THE OMAHA DAILY 11 EE: TIIUDKSAV, FEIVRVATIY 14, 1001.
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HOW FAIRFAX DID NOT ESCAPE.
By TIG UK HOPKINS.
(Copyright, 1900, by McClure, 1'hltllps & Co.)!
I.
Thr turrlcn.
Eighty degrees In the shade and there
bj no shade!
"Old" Kemnant perceived by a stealthy
movement of bis bead that the warder's
back was turned, nnd setting down his
barrow he pulled oft his cap and wiped his
steaming head and (ace. The younger man
went on swinging his pick as steadily as
over,
The outdoor gangs had been at work
nearly (our hours under that smiting
zrnlth, and the gray-whlto quarries were
as beds of fire. Civil Guard Tuck went to
and fro on his sentry beat against the wall,
the sun gleaming from tho barrel ot his
rifle. Kxccpt (or tho rifle on Mr, Tuck's
shoulder, that boundary wall would have
seemed small enough; "Old" Kemnant was
certain bo could tuko It at a vault. Uul
Mr. Tuck had onco severed with a bullet
tho splno o( a man who was curious to
know Just what height lbs wall was. I
suppose tho man alio wanted to know what
was on the other side of tho wall, (or In
seventeen years he had not passed beyond
It.
It was nearly 11 o'clock, and those hor
rible quarries under that vault of Arc
would grow yet more promethean hot.
"Old" lloiunant went (orward with his
barrow; a brawny convict of llvo or slx
ami-forty, as fluo as steel, tho skin of his
face, neck, arms and hands burned almost
walnut. Ho had a long Irregular face, with
bluo eyoi), straight nose, and a beautiful
square mouth stocked with tho whitest
tocth. What hair tho convict barber had
left him was just passing from deep brown
to gray. Ids arms wcru tattooed profuicly
and ho was especially proud of tho death s
bead on his right forearm1. Ills knlvker
bocker suit of drab had the yellow facings
of a second class prisoner, for, "Old" Item
nant could nover stay long In tho II rat class,
and tbo .figures on his slecva-badKO, told that
ho must wearthat suit (or ten dreadful
years.
Ho cast a look beyond thr wall, tho look
of a man who would do very. InJlscroot
things If chance would but glvn him the
very tiniest opening. For-Just beyond that
paltry barrier lay tho fair world of free
dom, cribs to rruck, race courses where you
could bet the odds, flash houses to drink
and gamble In nil night, music hall, women
friends, and qulot publics south of the
Thames wbcro you could enjoy a bit of
cock fighting undisturbed.
Dut, abovo everything else. It was tho
thirst that plagued him, nhd "Old" Rem
nant's eyes were fixed upon 'the greon sign
board at the door of tho Plum ami Feathers,
right In the middle of tho village street,
which was Just visible from tho purgatorial
quarries. Krce men were in there, out of
tbs accursed sun, drinking what they
pleased. "Old" Remnant almost fancied he
could hear the nlo (low frothing Into tho
pewtor pots, rive years slnco ho bad raised
a pewtor to his Hps! '
The young man continued steadily to
swing his pick.
''Matey!" whispered "Old" Remnant.
"Well?" And you could tell by the voice
that tho younger ono 'was a "gentleman
lag," a "toff." His slcevu carried the
flguro D.
"How does teetotal stand It, matey?"
"O, protty well!"
"Ugh, I b'd drink tho blooming' silver
Thames!"
"Now, then, old un!" cried the 'warder,
"you'll catch a cold If you tako It so easy
there!"
'':Rltht-.alrli'- .chuckled 'lOld'YiKtmn.int,
who could swallow a hint proffered Jest
wise. The officer In charga of tho quarries put
his wblstlo to his llpc and blew tho "Cease
work."
"Slops on and fall In!" said tho warder of
"Old'' Remnant's party.
The sun smoto him sorely through his
stiff cap and serge tunic nnd the swdrd at
his bolt seemed to scorch his leg, but not n
musclo of him was relaxed.
Drawing on their slop Jackets, the men ot
each party formed In double tile: party ad
vanced to Join the party; the military guard,
sweltering In their scarlet tunles, camo
behind and the civil guard, with their
guns o shoot dowii lags, brought up tbo
rear. Then tho long drab column began
limply to march through tho burning
quarries.
ncsldo "Old" Remnant walked Fairfax,
the ono with tho 5 on his sleeve. Ho stood
two Inches abovo his comrade and was
rockoned tho best looking of her majesty's
convicts In Longstaff. "Old" Remnant, who
was fastidious In his choice of a pal, had
frozen to Fairfax, who had sacrificed his
liberty for Ave years In an hour of political
sleep-walking' In Ireland. Ho was' tho only
"political" on tho roll of Longataff, though
thoro woro two or threo scores of "gentle
man lags," with very ungentlemanly records
at thetr backs. In all that drab-colored
column, moving slackly through the fervid
dust of tho quarries, Fairfax1 was, perhaps,
tho only one who had'nevcr stained his In
most self through tho eight and twenty
years of his Quixotic life.
From tho broiling gray-whlto quarries to
the bllstorlng gray yards ot tbo prUon and
up the asphalt slope to tbo parade, ground.
Search parade, caps off, slops unbuttoned,
arras outstretched, as If (novels excepted)
you could fetch In a hook or a tllo or a
saw from the quarries of Longstaff!
