovery OF : number Of iron Implements
which thcy had concealed under their
clothes, and ON another occasion be-
oause hsd refused TO receive them into
tho hospital when they had feigned iiiness,
expecting doubtless when they were once
In there that they would 1nd more favor
able opportunities for mplishing their
escape. The Fufflans were separated and
plaoed In remote parts Of the prison and
were laden with chains. but In spite Of all
thess precautions pne fne morning the onSs
and . few days later tbs oeher, together
with their chains. had diaappeared with
out leaving a trace behind them.
..It must have been almost . fortnight
after the flight Of these two criminals.
which had caused the utmost consterDs-
tion among the authorities at Auburn,
that ordered my horse ono afternoon and
started on for . ride to Cayuga bridge
Ny business ~na soon nniGhed and toward
evening started homo again Do you
know how delightful ride on . summer
evening iss CayueA bridge II surrounded
BY extensive oak forests, through which
the greater part Of my Journey lay. Tbs
gnarled and massive trunks oast long \
shadows, and the foilAgc rustled 70 gently
In the soft eyen&pg brsazs tbas ono seemed
rather 70 feel than TO hear It. As rode
between thess giAuts Of ths forest sweet !
recollections Of my distant home crept
into my heart and sunk in my thoughts \
lse the reins fall on my horses neck, which
trotsed steadily forward. I admired The I,
marvellous variety Of color that the nys !
Of ths setting sun produced ~ they shone 4
through the mass OF dark green leaves and
.--,~1 -, r. hsv,<1la ef,~tr ~ - I'M IN 0nuna