The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1913-09-12

Within an hour was lodged In jail
In small town built on the bank of q
stream. The sheriff told my captors
that Tor. rather, the man / had been
mistaken for-was full of tricks and
was doubtless now engaged in playing
one OF them. He would call the vigi.
lance committee together and have me
tried and hanged as soon as 1t could
be reached. Meanwhile he thought Id
be safe In the stone jail back of his
house. II tried to escape he would
save the committee the trouble.
heard him say this. Indeed. he intend.
ed that should.
He soon left the place. and / gave
myself over to thoughts of no pleasant
character. If l made no effort to get
out and away when the committee ar
rived l had every chance Of being
hanged. And yet l was appalled, by
his threat. but not so much so as to
prevent my looking about for loop
hole.
The jail was an old stone smoke
house, with a door made of iron bars.
1t was getting dusk when i saw girl
somewhere between fifteen and seven
teen years old come out of the back
door of the jailer's house and take up
an armful Of firewOod. l called to her.
She dropped the wood and came to the
door Of the Jail.
"What dye want?" she asked.
"Have you any feeling?" / asked.
Instead of replying she stood looking
at me. silent and l went on. / told
her my story as l have told 1t here and
asked her If she could and would find
q way to aid me to escape, assuring
her that If she did not would be sure
ly hanged by mistake. / saw sympathy
yelling up in her eyes and had hope.
II can't. Pops gone to get the COM
mittee, and nav she's gone over to
Aunt Sarah's. Pop he's got the key
o. this door with him."
How long will they be gomez"
NAV she told me to git supper and
have 1t ready at 8 o'clock. Reckon she
and popIl be home by then"
"Is there any one else In the houseT
"No."
There was a good hour in which to
act. asked the girl II there was
crowbar In the house. She didn't re-
member any such implement, but she
thought one Of the bars intended for
the door of the Jail was in the wood
house. 1 asked her to get 1t for me-
She started to do so, and 1t occurred to
me that she would suffer by aiding me,
and called her back to ask her what
they would do with her II they knew
she had helped me to escape. She said
she didn't know, but she wasn't afraid
of her pop, though everybody else was
He wouldn't hurt her. Then she went
on and brought me the bar.
/ worked half an hour with 1t, pry-
ing and bending the bars of the gate
near the lock, and at last succeeded in
loosening the bolt from the catch
There was also chain as an auxiliary,
but with q thick bar six feet long
got a big leverage on it and broke It.
Then / was free. The next question
was what should do to get away from
the locality. OF course l would be
followed.
"Got any horses here?' l asked the
girl.
"Yes."
"A horse won't do. / would have to
keep on open ground. where l would be
seen and his hOofs would leave tracks :"
There's boat. You might drop
down the creek. Pop keeps blood
hound in the barn to track folks with;
he can't git the scent if you go by wa
ter
1.-THE very thing. No; that won't do
either. The boat would be missed.
But I'll take to the creek. How can l
get out Of here and do it without leav-
ing tracks or scent"
II kin carry YOU"
/ looked at her. She was of good
size and seemed strong. If you can
you will probably save my life," said.
She turned her back to me. I put
my arms around her neck, lifted my
feet from the ground, and, taking hold
Of my legs. she staggered with me to
the creek, distance of several hun
dred feet. There she set me down In
the water.
"Goodby" said.
"Goodby!'
/ drew her to me and kissed her.
"How would you like to 60 east to
school and grow up lady?' l asked
her.
Her face lighted up. Can go now
with your
"No, but If get out Of this alive
and the mistake is rectiied / will write
your father a proposition to do some
thing for you to reward you for what
you have done for me-"
l held her hand and felt it turn in
mine, indicating the emotion she felt
but did not put in words. was some
time In releasing it, then waded down
the creek, turning before coming to q
bend to look back and throw her q
kiss. Her eyes were fixed on me
when l disappeared.
I learned afterward that the jailer
was completely baffied at the direction
| had taken, since there was no indi-
cation of 1t whatever. l got back to