The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1912-03-23

nrison from the outside. ! was constantly and
closely guarded All day long was vigorously
constrained to keep my room save that from
Al nj. till noon and from 2:15 Till Ais | was
suffered to walk about the interior of the fort
yess and talk to my fellow prisoners, while for
ap.hour morning and evening an officer took
eoe for walk on the rampant to enjoy the
fresh air blowing on the height.
uWeD was bored and | wrote to this eff
feet to my people who communicated with my
ascelent friends. Never shall l forget the
warm thrill had when got the first com.
munic On telling me that my friends were
busy on my behalf.
II @che surveillance was very strict. All my
Satters were opened and read those received
a. well as those wrote. My books and news
Dapers we're likewise opened and anything Of
seditious nature was taken away. Often
when my luncheon or dinner arrived I found
HE rolls had been cut into slices in case they
might contain file. and on some occasions
Aren the fruit was sectioned by way of pre-
caution
my friends had therefore to communicate
With me in secret, and this they accomplished
by the old trick Of invisible ink. l used to
have my letters handed to me with the seal OF
The envelope open, and the letters themselves
contained nothing calculated to arouse alarm.
"But as soon as my warden had left me I
used to ungum carefully the flaps of the en-
yelope and hold the inner side to the bars of
the great white-tiled stove standing in the
room. Then as tho paper cracked and con-
hacted a line or two of writing would appear
telling me how the plan progressed and what
my part was to be-.
II too, was able to communicate with my
friends in this way, but how I managed it is
still secret. let them know that what ]
anst have above all things else was money
md some tools for removing certain obstacles
IA had noted as being likely to impede my prog
sess when the moment Of my escape arrived
Once out Of my cell, should have to open two
locked doors and then get through window
protected by stout iron bar solidly wedged
n masonry.
From the window there was drop which
was not too dangerous to jump, perhaps, but
he noise should have made in alighting on
/ the tagged courtyard beneath would certainly
have been heard by the sentries. so I had to
I have material to make rope ladder
All these observations I passed on to my
devoted friends very discreetly and at rare
Intervals
Every day I received from Paris large
we're opened In the governors quarters and
den sent in to me after they had been rough
Ntied up again with the cord fastening them
Twas this cord which attracted my attention
~ vas not the ordinary scrap or end of string
WIN which such rolls of newspapers are gen
saly fastened, but nice, new string, evidently
0sen on fresh ball I examined it carefully
and my heart gave a great leap. The cord
vas wayed
hVefy day brought its packet of papers or
tsEeWs wound up with the same strong Irvine,
saa opA day found under the flap of an en-
seopeA bill just line to this effect, 'Gardez
noeleH keep string.)
i lhe next Indication I had was the word
Aeiure' (binding), which had been written in
sssoie INK IN the envelope Of letter from
Us asue. Ever since my arrival at Glatz / had
y. parcels Of books from Paris once or
sA'es a week, and this single word at once
ssssesteo 70 me what was meant. My books
ere 70 bring me something too
], oae two, three days passed and ON the
NJ 80 my Warder brought me box of books.
M were several mathematical treatises. for
e ~ Inc engineers, mathematics have al
49, Ssa peen strong point with me, some yellow
s'.uound novels, and two or three ponderous
'ones Of history
II. iley were Frederic Masson's works on
M me Great Napoleon, a favorite hobby of mine
:. sAsfe was Josephine Tmperatrice at Paine,
III us,si Repudiee' and one or two 9TH
!, 4. WIN my penknife I slit open the backs
Ia paper-bound understanding, Then
Aa1'cai oooks-same result! Mas