The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-12-03

mr.. BLAINE did not come. At
~ night a trusty brought a plate
of peas and cup of water to the
cage. During the night he had an
other coughing spell. His head
dropped over the bunk and he
gasped for air with a peculiar hiss
ing sound, and spat another mouth
full of blood.
Smallpox slipped from his bunk
and went to him.
do anything TO- you, CONF" he
asked syrnpathetically.
"Jes' Ill water" ne said weak
ly, wiping the blood from his
mouth.
CANT git no water now. Have
to call the BOSNIAN to open de
cage. Hit'd wake de hui camp up.
Never mine" Con said.
Funny, David thought, lying on
his elbow watching them, that of
all the convicts the huge Negro
doing twenty years, the toughest
in the gang, should be the one to
offer help.
IN THE morning the guard told
Con to stay in bed. Bill Irvine
brought him little sugar and con-
densed milk for his coffee.
When the crews left, the warden
took a lantern from the cross and
entered the cage. His shadow
spread and lowered over the bars
and roof.
How you this mawnin', boy?"
pretty bad, Cap'n. Had bad
spell las ev'nin'."
yeah. Well, jes' stay in the
cage. When the sun comes up sit
in the sunshine fo' a. while. That
ought to hep till the doctor comes.
I'll have you transferred to the
state farm till vo' better"
"Thank-ee, suh," Con said CRATE
fully.
NO DOCTOR
Dr.. Blaine did not come that day
either. He telephoned he was busy.
"JeS' keep him in bed an he'll be
alright" he said.
When the sun flooded the stock
ade Con tried to rise, but when he
moved, his mouth filled with blood.
But it was easier to breathe with
the door open and the pots gone,
50 he did not try to get up again.
THE stockade drowsed in its day
time stiffness. The trustees were
somewhere at work and a silence
as of the desert was over every
thing. Human life was gone; only
flies and mosquitoes. red ants and
a buzzsrd flying high across the
sun, lived with him.
1t is terrible to be alone i'm a
dead world with a dead cross
staring bleakly at you, but it is
more terrible to be diving alone
with chains on ycur feet and a
buZzard flying high waiting for
your carcass.
HOW IT WORKS
In the afternoon when Bill Irvine
returned, DR.. Blaine had not yet
come, The warden swore, but DIR.
Blaine'S appointment was political,
too, and there were many reasons
why it was not wise to protest
against the county physicians fail
ure to appear. He it was who
signed sanitation reports. He knew
the real foods fed convicts instead
of the foods recorded on paper.
Only he could legally state that d
man died of heart trouble or apo
pleXy or sunstroke after severe
punishment.
THE flies rose from the CONCEAL
ing blood on the floor when the
warden entered.
"How you feel now?"
pretty bad. Cap'n. Ain de doc
tor gont2r Gomez"
"Sho he'll come. Jes' talked to
him. Said TO you not to worry
none. You'll be settin' lively
string right soon"
Cons lips spread in a CHASTITY
grin.
mo, sub, Cap'n. I reck'n dis is
jes' about de en- o dis here niger"
The terror in his eyes belied the
grin.
A REQUEST
The warden grunted and turned
to leave.
"Cap'n," Con said quickly. as
though fearful that he would be
left alone before he could utter his
request, do you reck'n 1 could git
a preacher here to me?"
What's that? A preacher?
What the he'll do you want
preacher fo'?"
well, sub, I bin studyin' while
layin' here in dis bunk dat I never
done notllin' much to git TO heaven
an bin tlgg'rin maybe a preacher
could fix things up TO me. I'd sho'
feel better if things was fixed up"
DILL TWINE scratched his heavy
IOWlS.
1T amt figgerin' ON you passin'
out, but if you want a preacher,
why I'll git oil man Gilead down
in town TO you. Sho' I'll git him."
"Thank-ee, sub"
"Gitnl here in three shakes. Sen
+, my Ford fo'm right now"
'"rhank-ee, subj" Con repeated.
The warden sent a trusty.
"Bring'm back with you,' he in
structed. you'll find him i'll
Niger Town. Anybody'll tell you
where he is"
Preacher Gilead came, removing
his black, felt hat and bowling re-
spectfully. The white, frizzled hair
on his head shone in the sun. He.
rubbed his straggly, white goatee
nervously. His broad, dusty shoes
We-n cracked and his trousers were