Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 10.djvu/28

 1 8 A 'Jail Adventure.

had a significant meaning until now, fine point, and are not disposed to

In ray loneliness and despair I sat give them the benefit of many doubts,

down upon tlie side of my bunk, and, "But I had become shockingly un-

half believing that a history of my balanced. The crime of which I was

strange experience in jail would make suspected, and for which I was com-

a sensation article for the newspaper, mitted, increased in magnitude as I

took my note-book from my pocket contemplated it, and was made more

and endeavored to analyze my symp- appalling by the thought that possibly

toms, and to make a pen picture of for some years my companions were

my companions and surroundings. I to be the class of adventurers whose

could not accomplish anything. Con- hideous noises and jeering speeches

centration of thought was a lost art were ringing in my ears. Strange to

with me, and I doubt if I could have say, my imagination conjured up all

correctly spelled and written my the evils that could possibly befall

name. 'Pickpocket' was the one word the worst criminal in the land. And,

in my vocabulary. I paced the floor moreover, what if the overzealous

in anxiety and misery. The more I witnesses for the government should

•exercised, the more impatient and des- identify the ten-dollar note which the

perate I became. I was in the dark- officer had taken from my pocket for

uess, despondency, and gloom of the safe keeping ! What if I should be

inquisition. Strange fancies and hal- recognized as an old offender; as a

lucinations oppressed me, and dark criminal who had ' done time ' in the

forebodings of evil consequences pos- penitentiary of some other state ; as

sessed my mind. I felt — for I fully an outlaw on whose head a price was

realized my condition — that I was set ! More, what if ray conduct in

uearing the critical point where reason attempting to bribe my jailer should

and judgment are dethroned. be construed as corroborative evi-

"I was a stranger, and they took deuce of ray guilt!

me in. AVhat if they should insist "Fear, fear in the worst possible

on keeping me? What if some re- form, was upon me. I lost all con-

spectable and reliable citizen should trol of my reasoning faculties and

appear as my accuser, and swear ray judgment. The perspiration

with convincing positiveness that at oozed from every pore in my body,

the moment the policeman's hand was and my nerves fluttered like a leaf in

placed upon my shoulder he felt my the wind. The future looked dark ;

hand in his pocket, and was all the there was no oasis in it. Hardships,

more certain of the facts because of and possibly loss of reason, seemed

the seal ring upon my finger, which among the certainties of the future,

he was positive tore a hole corre- The light and joy had faded out of

-sponding in size in the lining of his my life.

c(}at ! "In my distress and despondency

"You will observe, gentlemen, that I could not recall that I had a friend

it was a conviction with me that pros- in all the wide world who would be

ecuting officers figure the evidence likely to assist me in the hour of my

against a suspected person to a pretty great affliction and necessity. I felt

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