Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-06-08

Fleeter poohpoohed with a quaint SUI
periority, did seem less intolerable aft
er one of his yarns.
bad rationsT' he would crOak when
the salt meat was rancid or the fresh
meat strong. Tell zee. there's none on
you knows what bad rations is. You
should ha' been at ToOngabbe forty
year ago. We never had no ratiOns at
all except when a ship come into har-
Dor. Toongabbie would ha' learned
We! Many's the time I've dragged tim
Der all day, twenty or thirty on us
yoked TO the one tree like bullOcks.
and dined off of pounded grass and
soup from a native dog. And glad TO
get IT. tell zee. We wasn't pampered
and spoilt like you blokes-not at Toon-
gabbie."
Or perhaps some wretch was CrOan-
ing from the scOurger's lash. The First
Fleeter waxed especially eloquent on
all such occasions.
"Can that a tlogging?' he would
Quaver from his ledge. lone little
fifty? If we'd had you at Toongabbie
you'd know what fOgging was. Five.
six an even eight blOomin' hundred
I've given an took. What do you
think OF that? There was no flies
about them tloggings, tell zee; no. an
there was no flies about the hangings
either. I've seen n man took an
strung up on the spot for prigging n
handful of weevilly biscuits. have.
An all the time we was dyin by doz-
ems of the bad food an the ard graft
in the 'ot sun. Lord, how we did die,
There was Il big hole dug: we collect
ed 'em every day an pitched EN- in.
, / mind seeing one man pitched in be-
fore the breath was out of i'm. 1
amt dead he says. You will be by
sundown,' says the Overseer. an do
you think we want You about the place
till tomorrow, you selfish man" There
wasn't no flies about that overseer. Ell
Their; it was him as killed three men in
a fortnight by Overwork at the saw.
They just dropped dead at their work.
Take it away is all lie says, put it
in the ground an you never heard
! nothing more. No, no. the old mon-
ster would conclude, with his senile
chuckle, there wasn't no flies about
them old days in ToOngabbie. | can
tell zee. I'd give bit to have 'ad some
O. this feather bed gang there, them as
thinks they know what 'ardship is.
The First Flceter became less loqua.
cious after time, however, and much
less severe upon the luxury of the
I majors iron gang. HOneybOne's shrewd
eye was on him, and that of the First
| Eleeter began to droop and ruminate
with n cunning preoccupation that
made him quite silent on his ledge. Al
| length, however. he took to leaning
over and mumbling to Tom in the
| stillest hours. And when Tom listen
ed the old wretch mumblcd to others
| including Macbeth, who had soon fol
| lowed his enemy from Castle Sullivan
| and been well nigh as refractory il
| the stOckade. The Scot was In another
den at nights, but the First Fleetel
| made and used his opportunities will
| characteristic craft. SO now there
was new poison in the air. and the
virus had come all the way from
| ToOngabbie in the early days.
One of the last to he inOculated ant
yet the one who perhaps took mos
kindly to the process was n certain
sleek, bullet headed youth who came
to the stOckHde on day in midwinter
In the evening as Tom was sitting a
the mess table, with blOOdshot eye:
downcast as usual, he heard his nam,
In voice he seemed to know.
Ill -,,;l !
small world, amt it?"
Tom looked up and saw the bulle
head nodding at him across the table
but so bloated and debauched was TIT
low face that he was some moments il
recognizing his old companion of TIL
condemned cell in Newgate.
Don't look at pal like that" con
tinued Creasey, with a smirk. "You'v
altered worse nor me. No Ill feeling,
say? l was that glad"-
'Silencer cried the noncommissione,
officer on duty. NO talking at you
meals, young man, unless you wan
what-for!"
AS for Tom. he had nothing for th
newcomer but a surly contempt, whic
|
on the other hand, was studiOusly CIV
to him on grasping Toms reputation
the stockade. and secret circumstance
threw them not little together.
That's a bitter" young Butterfiel
contrived to say to Tom in u day o
two. Where did he know you before ?
"Newgate."
"He hates you"
LET him"
"Fm jealous he'll squeakw
"He might If he dare"
"How do you know he dursn't?"
. TOO many in it. He'd be torn (
| little bits. See here, Butterv'
YES, Erickson"
| you're to keep out Of It,"
: mot unless you do" said the la
firmly.
| me! I'm in 1t up to the neck. an
| all the better, but you're differen
You're younger, your times all but III
you've never had the lash. there's
chance for you. so give me your word