The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1909-11-05
A PARAD0XICAL plan
Rx HOPE HOPKINS.


lCopyright, 1909, by American Press Asso-
ciation.l
Just previous 10 the opening of the
American Revolutionary war young
Marylander named Edward Mower,
having ruined himself financially at
|, gambling was very fashionable
in those days-enlisted In British
regiment stationed at Baltimore. When
the war came on Mower, whose sym.
pathies were with the colonies. desert.
ed and Joined the patriot army. Taken
prisoner ut the battle Of Monmouth. he
was recognized as a former British
soldier and court martial ordered ia
try him for desertion.
While Mower was waiting trial he
was lodged in jail at Trenton. One
morning his cell door was opened. a
young woman of about twenty years
of age entered, and the door closed be-
hind her. The prisoner looked ut her
in surprise.
81 have been admitted here for five
minutes conversation with you." she
said, "by order Of the commandant, II
having claimed that you are relative
of mine. and wish to give you some
information to be used In your de-
fense."
but never saw you beforew ex.
claimed the prisoner. "What informa-
ton can you have for me?'
None that will save you from con.
viction. am told by those who know
that you will be shot. wish to aid
you to escape. Here are some pellets
containing drug that will make you
ILL., Take one every hour for three
hours. wish to secure your removal
to a hospital where may be better
able to serve you"
But why this interest in me-a
stranger7"
She was silent for moment, looked
at the floor, then said. do US tell
you and ask no questions"
Mower was making another effort to
discover the cause of this remarkable
incident when his cell door opened and
the girl was summoned by the guard.
AS soon Us she had gone he swallowed
one Of the pellets she had given him
and in IN hour swallowed another.
The guard when he came to leave the
prisoners noon meal found him CIV
ing unmistakable signs Of illness.
Mower was carried to a hospital.
AS soon as Mower got better he
swallowed another pellet and another
and another. renewing the doses every
day. He overshot the mark, taking so
many that one morning he was thrown
into commissions which ended In un-
consciousness. When he came to him.
self again be found his body covered
from head to foot with sheet. He
was about to throw it off when he
heard footsteps and few moments
later the voice of hospital steward
say:
HE died in commissions"
"When" asked the surgeons voice.
"Half an hour ago"
The footsteps were heard passing on.
| Soon Mower felt himself lifted by two
| pairs Of arms and carried out from
the warm to the cold air and laid on
some hard substance. Then he heard
bolt shot, and all was still. Throw.
ing the covering OF his face, he saw
that he was resting on table In q va.
cant room. Beneath him on the fool
was corpse. He was In dead
house. There were two windows II
the room. and from the light coming
through them Mower knew that it waf
day. He dared not move for fear o1
attracting attention. He heard thu
town clock strike every hour from 1.
to I. Then it grew dark, and he deter
mined to examine his surroundings.
i The windows overlooked shed, be
! You'd which was back yard, and a
J. the farther end Of this were trees. II,
waited till all the lights on the prem
Uses were extinguished. then stepped
out of window on to a shed beneath
let himself to the ground and ran t
the back of the yard. Climbing
fence, he found himself in the bacl
yard of other premises.
Mower was In night clothes IN,
dared not enter street lest he al
tract attention He waited, shiverinl
| till a late hour, then. making sur
E that no one was near, passed throug
the yard and stood looking up an
down the street on which the prem
4 Uses faced. Heuring the watch az
Z proach crying Eleven o'clock and all
WELL" Mower waited till he had pas
ed, then ran like deer till, reachin
: the town limits, he found himself In
y wood. Seeing a house standing by I
self and assuming that the inmate
s were patriots, he knocked and told hi
I'll story. He was furnished with clothin
. and piloted by one of the family Il
ward Morristown, where he entere
the American lines.
d Mower rose to the rank Of major
q the American army. The mystery I
his escape was unsolved till the end I
L the war. Then one day he receive
3 an anonymous letter from Baltimol
in q. woman's handwriting announci1
that II when he had occasion to Wis
e that city he would call at q certa
n house he would be furnished VII
some information that would intere
him.
N Mower lost no time in making Il
HI journey, called at the house designl
!. ed and was there received by the lat
= who had visited him in prison. II
u. pleasure expressed In her face. blu
,d and shrinking, gave him the key
her motives. She had seen him win
- she was a girl Of fifteen and had Civ
" him her heart.