Cañon City record., 1904-01-07
A PRISON MESSAGE.

In Tue oldeu time a prisoner was Ia
menting to his Jailer that he was kept
In captivity away from his wife and
little ones. He gave such a touching
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
1t was in his power to free the man
and let him go home. But this was i'm
possible. The jailer himself had a fam
lily dependent on his pay. and If a pris-
oner escaped he would lose his posi-
ton. However. he told the prisoner
that he would soon need to go to the
place where he tthe prisoner 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" r-plied
the jailer, for who bring the an
swer will know how to defeat any plan
she may send you"
Every WELL" said the prisoner. THAT
il the only message l have. II you will
not deliver II / can't help II. I have no
other for you"
The jailer went away plying the
poor fool who had no other hope of Sc
curing his freedom than a plan Of es-
cape brought by the man whose duty
and interest II was to watch him. New
ertheless, after reaching the town where
the prisoners wife lived and attending
to what business he had to do. he in
quired the way to the woman he had
promised to visit and went TO see her.
Your husband" he said. Il fear Is
losing his mind by his confinement
When / promised to see you and give
you message from him he told me to
ask you how he might recover his lib
erty."
When the woman heard this she fell
over. to all Appearances, dead. A sur
Eeon wGs called in, who Immediately
let some blood The jailer waited in
another room hoping that he might car
~ news to the prisoner that bis 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.
Il bore your message" said the jailer,
-and I am sorry TO say that your wife
was so distressed at your condition that
she fell In swoon and died soon aft
err"
.Alns. aiack, My poor wifer' ex-
claimed the prisoner. And he. too. fell
in a swoon-
The Jailer ran for a surgeon This
was at 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
look whittier. and when he left he pro-
nounced the man dead.
This is remarkable.- exclaimed the
Jailer. II 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 a box and placed
It on a 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 n pardon he said. having
been in prison for debt and escaped. 1
wish to go home TO my wife and chill
dren and not be again disturbed"
"What have you TO offer for such 8
parion?' asked the baron.
"a story
"TeII it"
Then the prisoner told OF his mes
sage to his wife and what resulted
"Her falling in n swoon" he explained.
''was me~sage 10 me TO do likewise.
She gave the surgeon money TO pro-
bounce 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 l might es-
cape and the reply
Your wifi Is too shrewd a woman"
replied the ,arpn, ito live in obscurity.
Your pardon is granted. Bring your
wife 10 the castle that she may enter
the service ~ the countess. As for the
jailer, pardon him also. since l would
have acted ns he did II had been in
his place. This l know because l 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 knotU Ques-
ton arising in both the barou's and the
countess affRirs.