Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1901-05-20
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CONVICT NUMBER 1907,
By Laura Ellen Bedle.

gaze fell upon the grating which
served for window, with its few
inches of the sky of liberty mocliing
him through the bars, he sprang up
and took quick step toward it, just
as the sweet strains OF music drifted in
from a band passing near the prison
walls. Then Il bell rang somewhere
in the distance.
Oh, those sounds from the great free
world without! How terrible they
seemed to the gricf-striclien man. He
shuddcred violently and dropped back
on TO the cot
mo, no! / must not ruin it all now.
Oh, God, help me to live through the
next two ycars"' he exclaimed, and
burying his face in his hands, he
groaned aloud in the agony Of despair.
Though he yearned for freedom with
longing that was almost frenzy, still
the notion of escape did not often
tempt him; but to-day man had es-
capped, and the breast of every prison
er had been filed with envy and long
ing.
The year already spent behind those
walls seemed an eternity. Could he
live through two more years of such
misery? he asked himself. Yes, he
could and be would, for he had work
to perform when the time of his SEN
tence should have expired. He must
so back to Oklahoma and prove his in
nocence; must live down the disgrace
among the very people who had be-
heved him guilty, where no one
thought him Innocent
All. yes. there was one who had be-
iieved in him, who had stood by him
through it all, and the fires of renewed
courage kindled in his eyes as he
thought OF Nellie, his promised wife.
How brave she had been-how staunch
and true! Even VIII n the trial was
ended, and he had not succeeded in
making the judge and jury believe his
story, she had not wavered in her loy-
atty, but again assured him of her
love, begging him to shorten his term
as much as possible by good behavior,
then to come home-he would find her
true, ana together they would prove
somehow, that he had been wrongful
ly accused.
In the year Of his imprisonment Jack
had been model prisoner. At times.
in the depths Of his despair. he had
felt that he could not stand the mad
denlng routine another moment. that
he must attempt escape or he would
surely die; but the thought Of Nellie,
his sweetheart, and her confidence.
had strengthened him to successful
ly combat these hopeless feelings. At
tempt at fight, even if successful.
meant only the destruction of his fond
est hopes and those of the brave Girl
who had risked so much because of
her love for him.
Tonight, sitting dejectedly in his
cell, Jack cursed the folly which had
caused his trouble. Many times he had
decided to quit drinking" but was
never staunch in his resolution. Now
he meant it, for if he had not been on
a spree" he would never have been
arrested for theft. He thought of the
farm, the stock, and the neat little
house which she had planned, and
which was soon to have been their
home. He groaned involuntariiy.
When he had begun to drink" his
less prosperous neighbors nad smiled
In grim satisfaction, and when the
trouble had come, the general verdict
had been, 1T serves him right" When
he insisted that he had bought the
horse and saddle, but that he did not
know the man who sold them to him.
they Winked knowingly. The property
had been stolen from the Catonsvillo
postoftice, and was found in Jacks
possession. lie was here in conse-
quence.
Well" he declared mentally. "it
does serve me right, but I'll prove nv
innocence to those people Il it takes
me years to do itr'
A little before noon the next dav his
attention was attracted to n line OF
new arrivals, walking handcuffed to-
gether in pairs, in charge of armed
guards As they passed close to where
Jack stood, the look of hopeless misery
on the face OF one of the men made
his heart throb with pity. PERHAPS
he too was Innocent Just then man
looked up and Jack gave a sudden
start. The face seemed very familiar
Surely he had seen that man before.
The Hne passed on into building, but
somehow he could not get the face OF
the man who wore the number 1907
out Of his mind, and many times dur.
ing the day he asked himself. "Who is
he, and where have l seen him."
When he returned to mis- cell that
night, and the guard told him he was
to have company" for awhile, Jact
would have been almost surprised Laf
the man been other than 1907" Ii
the closer range Of the narrow cell. hC
was more strongly than ever filled
with a perpleXing sense that he hat
somewhere seen this sullen. defanr
face, but where he could not remem
ber.
In the days and weeks that followed
during which time Joe Stretter re
mained gloomy and remorse, repulsin,
all overtures, Jack vainly racked hi.