The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1910-01-06
4 PARADOX|CAL PLAN |
BY HOPE HOPKINS.

Copyright 1909, by American Press Asso-
citation.
| Just previous to the opening of the
American Revolutionary war young
Marylander named Edward Mower,
having ruined himself financially at
uards-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 at the battle of Monmouth. he
was recognized as former British
soldier and a 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,
young woman Of about twenty years
of age entered, and the door closed be-
hind her. The prisoner looked at her
in surprise.
u have been admitted here for five
minutes conversation with you" she
said, "by order Of the commandment,
having claimed that you are relative
of mine. and wish to give you some
information to be used in your de-
fense."
But l never saw you beforev' ex-
claimed the prisoner. What informa-
ton can you have for me?"
None that will save you from con-
viction. l 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. l wish to secure your removal
to hospital where l may be better
able to serve you"
But why this interest in me-a
stranger?''
She was silent for moment. looked
at the floor, then said. DO as 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 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 overshot the mark. taking SO
many that one morning he was thrown
into commissions which ended in I'M
consciousness. When he came to him
self again he found his body covered
from head to foot with sheet he
was about to throw it off when he
heard footsteps and a few moments
later the voice of a hospital steward
say:
He died in commissions"
"When:' 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 table in va
cant room. Beneath him on the floor
| was a corpse. He was in a dead
house. There We're 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 {. Then it grew dark. and he deter
} mined to examine his surroundings.
+, The windows overlooked a shed, be.
yond which was a back yard. and at
: the farther end of this We're trees. He
: waited till all the lights on the prem
Uses were extinguished. then stepped
! out of window on to u shed beneath
let himself to the ground and ran tc
c the back of the yard. Climbing 6
b fence, he found himself in the bach
S yard of other premises.
Mower was in night clothes anC
: dared not enter a street lest he at
tract attention. He waited. shivering
till late hour, then. making sure
7 that no one was near. passed through
:, the yard and stood looking up anC
v down the street on which the prem
f ises faced. Hearing the watch ap
proach crying ELEVEN O'Clock and ALL
e WE'LL" Mower waited till he had pass
q ed. then ran like deer till. reachin;
. the town limits. he found himself in
= wood. Seeing a house standing by it
% self and assuming that the inmate
wera M triotS no knocked and told hi
story. He was furnished with clothing
a and piloted by one of the family to
:, ward Morristown, where he entere,
,e the American lines.
a Mower rose to the rank of major il
the American army. The mystery o
ls his eScane WAS unSolYed till the end o