The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1902-11-14

ttIn hell! In hell!a cried the lunatic!
And she is not here. Will YOU cut her
throat, friend q" + crawled away from
him. fascinated by his unwinking eyes,
till I touched the dead man.
Give that I'M a wide berth, mate,''
said the sailor. aE just coughed UP
is last breath, and els got the typhus.''
Where am II" I cried again, shrink
ing from the body.
The lunatic's about right said the
sailor, in his monotonous voice. .Ye're
in ell. Dyer NEAR to say yer don't
know the old Sugar 'Ouse?"
God knows i did! And I hid my face
In my hands to cover my grief. Did
l know the Sugar House prison, where
my comrades OF III had lain so long,
some only leaving to go as I had seen
them in the dead cars but a few hours
before? Did I know that foul prison?
Aye, well! And was like to know 1t
better.
What day is it 2" asked a quiet voice
at my feet. I turned a little and heard
a long cough come from a young man
pale with the signs of death On his
white brow, lying there on his side, his
quiet face resting on his arm, his eyes
looking at me with a bravery in them
that was pitiful, pitiful beyond meas
ure!
Thursday" said some voice out of
the foul darkness. :&
"Wednesday" said I, as I instinctive-
~ turned towards the wasted figure.
What month, If you please?" he
asked, without taking his eyes from
my face. =
The 18th Of October, friend" said I.
He lay still a moment, looking at me
without letting his gaze waver. Then:
"What year?" g,
"17so, comrade. Where do you be-
long?" =r
$780," said he, thoughtfully, in the
same voice. 1880. I have been here
two years and near three months"
my God!" ,a
A figure approached#us through the
thick air, stepping carefully over those
lying down and passing among those
who stood or sat up.
y cannot get any, John, brother
said he to the dying mai 4
Thank We. Jake" he answered, new
er turning his gaze from my face, nor
changing his look or position. I looked
up and saw a face like. his own, and
saw, too, the maj swallow suddenly,
and heard him cry in a piteous tone:
They will not give me any, not a
drop to save him." and, turning to a
grated door through which came the
little light we had, he leaned over an
other sleeping figure and spoke to the
guard standing with a nlushet over: his
shoulder. Gr =
Will you not get me a little water
for my brother?"
There's amt none," said the man.
He Is dying, and but g. little water
would save hifn!"
There amt none,' said the man in
precisely h same. voice as before.
/ -" I'll rive VIM q or15 - 1884,. -1--.-.
full" pleaded the wretched man, NOV
ing over n or two others to reach
the barred door.
There amt none" came to him
again exactly as before, as the guard
walked away.
In a moment he was back by his
brothers side, for the lad had been
caught with a sudden and terrible At
of coughing that shook his whole
frame, and then he rolled over on his
back and lay with his arms 4. OUT
stretched, staring with wide open eyes
at the ceiling, his chest falling and
rising in long straining breaths.
With a faint cry the other stepped
to the bars and cried out down the
corridor: 'sg3s -
will you not give me an inch of
candle, man?"
The guard turned slowly.
my brother Is dying there--therel
Do you not see him? I cannot see his
face. For Gods sake give me a Bit
of candle to see him die!" go
"There amt none!", said the guard,
and walked on. -
Then the boys body shook and
strained upward in a strange inhurnan
fashion, as I have seen a fish on the
sand gasp and swell for water in his
gills. He turned his eyes towards his
brother, tried to say something, and
one hand made a faint move as If to
lift Itself. The brother caught the
movement at once, and kneeling down
took the hand and looked s%teadfastly
In the lads face, we others lying ST.
lently and watching them both. A
grim set came into his jaw.
TITS all right, John" said he SOFTLY
but firmly. TITS all right, lad!" The
eyes looked s~teadfastly at him. Fright
brother" cried he again. Keep thu
grip. lad!" And he took the othe1
hand as he boy suddenly raised his
head, opened his mouth for an instant
and sank gently back with his chin
sunls into his chest and lay still-and
died then and there.
Nov, If 1t please God" cried the
other with quiet tears running dowr
his salloW face. tif it please God thai
I ever get away alive, I'll be a most
bitter enemy!" p
And I lay back upon the floor and
hid2my face in my hands.
Continued Next Weekly .
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a NATHAN or HioINIr1e -