The times-herald. [volume] (Burns, Harney County, Or.) 1896-1929, 1920-12-25

friends Be bit easy on u.s. seein as its Christmas
But the policeman obdurate, and during the pal
aver that ensued all of the party made their getaway
cep Jake and Max who too stupid to realize that
treat was the better part Of valor in this instance
AT The trial. it developed that the belonged t.
Erskene and had been appropriated for the evening by
Jake. Abraham Erskcne in the interests of propert,
owners OF his class felt it incumbent upon him tc
prosecute the Max and Jake were given two tc
iiteen years apiece in the state penitentay On account
OF us age, Jake w2s paroed upon good behavior Max
went over the rood.
-Four years have clpsed. The iron gates cang shut
behind few outgoing visitors who have been paying
christmas visits to their unfortunate loved It is
bitter cold outside this Christmas The guards me-
chancay pace the great stone walls looking to neither
right nor left matters not to them whether man goes
over the wall not Besides is Christmas eve and the
man on the wall poor uneducated ypaid for his irk-
some and uncongenia task is quite as much dissatisfied
with the world as the he guards Both alike have
come to feel through long years of prison fe with all
the nwrten hates and nsues and crueties which daily
ma their place in the community fe but find no echo in
the Official repos-alke they feel the injustice of the
system though unable to frame better one.
shadowy figure creeps up to the wall. BY means
known best to the crafty longsuerng prison inmates he
scales the wall
Pacing his beat the wall the guard hears slight
sound behind him. He turns quickly gun lowered His
own lie is in continual danger Death may be creeping
up behind him. The shadowy form is some thirty PAGES
away crawling slowly away-toward freedom II is the
duty OF the guard to shoot instantly to KILL without ques
non ne raises his gunrthen lowers it. turns his heel
and continues his beat Reaching the end he turns to 90
back. No one is in sight merry Christmas" he utter
softly. You have done your time Max and then some
maybe It's all right and maybe ain but I'm damned if
III plug you-on Xmas eve"
Half an hour later the guard fired his rifle four times
succession, and turned in the General hlorrr To the
guards and officers who rushed to HE asestanco be told
urd story of how he had been attacked IN escaping
onvict md thrown from the wall Tho % chase er1
nediately, but the dogs lost the trail
The captair g the Guard looked TO ground over
lied up the situation walked up to the oqrd on duty and
hook hands, with knowing wink "Morr~ Christmas"
e said, and walked away
That nieht the safe of Mall and Erskeine was opened
" someone who evidently knew the combination or had
earned much about the technique of opening strange
ares They found no beraying ngerprnts or other ev
ence to Identify the theft One thing ONLY did thew find
nicely engraved card in the safe which was printed
ne words, merry Christmas"
Ihat night also, there msterously appeared upon
dooseps OF the poorer people of the great city in the
all boxes OF the sums and in many strange and nfam
crahies miscellaneous assortment of silver and gold
,ins and bank notes of small denominations A Merry
hristmas, truly for many poor starved human being
new lease OF life to many derlic almost on the brink
destruction in the seethng Maelstrom of modern citv
'e. ivy
Christmas morning there came to the prison gate 4
an who demanded admtance. At first he was refused
1t when ne showed his prison clothes beneath the over
at, the gates opened hastily :
Merry Christmas" he salrted the guard on the fence
Merry Christmas cheerly responded the guard
hu when ne mrmured something under his breath thew
q not know that he said, God I'm glad didn't plug
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