Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1902-01-11


chm. and gracefully curving lips. re-
maiued. Her he had worshiped
throughout his chi.dhood and courted
in his youth. Like fash came the
memory OF the joyous wedding trip.
the farm on the outskirts of Ne
braska village. his valiant struggle for
fortune.
Then the scene shifted TO a vast Held
where withered corn rustled harshIy
in the scorching breeze. There wasa
fiery globe in the center Of the heavens
piercing shafts OF which seemed to
burn his very blood. The crop was ru-
ined. That was sure. The quarter
section was mortgaged and in the cot
tage near the village his wife was
scowhug at the prospect OF poverty
and loss OF social presti tige. Already
she was bemoaning the monotony Of
the western country. Once she had ac-
tually tod him that he was a brute
and at the same time hinteG that DR.,
Scott was such a dashing, hanOso some
fellow. Then the red spots cane for
the first time. Nothing ever was so
very clear after those horrid, cag nine
.
ly before his eyes.
one day. and this he remeut cred
with vivid cistinctness. some meI .ook
his away. Tie did not rvsist. b, .use
they represented some vague. sde-
fined power which he had ais. re-
spected. Then followed . OF
solitude in a padded cell. The -uots
came with greater frequency nov. A
gray-ciad young fellow was always
watching him. One day he cluGs his
keeper and made his escape. For a
whole night he wandered about The
next day ne hid in the timber uear a
stream. That night he found himself
on the thres hold of his cottage lie
opened the door There was a scream
and an oath. Dr.. Scott. the man he
hated. Sc lied him. Green remembered
that his wife hid her face in terror.
Then the red SPOTS dauc,d mockirg-y.
For long time he was the center Of
a gaping crowd by day. At night ne
was chained in "a reeking cell. l-a~sh,
unconditional voices discussed th pro-
lection OF society and other Topics
which he could not understand. Only
once did they say anything tc him.
Then be mprehended clearly what
they meant. Had he KILLED Scott2 or
course he had. And he was so c.ad of
IL that he lIhghed loud and long The
spectators stared. Some Of them
nudged each other. Finally the juG ye
began talking cf some awful penalty.
\ sudden ioathing seized him. he hated
an mankind. springing 60 his r,et he
ccNcd the entire assembly and vowed
never TO speak 10 anyone again. His
only fear was that this pledge might
some day be broken.
y key grated iu The lock The door
was flung open; food Of snbdued -taht
filled the cell. The convict pressed his
hands over his closed eyes and almost
screamed with pain. But no sound
came from his tightly compressed lips.
In silence, he was partly led. partly
dragged Ia his own quarters at the eN-
treme end of the line Of steel cages.
Confusion reigned supreme that
night within the prison walls, shortly
before the guards were changed al
midnight. the deputy warden detected
dense cloud of smoke that seemed TO
belpouring mp from the inner cell
house. Gaining admittance 20 The
prison yards he was almost struck
dumb with amazement. Flames were
bursting from the roof OF the building.
As he looked. the cupola, mass Of FIRE.
fell outward upon the upper gallery,
disclosing the fierce beadway the
flames we're making. Even as he list
ened shrieks OF terror and yens of
s-arm came from the imprisoned con.
victs in the cells.
Cooily he hurried to the prison gong
and gave the danger signal 10 the
guards. Next he signaled the peniten-
tiary fire corps. The warden now ar
rived on the scene, and took personal
command. AT sign from him the
guards rushed forward and unlocked
the doors. allowing the frightened.
half-clad conyicts tc escape into the
prison yard where other seantily-at-
tired employees stood with threatening
rides ready for instant use.
In CrdertO save the penitentiarv and
the lives ofits inmates, the fire must be
sonhned in the Gel house. which com
lnunicated with the remainder OF the
prison by narrow arch. Two men
'caled the wall and directed streams
of water on the flames raging within.
overcome by heat. one of these faint
ed, and his companion bore him from
the wall The flames were gaining now
at an alarming rate. With word Of
caution 10 the guards. the warden
mounted the Wal. He had scarcely