Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1903-10-03
A PRISON MESSAGE
(OriGliIal.1 !

picture of his home. the wife who
adOred him, the children who loved to
play upon his knee and listen while he
told them stories, that the jailer wished
it was in his power TO free the man
and let him go home. But this was i'm
possible. The iailer himself had ii FAM
lily dependent on his pay, and if a pris-
oncr escaped he would lose his posi-
ton. However, he told the prisoner
that he would soon need to go to the
plac" where he (the prisoncr) lived and
would bear a message to his wife. Not
long after this the jailer came to the
prisoners cell and asked for the mes
sage.
Tell my wife to send me word how
to recover my liberty
THAT is a foolish message" replied
the jailcr. for | who bring the an
swcr will know how to defeat any plan
she may send you"
VERY wcll,' said the prisoner. THAT
is the only message | have. If you will
not deliver it l can't help it. l have no
other for you"
The jailcr went away pitying the
poor fool who had no other hope of Sc
curing his freedom than plan of es-
cape brought by the man whose duty
and interest it was to watch him. New
erthcless, after reaching the town where
the prisoners wife lived and attending
to what business he had to do he in
quircd the way to the woman he had
promised to visit and went to see her.
Your husband" he said, II fear is
losing his mind by his confinement.
When I promised to see you and give
you a message from him he told me to
ask you how he might recover his lib
crty"
When the woman heard this she fell
over, to all appearances, dead. A sur
gcon was called in, who Immediately
let some blood. The jailer waited In
another room hoping that he might car
ry news to the prisoner that his wife
was better. but when the surgeon came
out he said that the woman was dead.
"Give this to your prisoner" he said
and handed the jailer piece of silver.
Then the jailer, wondering and heavy
hearted at being the bearer of such
news, went back to the Jail.
II bore your message" said the jailer,
''and | am sorry to say that your wife
was so distressed at your condition that
she fell in SwOOn and died soon aft
err"
"AlaS, alack. My poor wife," eX
claimed the prisoner. And he, too, fell
in a swOon.
The jailer ran for a surgeon. This
was at a time when the barber and the
surgeon were often one and the same
person, and the only remedy was blood
letting. The barber came and let some
blood. but it only made the prisoner
look whittier, and when he left he pro-
nounced the man dead.
"This is rcmarkablew exclaimed the
jailer. Il carry a message that kills
the poor mans wife, and her death
kills the prisoner. Well, there is moth
ing to do but bury him."
He put the corpse in box and placed
it on bier in the corridor to await
burial. In the morning he called the
priest, who read the burial service, and
the box was committed to the earth.
The next day the prisoner, alive and
well, appeared at the castle of his
feudal lord and begged an audience.
81 ask pardon :rSe said, having
been in prison for GaN sld escaped. 1
wish to go home to ,ly wife and chill
drcn and not be again disturbed"
"What have you to offer for such
partlon?" asked the baron.
"a story"
"Tell it,"
Then the prisoner told Of his mes
sage to his wife and what resulted.
Her falling in swOon," he explained,
twas a message to me to do likewise.
She gave the surgeon money to pro-
nOunce her dead and gave him the piece
of silver to be given to me to bribe the
barber. Thus my jailer carried an in
quiry to my wife as to how might es-
cape and the reply"
"Your wife is too shrcwd a woman"
replied the baron, "to live in Obscurity.
Your pardon is granted. Bring your
wife to the castle that she may enter
the service of the countess. AS for the
jailer. pardon him also, since l would
have acted as he did if l had been in
his place. This l know because | did
not understand the device till you told
it to me-"
The prisoners family was assigned
apartments in the castle, and his wife
entering the service of the countess
was consulted upon every knotty ques-
tion arising In both the baron's and the
countess affairs.
The baron, who was an impOlitic
man, was saved from many troubles by
the woman's adroitness. Nevertheless
he got into difficulty with a neighbor-
Ing baron. who marched with all his re-
tainers against him, besieging him in
his castle. The siege had lasted many
days and starvation was imminent
when the countess appealed to her
chief attendant, whereupon the woman
sent her husband out at night as a de-
serter with an offer to lead the enemy
into the castle by secret underground
passage.
whats the matter with you?" asked
the besicging baron. "What are those
spots on you?"
"The plague. All in the castle have
It,"
''Turn him outr' shrieked the baron.
When the day came those In the cas-
tie looked out and no enemy was to be
seen. The descrter's wife had painted