Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1914-10-20

vict found Hoa ting near Tompkinsville
Staten Island. Sent to morgue."
This report was made direct to cen
tral office. Mike Kearney was prepar
ing q new circular to send broadcast
and stimulate interest In the recapturt
Of James Montgomery when the dest
lieutenant called him and showed hin
the slip from Harbor A. He read II
carefully and handed 1t back. then pu
his unfinished composition In his desk
picked up his weatherbeaten derby anG
left headquarters for the morgue.
He asked the morgue keeper to show
him the clothes taken from the body
Of the convict brought In BY the harbol
police. He examined them and fount
the white disk and star Montgomery
had won by FIVE years Of exemplary
conduct. This would have assured
careless worker that the body was thai
of the man who had escaped only re
Gently from Sing Sing. But Kearney
was no careless worker. he asked t
be shown the body itself. but because
Of the wear Of the elements he could
make no satisfactory identification OF
the features. A month had passed
since his quarry had slipped him.
"Just q minute" be said to the
keeper.
From one of his pockets he produced
q little tin box, sheet Of white paper
and brush of camel's hair. The box
contained charcoal powder Kearney
reached into the receptacle of the dead
body and pulled out the right hand.
BE busted the finger tips with the
charcoal and pressed them against the
paper With this token US to the iden
tity of the dead man. he returned to
police headquarters.
The Bertillon records gave up the
tallying card for the finger prints OF
James Montgomery. Kearney studied
the official record and the print be had
made at the morgue and then smiled
grimly.
/ 4u6 CudESOut plluto "CtS Va ehC aH
gers Of different man!
he went back to his desk and con
inued the composition Of his new cir
cular
After the fourth night Of lonely jour.
neying beneath the stars and three
days hidden in forest hooks. drinking
from brooks and eating sparely from
his little stock Of food, Montgomery
found that he would have to change
his plan OF flight. he was now far
enough from the capital Of the 0id
Dominion to feel degree of safety
The farther he got from civilization
| on a large scale the deeper became the
conviction that he could now afford to
risk travel by day. FarmhOuses We're
far apart. and for the better share OF
each day the streets Of little hamlets
where the country people did their
trading. were deserted He abandon
ed living in the woods under shelters
knocked up hastily with boughs and
leaves and took the road at daybrenk
one morning. bis tinker's pack over
his shoulder. ready to be dropped and
put In use at the first job that offered
The whole summer was spent afoot
on the highway. In many u pleasant
farmhouse he found welcome In the
evening after a day Of usefulness.
Frequently the warm bed under the
shingles and the hearty meals offered
him in return for bis labor be felt to
be wages as great as any man might
desire. he met kindliness and godli
ness at every hand.
Sometimes he would lind host who
would keep him employed for week
or ten days. In every tiny farm settle
ment he found little white steeple
of q clapboarded church topping the
| oaks and pines, and on Sabbath days
he Joined these little congregations. OF.
fering up his constant prayer OF graft
tude for his deliverance.
The last sickly trace OF the prison
pallor had left him quickly. A short
brown beard and mustache had grown
to aid the change Of bis appearance
The large brown eyes In the bearded
face gave the suggestion Of one who
had suffered much ard who had gain
ed the essence OF divinity.
In every farmhouse he found q b.
DE, that book which Is library In II
self. Being a tinker, creature OF tn
highways and byways, he coul'
glimpse and cherish the beauties OF tn
poetry written by Isaiah and Amo
and Micah. Then. too. he gained &C
cess during the long, quiet evenings t
other books In the houses where tn
stranger was made welcome.
This wholesome. II itinerant III
gradually shaped his character to
wonderfully fine combination OF saint
nness and vigor. The dust and tur
moil of a city street again would hav
made him reel and become faint Tn
rush and confusion Of crowded hah
itation Of men would have been to hin
q veritable court for dragons.
Occasionally he would feel That IN
police net from Mulberry street wa
thrown too closely to him. Going int
villages for supplies, he would hea
about new efforts to recapture him ant
of new circulars sent out by his hunt
era. On such occasions he woul'
hasten back to remote roads aud farm
houses.
Would he ever be able to get IA
enough away from his implacable pul
suets II, agnin take nm his work Wit
machinery He had taken the nam
Of John Nelson and had saved ever.
penny that he had earned with his lit
tie handful Of tools. After makin'
long stops In various farmhouses duf
ing the autumn and the tirst winter o
his regained liberty be found himsel
on the boundary Of Virginia ana Mort
Carolina.
Ahead of him were the grpntrotto
mills of the south. with their mSria
workers and with their great masse
Of the most modern machinery turne