The Opelousas courier., 1902-03-01

and on returning my daughter greeted
me with:
Mamma, l bought a stamp and post
ed your letter just IN time. Another
minute and it would have been too
late"
What letter, darling, was that2"
1.-THE one you put on the mantel-
piece" she answered, laughingly; "and
you owe me d penny for the stamp,
remember"
l sank into a seat, overcome by the
thought that the letter was gone for
good or evil, and at lie hands Of my
child.
I had a restless night, and on going
to my duty next morning found my
| charge cheerful.
Il know you have helped me. I
know it. l have been dreaming of my
boy, and he said he was better, and
would soon see me-"
Silence" | replied. Il cannot bear
1any more of this. sAall get into
trouble"
mo. no you will not; al shall
bless you all my life. But &will say
no more" at witch left hem
Next morning, before going oA duty,
l received by post a small wood q box.
On openingsit I found a bur PIE of
banknoteF and a letter, the no rs be-
ing in sos to the value of M the hsand
pounds, at sight Of which my &pees
shook under me, the perspiratSsH
rolled from my forehead, and | near
ly tainted. Here was q predicament;
but | 500 revived, and proceeded to
read the letter.
Dear Madam-My wife informs nj
that you have consented to help her,
and I have received a letter from her
which you have doubtless posted, for
which aid, at her desire, I inclose you
what you need, with many thanks.
Burn this and do not use the notes
for some time, for fear of suspicion;
at any rate, not until you hear from me
again. Tell my wife one word, Yes
l ask this as a favor"
l dropped the letter in the fire, and
then, like a guilty thing I hid the
notes under a loose board in the attic
floor. When l commenced duty and
saw the anxious mother, she looked
at me with eager eyes, and, as my lips
framed the word YES" the tears
rolled down her cheeks. my dear
boy, then, is better; l will trouble no
MORE" / left her, thinking she might
as her boy was better, now give up
her thought of escape and settle down
quietly. Consequently, my mind be-
came easier.
Another day passed, and I left her
more. All that night it was fog
gy, and next morning I was, to my
CONSERVATION informed that No. Is
had escaped during the night, having
loosened the bars of her window, and, |
being a slender woman, had squeezed
through on to the sloping roof of a
building, down which she had crept, |
down a ladder which had been
left by the painters; and being then
in the open yard Of the prison, she
had taken the ladder to the wall, on
gaining the top of which some help
had been afforded from the outside,
possibly by a rope ladder. There all
was lost.
OF course / was examined, with 9TH
ers, before the governor, but nothing
could be ELECTED, at which I was much
relieved and thankful; and | never en-
getting home more than l did
that night.
Matters went on as usual, and I had
not touched my notes, in fact, I
to care nothing for them
when n morning, about six weeks
alter, I received a bulky package, ad-
in a lady's hand, bearing the
Canadian postmark. l broke the seals
and found, to my intense sur
Prise, bank notes again equal to the
of one thousand pounds. The
etter inclosed explained everything:
my Dear Friend-You will no
loubt have wondered many things,
With others, what had become of No.
8. / am now in Canada with my hus-
land and dear little boy, who is now,
hanks to your aid and Gods bless
ne, quite we'll.
You no doubt know how / escaped.
dy husband was to wait for me on the
which I knew would be on the
anne night on the day you gave me
lis message, Yes / expect you
| had given up my idea. I
descended by a rope ladder which my
husband had thrown to the top of the
7all, and behind a fast trotter was
DON in a trusted friends house clasped
4 my child's arms. May you never
e separated from your children. /
lust tell you in confidence that my
usband is the third son of a noble
lan, and was unfortunately led into
ificulties, and got into the tolls of
lot of sharpers and forgers and they
sed him as a tool for passing forged
otes. I unknowingly got one Of
aese notes, and rendering it was ar
ested and suffered imprisonment for
as you know and thus did not in
olive my husband. / was aware that
hen my time in prison was over,
lat we should leave the country, as
ly husband had confessed all to his
atl1er, with a desire to mend, and he
to start us to Canada with
We thousand pounds. Then my boy :
I'll i'll, and you know the rest. The
rst notes you received from my hus-
and, / may at onc say, are forg-
lies.
Burn them, every n without fail, !;
nd if I might advise you, as possibly {
ou may have some conjunction to
20 evan tho onod uotos for vo,reoIf