The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1907-07-12
lie. .ana you don't catch me break 10y

II down. which be never failed to do
with the highest hand. but he had his
chain gang iii such an exemplary state
OF broken spirited subsection that the
iron will within that habby body was
growing rusty from dlsuse. The impu
dence lof young Sullivan was conse.
quenuy o Goagend to this born martia
net II gave him CD appetite. aud u
made him sleep. Furthermore. II fxed
his eve oil Eyicbsen and to some ex-
tent his thoughts also. The major was
harsh by habit. but impartial to the
core. He cid not believe syllable of
Nat Sullivan's story But why had
Eriehsen 50 taken II to heart, He
alone hal neither cursed nor cheered
The major was puzzled. but kept
watch
| Fancy hes q gentleman" said Hon.
| eybone 10 day or two, and be made
inquiries
i The result OF the inquiries was the
| information that Erickson usually suik
ed but when be was 10 bad temper
/ be was more blasphemous thar any
man ID the gang: when IL a good one
be was :aore foul
"I1e Is ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS"
said the cocksure major "Only it's
the old sto-y-the farther they have to
fall. the lower they sink Poor devil
poor devil.' And old Honeybone sigh.
ed, for be had sunk little. too. and II
his conscience was clear OF crime It
was more or less saturated with sin.
OF which the perfume was not little
stale and sickly. Whether from that
cause or another. the fat major found
, himself taking a more human interest
In this prisoner than In most. 80
that's the most profane tongue In the
stockade. he would think whenever
he looked at Tom. $50 that's the foul
est mouth"
II was not. but Tom was educated
and had an educated mans sense OF
emphasis aud OF selection. His bad
) things stuck-that was all.
Il But II those superlatives were not
literally justified others were. and be.
fore Tom had been six weeks in chains
lie had shown temper as insubordi
I nate. an audacity as brazen and a cal
lousness as shocking as anything Of
the sort which the major had yet en-
!. cOuntered IN his present capacity. i
was the reaction from the sulky spiri
!. IN which the convict had begun hi
term. For two whole weeks he broke
no rules. but In the next four he wat
\ three times logged.
: On the FIRST occasion he knocket
\ down the scourger when 1t was al
over and so brought II all over again
\ on the last the major addressed hin
/: from his chair as the convict positiyel,
\ staggered from the triangles. Wit
dis letters clanking and his shoe
Y squelehing at every. steD.
"You want to try Norfolk island,
I said the major. "but you shan't''
Tom shook his head. with an ugl
II sneer. ..s.m -.s... 4 - ..~..
: '.The gailows. then" said the majo
L SIS your game. But you're not goin
!. 20 get there either can show you
L good sport as your show me. and We
: see who wins the game"
II II was nothing else 70 the combat
/. tive major. lie was growing young
L for the exercise. lie began TO g
!; about again on lis legs. His only r
L gret WINS for a palpably fine young fe
!: low gone so utterly TO the bad. For q
III rest. be found poor Tom as stlmulatiI
]. FOR some weeks rs Nat Sullivan hs
Al nroyed on The occasion described. M
!: By the war. Lad returned TO Cast
III sullivan. ignobly crestfallen, but not
|: intoxicated as 10 ride by the stockaI
III again In daylight. The majors 5
!. periors had confirmed that officer
All opinion. AMI reggy 0'Rrien. examin'
!. on her oath In Par:amatta factory. hi
IN perjured herself for Tom In the mo
!: elusive and convincing manner. +
I'll principal superintendent had made
+ note OF the affair. but there was
s2 case, as Nat vas pretty plainly to
!. and Major Honeybone heard no mo
III Of him for tome time.
z As q mutier OF fact. the bones Of {
al Italian had also been discovered. b
y. as there were no clothes upon the
FL and the native dogs had left little e.
!. they were never identified So Tc
Ell was safer for the moment than
Y. supposed. Meanwhile be had becoI
el a sort Of hero among bis degraded
y lows. Not the most popular sort. no
Ill ever. for enthusiasm Is difficult
4 heavy letters. Besides. he never tri
10 be popular.
lie might have been after knocki
- down the scourgcr. The man was
- convict himself. who received shilli
~ o pence day Cor his unnatural SO
ices. II was the butcher over aga
only this cuitlff had eighty others
ways there to ioathe him. and eye
les hand could have shaken Toms for u
well aimed blow, but the very next q
4 they discovered he would rs soon /,
4 on them rs on their common enemy.
The incident brought TO light an
We terestlng fact, aud II happened
ey Toms third Sunday In the stocka
About half the gang were lncarcera
m IN the common mess shed. ldling, "a
Vv' Ing. cursing aud proceeding as fast
|. possible with that mutual corrupt
. which was the chief fruit OF this .