The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-09-10
4 PARADOXICAL PLAN
BY HOPE HOPKINS.


having ruined himself financially at
rards-gambling was very fashionable
IN those days-enlisted in British
regiment stationed at Baltimore. When
the war came on Mower, whose sym.
pathies we're with the colonies. desert
ed and joined the patriot army. Taken
prisoner at the battle Of Monmouth, he
was recognized as a former British
soldier and court martial ordered to
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 at her
n surprise.
i have been admitted here for five
minutes conversation with YOU" she
said, by order OF the commandant, /
having claimed that you are relative
Of mine, and | wish to give you some
information to be used In your de-
fense.p
but ] never saw you beforer' ex,
claimed the prisoner. what informa-
ton can you have for meT
None that viii save you from con.
viction. am told BY those who know
that you win be shot / wish to aid
you to escape. Here are some pellets
containing drug that viii make you
III Take one every hour for three
hours wish to secure your removal
to hospital where / may be better
able to ser,e you
"But why this interest in me-a
stranger
She was silent for a moment looked
at the door, then said, do as | tell
you and ask no questions"
Mower was making another effort to
discover the cause Of this remarkable
incident when bis cell door opened and
the girl was summoned by the guard.
As soon as she had gone he swallowed
one OF the pellets she had given him
and in an 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 oyershot the mark, taking so
many that one morning he was thrown
into commissions which ended In IN
consciousness. When he came to him
self again he found his body covered
from head to foot with a sheet. He
was about TO throw it of when he
heard footsteps and a few moments
later the voice Of hospital steward
say:
''He died in commissions"
'sWhenY' asked the surgeons voice.
''Half an hour ago.
The footsteps we're 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
4 bolt shot, and all was still Throw
ing the covering Off his face, he saw
that he was resting on a table Ia a va
cant room. Beneath him on the floor
was corpse. He was in dead
house. There were two windows In
the room. and from the light coming
through them Mower knew that It was
day. He dared not move for fear Of
attracting attention. He heard the
town clock strike every hour from II
TO 7. Then IL grew dark. and he deter
mined to examine his surroundings.
The windows overlooked a she'd be-
gond which was a back yard, and at
the farther end Of this were trees. He
waited till all the lights on the prem
lses were extinguished then stepped
but Of a window on TO a shed beneath,
let himself to the ground and ran to
The back Of the yard. Climbing
fence. he found himself in the back
gard of other premises.
Mower was In night clothes and
Haired not enter a street lest he at
tract attention He waited, shivering
till late hour, then, making sure
that no one was near, passed through
the yard and stood looking up and
down the street on which the prem
ises faced. Hearing the watch APP
proach crying Eleven O'Clock and alps
well" Mower waited till he had pass
ed, then ran like deer till, reaching
the town limits, be found himself in
wood. Seeing house standing by it
self and assuming that the inmates
were patriots. be knocked and told his
story. he was furnished with clothing
and piNoted by one of the family to-
ward Morristown, where he entered
the American lines.
Mower rose to the rank Of major in
the American army The mystery Of
his escape was unsolved till the end Of
the war Then one day be received
al anonymous letter from Baltimore
fl a woman's handwriting announcing
that If when he had occasion to visit
that city he would call at a certain
house he would be furnished with
some information that would interest
him.
Mower lost no time in making the
Journey, called at the house designat-
ed and was there received by the lady
who had visited him in prison. The
pleasure expressed in her face, blush
ana shrinking, gave him the key to
her motives. she had seen him when
she was a girl of fifteen and had given
him her heart
sYour taking SO much Of the poison,
she said. spoiled al my plans. ! had
arranged another method for your es-
cane from the hospital. but before !