The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1913-09-13
An Escape
BY LUCY K. WYNKOOP

his father, then his mOCner, anu was
thrown out upon the world at an age
when he should have been subject to
the necessary training to direct MN
in an honorable career.
Joe was a bright boy and fitted Tor
better life than robbery and passing
the principal part of his life In JAN ana
the rest of it undergoing the risk OF
iail or something else. But the time
had not come for him to show
strength of character enough to en-
able him to break away from the path
In which fate had placed him. When
he was fifteen he and some other
youngsters attempted to rob man
who defended himself till policeman
arrived. and the boys were all caught
in the act.
Joe, who was the youngest of the lot,
was sent to reformatory. 1t was one
Of those prisons where boys are taught
some trade by which to earn an hon
orable living. There was a power
house, with an engine to drive the ma
chinery in the other buildings. Joe
was interested in this engine as soon
as he saw it and succeeded in getting
himself assigned as helper to the en-
gineer. He began by shoveling coal
into the furnace. but showed such APP
titude for mechanics that he was adj
vanced to the post Of assistant engl-
neer.
To be more explicit about Joes apti-
tude, he was full of resource. Where
another person would take an ordinary
way to accomplish mechanical re-
suit he would take a short way. The
first notice that was taken OF this FAC
ulty was one day when machine
broke. A piece of work that was due
to be finished at a certain time was
dependent upon it. 1t would require
some time to procure the broken part,
and it seemed that the work it was
doing must stop Joe suggested way
by which it might be temporarily re-
paired and the work go on. Ills sug-
gestion was acted upon and the work
finished In time.
Joe became so infatuated with ma
chinery that he was anxious to get
out into the world and become ma
chinist. He was not patient boy
few persons whose abilities are Of the
kind called genius are-s0 his inventive
brain turned toward a method Of es-
cape from the reformatory that he
might go to some place where his past
would not be known and enter upon
career connected with machinery. He
thought over number of plans by
which he might get out Of the prison.
but none of them were practicable.
But at last he hit upon an original
conception, one that was allied to the
science of mechanics Some mathe-
NAUTICAL knowledge was required to
put 1t into practice. but there was a
school in the reformatory which the
boys were required to attend, and Joe
showed a considerable aptitude in a
mathematical way.
The suggestion came in this way !:
The power house was built against the
prison wall. Besides the engine, e
| contained 4 bre het elk tuz1ed
- the sllo
and furnace root zss d!
One morning ii D. Ted to -
the bel. might possibly be used as =
conveyance to carry one to the WIN
dow. whence he might lower himself
to the ground outside the prison wall
But no one could jump from the belt
| to the window without running the
risk Of being dashed against it or fall
ing to brick yard pavement below
it, or both. There was but one time
] when such ride could be taken.
That was when the steam had been
shut on and the belt was slowing up
previous to stopping its revolution.
i This was attended to by the engineer
himself at 6 o'clock every workday
evening. and there were usually other
persons. prisoners or officials, about
/ during the closing hour; therefore the
feat must be performed in presence Of
others.
| Joe found time when he was sup
posed to be studying to calculate a
point where he could jump on to the
belt, be carried to the window and
stop there. though the basis Of these
calculations was obtained by watch
ing the belt revolve previous to stop
ping. noting especially the position Of
the lacing with reference to the point
| at which the belt must be boarded.
He was months making these nota-
/ lions and calculations and at last was
enabled to fix point which many no.
tations at the closing hour showed al
ways stopped at the window.
i One evening when there was no one
but the engineer and Joe in the engine
room the former saw the boy seize
coiled rope that he had kept ready
for his purpose, jump on the belt, hold
on to each edge. ride to the window
and disappear. The engineer was too
astonished to give an alarm, and
whether he gave one at all was not
settled at the investigation that fol-
lowed the iaring feat.
/ 1t was midwinter when Joe Green
made his experiment. and it was not
only dark without. but snowstorm
was raging. Joe was never heard of
again. but much respected and
wealthy contractor for machinery
named Joseph Greer is living in Rio de
Janeiro. He never talks about his
boyhood. but has given away for
tune for the betterment Of boys WIN
are deprived of home training and
has helped hundreds Of young men
who have served terms in prison to a
means of earning an honest livelihood
Oeafpess Cannot Bo Cured
by Local applications. as they can
not reach the diseasel portion OF
the ear. There is ,lly one way
70 cure eeafness, and that is by
constitutional RENE lies. Deafness
is caused by an inflamed condition