Part 61 (2/2)

Fortunately I alad you felt that the failure of my application to the Superior Court would not depress lad it has been tried It ell to demonstrate once her tribunals, are interested in doing justice My lawyers had such a strong case, froal standpoint, that the State Pardon Board resorted to every possible trick to avoid the presentation of it And now the Superior Court thought it the better part of wisdoally detained They siless phrases that entirely evade the question at issue

Well, to hell with them I have ”2 an' a stue of perseverance But I hope that the next legislature will not repeal the new commutation law

There is considerable talk of it, for the politicians are angry that their efforts in behalf of the wealthy U S grafters in the Eastern Penitentiary failed They begrudge the ”coood time However, I shall ”make” it Of course, you understand that both French leave and Dutch act are out of the question now I have decided to stay--till I can _walk_ through the gates

In reference to French leave, have you read about the Biddle affair? I think it was the most remarkable attempt in the history of the country Think of the wife of the Jail Warden helping prisoners to escape! The boys here were siood their escape, and old Saht But all the bloodhounds of the laere unchained; the Biddle boys got no chance at all

The story is this The brothers Biddle, Jack and Ed, and Walter Dor a store, killed a man It was Dorman who fired the shot, but he turned State's evidence

The State rewards treachery Dorman escaped the noose, but the two brothers were sentenced to die As is custoospel ladies,” a them the wife of the Warden You probably remember him--Soffel; he was Deputy Warden ere in the jail, and a rat he was, too Well, Ed was a good-looking man, with soft manners, and so forth Mrs

Soffel fell in love with him It was mutual, I believe Noitness the heroism a woman is capable of, when she loves Mrs

Soffel determined to save the two brothers; I understand they promised her to quit their criminal life Every day she would visit the condeospel, she would stand close to the doors, to give theh the bars She supplied theether Of course, she could not go back to her husband, for she loved Ed, loved hiht for the escape was set The brothers intended to separate iether with Mrs Soffel But the latter insisted on going with theed her not to He knew that it was sheer suicide for all of the that it would prove fatal Don't you think it showed a noble trait in the boy? He did not want her to think that he was deserting her

The escape from the jail was made successfully; they even had several hours' start But snow had fallen, and it was easy to trace two h The brutality of the man-hunters is past belief When the detectives came upon the boys, they fired their Winchesters into the two brothers Even when the wounded were stretched on the ground, bleeding and helpless, a detective e him

Jack died later, and Mrs Soffel was placed in jail You can ie fury of the respectable ood Christian women cried ”Unclean!” and clamored for the punish two years for aiding in the escape I caught a glimpse of her when she cans of deep suffering; she le before she decided upon the desperate step; then the days and weeks of anxiety, as the boys were sawing the bars and preparing for the last chance! I should appreciate the love of a woer than the iron fetters of convention

In some ways this woe and strength to rise above all considerations for the sake of the man or the cause held dear

How little the world understands the vital forces of life!

A

CHAPTER XLV

THE BLOOM OF ”THE BARREN STAFF”

I

It is Septeray in the afternoon dusk In the yard the rain walks with long strides, hastening in the dione I stand at the door, in reverie In the soate yonder,--it was ten years ago this day The walls towered ripped my heart, and I was lost in despair I should not have believed then that I could survive the long years of misery and pain But the nimble feet of the rain patter hopefully; its tears dissipate the clouds, and bring light; and soon I shall step into the sunshi+ne, and corown in the struggle of suffering--

”Fresh fish!+” a rangeing dejectedly across the yard, and stuainst each other in the unaccustomed lockstep The door opens, and Aleck Killain, the lifeti the hall Range assistant, stealthily croith him into my cell The air of mystery about them arouses my apprehension

”What's the lance at each other, s diffidently

”You speak, Killain,” Harry whispers

The lifetie, and I beco the cell The old prisoner sta and red ”We swiped it in the greenhouse,” he says