Okolona messenger., 1908-07-08
WINGS
WHIPPING
BY Phil simms.


Wing the giant black trusty, the
prison doctors stable boy, had seen it.
and a glitter of intense hate flashed
in his eye as he turned away NUT
tering:
~He tried to get away Tonight
Am goin and I'll stay gone, Or"
"Oh Wing, Wing!r called baby
voice back of the trusty, and DR.
Pills" the five-yearold pet Of the
prison, son Of the doctor. cane run
ming up to the black
The hunted CLEAN vanished, soft
light came in its place
wing" fed the doctors horses
drove the cows in from the pasture
hitched the visiting preachers mule
to the buggy and left in direction OF
the prison.
But he lodged into side path lead
Ang toward the swamry creek, and
stopped before a huge tree. He
thrust his arm into a hollow and drew
forth bundle
It contained trousers, shirt, soft
hat, cheap revolver, some cartridges,
a long knife, stale food and little
money. The collection had taken him
months
Soon, rock weighted. his prison gar
ments lay at the bottom Of deep
pool
Southwark the Alabama river north
ward BIRMINGHAM Skilled by virtue
Oflmany "shan escapes" in evading
the to, ..ie h'ocd' ounds, he waded
into the oteek.
Free Free. Pe-a-e him the sweet.
smelling woods, gloricas in dogwood
blossoms and hon VI lekle. Behind
We're prison bars, 20-year sentence
and beating.
Wing" fondled his revolver. He
would never go backl
'Dr. Pills" had disappeared
Bedtime came at the Ioctors
9ouse and still no sign of the bov
The prison was alarmed, likewise the
village near, but no one had seen
cdr. Pills"
The Stale boy was called for at
The prison. The astonshed reply was
that when the count had been made
the guard thought Wing" at the doc
tors. detained as he sometimes was.
after hours.
So Wing" had escaped. ''Dr. Pills"
missing, too!
Had he been murdered? Kidnapped?
Past midnight, Wing" still keep
1ng to the shallow stream, stumbled
on
His escape now was sure He had
gained the most dismal spot in all the
untrod swamp, and here he might rest
1or a day, then leisurely make his
way.
Suddenly he stopped and listened
He thought he heard voice like, the
wall of child. There. It came
again, and so weird was it out there
in the swamp Wing" heard his own
heart beat.
Again it came-a child weeping
surely as sin!
He waded in to the bank, calling
softly, and instantly glad cry an
swered:
"oh, Wing I'm so glad! ! knew
you'd come!"
DR.. Pills, by" he muttered.
To leave the child there he knew
cant its death. But it was not his
eral Should he take him back,
N elf to be beaten? To serve his
insA RS more? To give up his free
ys. which he had PLANNED so
ON IL
ong
NeysF' axe me on your shoulder.
Please ed the baby voice. I'm
Wing pleaG
. af8aid!" 'er didn't Won, he be.
.'Why'n thNnn ended with: How'd
ran, snrlily; bpt
rou git heah?" the back Of the
II crawied up in went to sleen' m
preachers buggy ahd skeerod awfnl /
when / woke tip was startad hao, \
and Just jumped out ana .that,s sI"
along the creek, an IAN plns ~,
-sIt was pig trail, honey rer seed
hit don't go no whar. You Re
dis path befo!2 shot +
The first lights of rosy dawn a.
athwart the low country and touch,
the mists that hung low and whlSe
shove the creek The hounds had
fsiled wing was gone and DR.
pills with him.
The doctor and his wife were be-
alde themselves with grief
suddenly the dogs whining in the
vard sent up bay, and a moment
iater I tall, tattered, wet muddy and
Scratched-up black, sleeping child in
t5s srns. staggered up the walk, the
hounds knowing him. leaping joyfuIly
about him
Doctor warden, prison guards
neiaEhors. started with amazement
whiIe ire mother with glad cry ran
Forward . ,,,,.. J. ,,,,-
.,rad and sank exhausted on the
~sse4 I'm take my whuppIn'
BIT be never gotit