Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1899-10-20
The JaiIer' S Baby.

The JaIIeP 5 BABY.
at was all the fault of the baby.
SO the taller faId, and so every body
believed. At the same time 1t WA
declared absurd that baby should
be allowed cOmpaniOnshlp with
murderer, and beyond all decency
that bottles of lsudanum should
De left within its reach, Indeed.
there was a great deal of talk, and
much disappointment over tie
fur. Not since tho lynching OF
he negro Tily, two years before
had there been a hanging in Thu
Jail. Aud this time it was to have
been conducted OH the strictest
principles of the haDgman's code.
So very proper we're all the ar
Engagements that the citizens spOk'
of the coming "eXecntiOL" viii
quite the dtcorum which an easter
town wop'd use to discuss pix
tea. Snail wonder then tba
every tOdY-especlally those hold
lng tick IL OF admlsslOn-was out
RACED, ia tact, 50 much was safe
that the jAiler resigned and lie ana
his wife-wilh The CabY, who bad
done ali the nischief-moved to
another town. Tie jdllei'S wlf,
declared that bis nerves seemed
dttadtully upset about The whole
thing aud she was glad he had
given up Tie "jail business. Farm
log was nicer work anyhow, she
allowed, aud the baby seemed t.
thrive better. As tor the baby
himself, he told me in strict con
i3eu c. just how it happened.
TIE prisoner had never made
the slightest effprt 10 escape. Fr0u
he time sentence was pronounced
he seemed 10 begin to die. lie
would sit for hours without NOV
ing musclC-wOuld neither eai
DOR drink. a borrld soft OfsfupOr
poss eSsed him, from which tn
kind-hearted jAiIer was powerless
10 rOnse him, until one day lie
thought Ct his baby, Ted, the only
hit Of sunlight in the gloomy hou, 9
of bondage. The lovely child
b'OSSOm'd like a Sharon rose IL
his desert OF sin and death, and
the very sight OF BIN II light, so tn
j tier Thought, hrlng prace and
healing. So one day the baby NaS
hinrght to the death watched c-l.
VI toJsl d, yrllnN bead prereo
IN. and bis sIuAll voice
a ring If pity IN 1t as lie raid
"DaTk, poor mar Aud The plis
oner came 10 The grating and
stretched out eager hands, cldsl -
ing the tiny fingers resting trus =
fully in his. And nobody dis
tnrhtd hem, for the "pOOr man.
VS. crying, and so they were not
af aid.
The baby came again, and often
and they noticed that The prisoner
would always eat what he GTOugbt;
a bit of candy or dirty lump OF
sugar was his daily Of-ilng, and it
was never II, cted. One day the
iailer came, too, and they both
watched the boy. He was play ing
horse with "a piece Of pine board.
The prisoner glanced AT 1t and said,
firmly "WOh't they need that in
the atdY"
Tue ,l!er could not answer, bet
apt his gaze Oh the baby, who had
distracted the attention of the
guard IN the corridor. The pfis
oEer gtasptd the door With bih
gauut hands, and, putting his
aSheD lips as near the jdiler's ears
as the bars wOul0 allow, said,
"Have vOn anv idea OF
bow you are going 10 dl,N
The ,iler was alarmed and dis
tressed. Ho bad hoped 10 lead
the prisoner to forget bus ippend.
Ing doom, If only for respite Of
an hour, but this question showed
now poorly he was succeeding. He
pretended not to hear, aud made
d move MS if TO go, but the child
rau 10 him and, putting the stick
through the liars, lisped /: "See,
horsYfn
j sn lie distorted his lace as he
man took the piece OF wood, then
let 1t drop with shudder, speak
ing rapidly and low: "Dylng ia
had enough, ] suppose, under any
circumstances, but nOue of us is
heroic when forced to slt, dav BY
day, Tor certain hour, when Ne
are to begin the DfOcess of 'IOttiup