Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1907-08-27

LIE major was man VINO liked q
little opposition for the sake Of putting
1t down, Which be never failed to do
with the highest hand. but he had his
chain gang In such mn exemplary state
of broken spirited subsection that the.
Iron will within that flabby body was
growing rusty from disusc. The impu-.
dence of young Sullivan was conse-
qucntly godsend to this born marti-
net. 1t gave him IN appetite. and It
made him sleep. Furthermore, 1t fixed
his eye on Erickson and to some ex-
tent his thoughts also. The major was
harsh by habit, but Impartial to the
core. He did not believe syllable or
Nat Sulliyan's story. But why he'd
Erichser SO taken 1t to heart? He
alone had neither cursed nor cheered.
The major was puzzled, but kept
watch.
Fancy he's gentleman" said Hon
cybone in a day or two, and he made
inquiries.
The result Of the inquiries was the
information that Erickson usually suIk-
ed, but when he was in bad temper
he was moye blasphemous than any
man in the gang; when in a good one
he was more foul.
He Is a gentleman hem was"
said the cocksure major. "Only it's
the old story-the farther they have to
fall, the lower they sink. Poor devil.
poor deyilr' And old Honeybon sigh
ed, for he had sunk q little, too, and II
his conscience was clear Of crime It
was more or less saturated with sin.
Of which the perfume was not a little
Gtaie and sickly. Whether from that
cause or another, the fat major found
himself taking a more human interest
in this prisoner than In most. $50
that's the most profane tongue in the
stockadew he would think whenever
he looked at Tom. $50 that's the foul
est MOUTH
1t was not, but Tom was educated
and had al educated mans sense Of
emphasis and Of selection. His bad
| things stuek-that was all.
| But II those spperlatives we're not
literally justified others were, and be.
fore Tom had been six weeks IN chains
he had shown a temper as insubordt.
nate, an apdaeity rs brazen and a cal,
leusness as shocking as anything OF
the sort which the major had yet en-,
eountered in his present capacity. II
was the reaction from the sulky spirit
In which the convict had begun his
term. For two whole weeks he broke
no rules, but In the next four he was
three times logged.
On the first occasion he knocked
down the scourger when It was all
over and SO brought 1t oil over again
4 On the last the major addressed hin
from his chair as the convict positively
staggered from the triangles. Will
his letters clanking and his shoes
squelching at every step.
.You want to try Norfolk island
said the major, "but you slan't.''
| Tom shook his head, with nm ugly
| sncer.
/ ''The gallows, them said the major
"is your game. But you're not going
to get there either. can show you rs
good sport us you'll show me, and vel
see who wins the game"
1t was nothing else to the combata
tive major. He was growing younger
for the exercise. He began to ge
about again OH his legs. His only re
greet was for Il palpably fine young fol
low gone so utterly to the bad. For thi
rest, he found poor Tom as stimulating
for some weeks as Nat Sullivan la,
proved on the occasion described. Nat
by the way, had returned to Castle
/ Sullivan, ignobly crestfallen. but not S,
Intoxicated as to ride by the stockad!
again in daylight. The majors su
periors had confirmed that officers
opinion, and Peggy o,Brlen, examined
on her oath In Parramatta factory. Aat
| perjured herself for Tom In tho mos
4; illuslye aud convincing manner. TIL
principal superintendent had made |
note Of the affair. but there was nj
i case, as Nat was pretty plainly told
and Major Honeybone heard no NOR
of him for some time.
AS a matter of fact, the bones Of tn
| italian had also been discovered, bp
4 % there were no clothes upon then
and the native dogs had left little els
| they were never identified: 80 Ton
| was safer for tho monont than b
supposed, Meanwhile he had becom
| a sort Of hero alnapg his degraded fol
lows. Not tho most popular sort, how
4 ever, for enthusiasm Is difficult Il
heavy letters. Besides. no never trie