The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-12-23
A CYCLONES WORK.


course prison ol1cialS stood over the
workmen with loaded rifles and revolv-
srs, so escape was as difficult as when
they were within the walls.
But something came up in COMPARE
son with which the rifles Of the guards
were but as popguns. Kirby looked
up from his work aud saw black
cloud coming that looked more terrible
than the judge who years before had
passed sentence upon him. 1t was bal
loon shaped, the neck trailing on the
ground. He glanced at the guards and
paw that they were standing with
their backs to the prison wall, with the
cloud also behind them. He worked
~ and said nothing, but hope was
rising and swelling In his breast
1t passed between him and his
guards Being forewarned, he threw
himself fiat on the ground and held on
ID stout bush When it had passed
The guards were nowhere to be seen.
There was method In what he did
when he started TO run In the wake OF
the storm. 1t was the only direction
le could 90 to find possible safety. He
IAN mile over ruined strip OF coun-
~, when be came to small village
mat had been wrecked. Before
louse that had been turned around
md blown over on its side a man was
Ying on his back dead. Kirby no.
iced that the head had been disfgur-
ID beyond recognition. He was plan
ling ahead, and his plans were made
With lightning rapidity. He took the
lead mans clothing for himself and
put his stripes on the dead man.
Then, taking up the body, he carried 1t
% a distance from the wrecked village
ind threw it In ditch TO make 1t APP
pear that II had been carried by the
cyclone from the prison.
The storm had no sooner passed than
parties were sent out to scour the
country for those c0nvicts who had
escaped. But they were not the only
persons moving about. without the
narrow belt traversed by the storm no
pne had been injured. and rescue par
lies were coming from all directions.
Kirby, whose long confinement had
brought i'll health. had by this time
ksed up all his strength. In the out
skirts Of the village house had been
reduced to a heap of kindilng wood.
Kirby decided to crawl In under the
wreck. He had wormed himself IN as
far as possible when rescue party
came along and, seeing his boots, I'M
covered him. Feigning death, he lay
on his back, but one of the party put
bis ear to the convict's heart and heard
It throbbing. Liquor was poured down
bis throat, and he knew that his sham
could not be kept up. Through partly
closed lids be saw that no prison Off
cial was present. and he opened his
eyes. He begged the party to leave
him and go'on to others who needed I
their attention. They were persuaded
and did as be suggested.
Then came another party, and the
convict mistaking them for searchers
from the prison, again feigned death.
By this time 1t was dark, and his eff
fort was more successful-almost too
successful They began to dig beside
him. and when they had made a shall /
low grave they put him in and COW
cred him with earth. He was about
TO cry out. when it occurred to him
that they were not burying him deep
and the earth above him would be
loose. No sooner had the shovelfuls of |
clods ceased TO pound him than he be-
gan to push them away for air.
Meanwhile all who could be spared |
from the prison were securing the
country far and wide. Judging that
those who had escaped would attempt
to hide in the track Of the storm, they
followed 1t, and one Of them. Jim
Mackin, came upon the body wearing
Kirby's stripes. He identified it as
Kirby BY the clothes and concluded
that there was one less prisoner to be
recaptured. Being well armed, he
pushed on alone. AS the burying party |
were completing their work Of coy
ering Kirby. Mackin was approaching
the grave, and they disappeared In
the darkness just before he came up.
Seeing something moving directly be-
fore him. Mackin threw light from
bis lantern upon the spot just in time
to strike the corpselike face Of Con-
Wet Kirby rising from the grave.
Prison officials are not likely to be
easily ratified, but Mackin had few
minutes before seen the body Of the
convict, and the sight OF the dead |
mans features confronting him In this
fashion was too much for his nerves.
Throwing down his gun and lantern.
be ran as fast as his legs would carry
him.
Kirby, kicking or the earth, arose
frim his grave, picked up the lantern
and was hurrying away when he saw
the light glisten on metal and found
the gun This gave him courage. He
could either appear to be hunting for
bodies or convicts as lie. liked He
worked his way through the people I
scurrying about till he heard distant
locomotive whistle. A few minutes
Iater he struck the rails and By the
lights near by station. Best Of all,
the locomotive headlight shone far /
down the road and was slowly grow
Ing brighter. Throwing away his gun
mud lantern, be ran for the station and
reached 1t just as the train pulled out.
Being without money and fearing tho
station would be watched. he darted
under a car and clung to the bottom.
Ralph Kirby is now sheep raiser
In Australia. He has been hunted for.
not to be again imprisoned. but to be
Informed that the man who committed