Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-11-10

I'm the man tnat took en-" he
said, lowering his voice.
You don't mean it,
Yes, do, and 1 come In tie nick
of time TO repay the debt. Tel me
just how you are situated"
took him into my private Office and
told him the story OF my financial mis-
fortunes. 1 owed $4,000 that 1 could
not pay and must lose a business that
! had been many years building up.
Within few months l should be able
to collect debts due me that would
enable me to pay a part OF this
amount, but even could I arrange for
an extension on the balance 1 would
have no capital with which to resume
business.
He listened 10 my story and when
had finished told me his own expert
ence since he had left me a fugitive
from injustice. He said that be had
concealed himself so near me that he
had heard every word 1 had said to
his pursuers. and consequently he
knew how well had stood by him.
had it not been for your suit OF
clothes and for your sending the peni-
Tertiary officials on a wrong track"
he added. IT should have been re-
turned to prison. What n frightful
difference between that and what has
followed Had been taken my fate
would have been sealed 1 should
have come out OF prison broken in
health, IN spirits and In pride. Very
likely / should not have had the
strength and courage to start In for
an honest pursuit. No one would have
given me employment as an ex-con-
Wet, and II l had obtained It as one
in good standing my record after so
long a confinement in prison would
surely sooner or later be known
should therefore have been obliged to
make a series OF starts, TO be fol-
lowed by as many setbacks, and my
pluck would never have stood such a
strain.
"As It WAS, when I heard you send
my pursuers across the river after me
l made a resolution. ! vowed that If
1 made good my escape and could losS
my identity as a convict l would de-
vote all my time till 1 should be dou-
BILE the age ! was then In heaping up
the wherewithal to repay you for
turning the scale from misery to com
fort.
'T had heard a great deal about
the opportunities for advancement at
fOrded in the west and determined to
go there. The next night guided by
the north star. 1 Travelled westward,
hiding again by day. i knew the tel
egraph and the newspapers would
reach out to long distance and many
persons would be watching for me.
Therefore 1 dared not travel openly IN
til l had reached a point far distant
from the prison.
For three nights I Travelled in this
way, eating nothing but some berries,
for so great was my terror at being
returned to the penitentiary that I
dare not ask for food. l got plenty
of water, and once coming upon a cow
which had strayed into a wood pass
ed through / MIXED her. She fur
nished me with strength that lasted
me for another day. On the fourth
day early in the morning on approach
ing a town 1 met a boy delivering pa
pers. / asked him to let me read one
of them and saw an item stating that
I had not yet been caught, but the
police were on my track and were
sure Of landing me within a few days.
'The truth was that they had 10
idea Of where 1 was and only made
the statement TO cover their inability
to find me. But the statement filed me
with fresh dread, and instead of en-
tering the town went again into hid
ing Later, meeting a tramp, he made
some signs to me. supposing me to be
one of the fraternity. But l did not
understand them. However. he gave
me a pointer, and after that Travelled
as tramp.
But since my adventures TIL
reached the place in the west, which
/ made my home would ill book. 1
will pass over them and give you the
summary. / appeared there one morn
ing and went from store to store, fac
tory to factory, hunting for work. One
kindly old gentleman seeing that /
was worn out bodily took me ia and
gave me food and work. Il passed IN
der an assumed name and soon regain
ed my strength.
HAD it not been for my vow with
spent my money as 1 earned IT. AS
it was, my whole mind was bent on
my purpose OF repaying you for bring
ing about that enormous difference
which exists between jailbird and n
respectable man. AS soon AZ ] had
saved a hundred dollars my employer
pointed out a way for its Investment.
and, having once acquired q taste for
rolling up money, 1 never tagged in
It. For several years have been able
to repay you for your kindness, but It
is only lately that I got on your
track"
My jailbird produced $4,000, which
he put into my business, becoming my
partner soon discovered that he
possessed rare business talents and
submitted 10 his guidance We are
getting rich, and my partner IS great