THE HESPERIAN
But he reached the home of John M , who had defended
him, a few hours niter his escape. lie was taken to his
friend's office unobserved about ten o'clock, and supplied
with proper garments. lie rc-itcratcd his innocence, and
John M was more than ever convinced that his friend was
speaking the truth, and he dctcrmind to take up his task
anew and never lay it down until he had proved that Dick A
was not the guilty one. Hence he had connived at his escape .
As the door closed behind Dick A the lawyer bowed in a
moment of prayer that the Good One would guard his friend
from further crime, at least, and if it might be, unravc
the mystery of the crime.
Into the darkness and rain went Dick A . He reached
the railroad station, but there in the shadow of the depot was
an officer of the prison, rigidly scrutinizing each one who ar
rived. Dick A 's heart sank within him. He retraced his
steps, but afterward tried to reach the other end of the
depot building. Persons were constantly arriving and he
feared to venture too near. All at once the officer of the
prison started around the building. Dick A turned and re
treated. He followed along the track, away from the depot,
until the officer turned and went around upon the other side.
Dick stopped and glanced around.
Quick as a flash of lightening an idea came to him, such
as only can come to a desperate man. In it he saw his only
chance of escape. Quickly he put it into execution, for the
thunder of the long express train was rumbling in the dis
tance. Y was what is called a division station, That is
engineers were relieved, and engines were changed there.
A short distance away on the side track stood the engine tha
would pull the train from Y to the next division point
In a few moments Dick was upon the cowcatcher or pilot.
A rash and dangerous act it would seem. But not so much
so as the reader might think. Sometimes a box of tools or
something else is placed, by workmen, upon the pilot of an
engine and carried to another station. It is true this is done
generally upon day trains but Dick A risked all
chance of discovery from this circumstance. He drew his
rubber coat, with which the lawyer had supplied him, over
his body and curled himself up upon the pilot. He re
sembled a bundle with a blanket over it, and in that drizzling
rain it was improbable ihat he would be discovered.
The engines were changed, and such was the length of the
train that the engine upon which Dick A crouched was far
ahead of the depot. Again and again the prison officer went
through the train, but failed to find the one he sought. The
engineer and fireman remained in the cab. Neither of them
could notice the closely crouching form upon the pilot unless
they descended to the ground.
The train started and soon the roar and rush of the train
was heard as it sped along toward the next station. For
quite a distance from Y the stations were small and upon
such a night there were no passengers from them. The station
agents noticed, perhaps, the queer looking bundle upon the
pilot, under the glare of the head light, but failed to inquire
what it was.
Thus the fifth station was nearcd. It was a large one, and
a few persons were waiting in the doorway for the train.
Dick A noticed this and as the engine rushed past the
depot and then slowly stopped he slid off the side farthest
from the depot, sped along the side of the train, and then
boarded it with a cool demeanor. He was not molested. lie
went as far as the next division station lacking one station.
He dared not go there for he knew officers warned by tele
graph would be on the watch. He lingered at the small sub
burban station near there until daylight and then walked into
the town. In a few days he started again and was safe, at
least for a time.
Three months passed and John M had learned of the suc
cessful escape of his friend. He was on the point of sending
Dick's wife to him when an incident occurred that fulfilled
all his hopes.
In a drunken row a well known ruffian was fatally injuied.
He made a confession that he h?d committed the murder of
which Dick A had been pronounced guilty.
The proper steps were taken and Dick A was pardoned.
He returned to Y and is a most exemplary man today.
But only to his friend John M he relates the details of his
escape.
CURRENT COMMENT.
We wish in advance to bestow upon Doanc our heart felt
condolings upon the result of the interstate oratorical contest,
so far as that college will be concerned. For several years
this one-horse institution, has regularly sent up an orator as
the "representative of Nebraska colleges," gaining for
itself considerable advertising merely at the cost of much ridi
cule for the "representative," and the consequent mistaken
idea imparted concerning the quality of the educational facili
ties of the state. A late number of the Owl prints
the Doanc contest oration and we are sorry to
say that it gives not the least evidence of the kind of merit
needed to make a winning oration. The production is
only a fair essay, such as Freshmen write with us, and de
serves no commendation whatever. Our sympathy goes out
to the victim of the littlb fiasco krown in Crete as the Ne
braska State Oratorical Contest; but for the sake ol hoping
we shall hope that he may obtain some compensating re
ward, if it be only in the shape of experience.
The way of the thirsty one upon the campus is hard nowa
days. Hc wishes a drink (of water.) Amid pile of stone
he finds the hydrant. A long piece of hose is generally at
tached to it. The thirsty one follows up the hose, finds the
end of it in a mortar box and stoops down; but the faucet is
not turned. He patiently waits until a fellow student comes
along and then politely asks him to turn the faucet while he
drinks. Of course the student assents and the thirsty one
inserts the end of the hose in his mouth and waits for the water.
It is generally comes in a hurry, squirts or streams behind
the thirsty one's shut bosom, chokes him, soaks his collar,
dampens his socks and washes off the shine from his left shoe.
As a result about half a barrel of water is poured on the
ground instead of down the thirsty one's throat. A mad and
fuming student goes to class as thirsty as ever, and eternal
enmity is sown between the one who bit the end of the hose
and the one who turned the faucet. Oh ye gods and little
fishes! Why don't somebody manufacture a tin cup?
A debate between the Young Men's Prohibition Club and
the Young Men's Republican Club will soon take place. It
is to be hoped that the representatives of the clubs in
the debate will not descend to the level of mud throwing or
indiscriminate abuse. It is all right to tell the truth
concerning either party but it must be the truth. Agaiti, this
debate will be of interest because the young men will
probably seek to find some divisions between them based
upon principles. Also, the research engaged in, will cause
the young men to sec for themselves of what each party is
composed and what its fundamental principles are, instead of
accepting the statements of some excited stump speaker. A