Tim deputy- governor, In from his canter
by the" river, fanned himself with his straw
and clicked a spur against n buttress of the
clock tower. Ho nodded to tho che(
warder as the parties were checked off, a,nd
aid "Hurry up" at Intervals
"Ahl Tou'ro wantln' that, whisky 'an'
soda, ain't you?" muttered "Old" Remnant
"Ain't goln' to put mo alongside of one, I
expect? '
"Remnant," whispered Fairfax, "what's
wrong wttn you this morning? Don't get
in trouble,"
He had known his gang companion only
as tne wariest and most prudent of nrtson
too warders, naving a longer ac-
ers.
qualntanco with him, know tho "old un"
ss a very tough member when his foot
Itched for liberty.
"I'm all right, matey," ho said, when the
search warder had passed down the line,
"A bit of trouble, would do mo good Just
now. I can do flvo stretch comfortable, but
I gets tho hump after that. Matey, I've a
notion I'm going to sling my hook.
"Don't be a fool," said Fairfax, sotto voce.
"No one has ever got away alive from
Eongstaff.
"Ah! That's where the ambition comes
In, matey. Oh, he's ambitious. Is tho old
un!"
Three times had "Old" Remnant broken
prison, but never from Longstaff. From
Longstaff, as Fairfax said, no ono had ever
got away alive.
II.
"Krt'cdom-lluiiKor."
The next day was Sunday, and Sunday
Brought with It always one blessed relaxa
tlon. The prisoners, tonguo-tlcd on week
nays, were allowed to talk nt exercise,
"Old" Remnant seemed pleased with him
self that morning; he was sedately Jocular.
"Enjoy your hreakfas', matey?" he In
quired of Fairfax.
"I always do."
"Ah! Kver think of a steak-and-onlons
matey?"
"Well, not for breakfast."
M m! It's qurr. but I thought this
mornln'. I c'd do a steak-and-onlons all
round the clock breaktas', lunch, arfter
neon tea, and seven-thirty dinner In my
nice white choker. You ain't seo me In a
whlto choker, matey. Now, you're a chap
that thinks, and I expect you've had
dreams; believe In dreams, matey?"
"What sort?"
"Never mind! I dreamed of a steak-and-onlons,
matey, two nights before I got out
of Borstal."
"You're on that tack still, are you?" said
Fairfax.
"Ten years Is a long stretch, matey."
"You've done five," said Fairfax.
"Five's a stretch you can do on your
head. It's when you turns the corner, and
sees another bloomln Ave!"
"Pull yourself together," said Fairfax.
"You can't get out of Longstaff."
"It's a sad waste o' time," mused "Old"
Remnant; "and If you come to think, It's
rough on tho pore old queen. We cost her
one-and-elght a day, matey, and she's got a
tidy big family to And for."
"l'rhaps we should have thought ot that
before we came upon her charity."
"I don't say but we should, matey, though
It's never too late to mend, as tho croaker
told us this blessed Sunday mornln'."
"Well," said Fairfax, "now that we're In
for It, I fancy we had better accept her
majesty'c charity for the time she has been
good enough to Imposo It on us."
"It don't seem quite the square thing.'
She's gettln' on In years, an' got a blame
expensive, fam'ly, on' you an' me's a-(at-tenia'
on her victuals. I'm puttln' on flesh
myself, and who's a-feedln' me? Whose
tabl am I robbln'?"
"So you're going to try It, then. Well,
what's your plan?"
"1 ain't ezackly fitted out the expedition,
matey, but I'm a-studylng tho chart."
Thcso Sunday talks have been disal
lowed perhaps not qulto without reason,
Fairfax did not much bellcvo In "Old"
Remnant's project, for the Impregnability
of Longstaff was n kind of proverb In all
her majesty's prisons, but tho faco of that
able burglar and prison breaker was very
studious na he sat In his cell through the
afternoon ot Sunday, with tho bible across
his knees.
"Old" Remnant waB aware that every
chunco was against him, but he had seen
freedom In a vision, and he could seo noth
ing else. This Acrco freedom-hunger Is the
chief disease of convict prisons, and all tho
prison pcqplo know It well, from tho gov
ernor down to tho commonest little sneak
of a convict In his keeping. Day and night
tho lag hopes nnd pines for liberty; there
Is nothing but this longing and the dull
hopo of Its fulfillment that solaces his
bondage. For the years do not roll with
him, they trail and slug along, and seem
perpetually to loso their course, as If some
cruel hand put back tho clock a little and
a Ilttlo every day. Hut most prisoners lack
the energy, and a yet greater number lack
tho courage that Is wanted for the great at
tempt". For prison breaking Is not what It
was. A Cellini, a Casanova, a Trenck, a
Latude, a Sheppard, could scarcely cat his
way out of the thin modern prison that Is
watched and haunted nt every point, mo
ment by moment, through every hour of the
twenty-four. Dut old prisons or new pris
onsevery prison has Its master. Hostile
or pound, there Is always ono gontus who
has the open sesame.
"Old" Remnant knew that he had the
freedom-hunger very badly, nnd know that
It would got the better of him. When It
gnawed like this he had always made his
rush, and threo times ho had succeeded, but
here, for the first time, ho had neither
plan nor Inspiration; he was Ignorant of
everything that was to came. His time
was at hand for another leap at tho bars;
ho must mako that leap, but Intuition
lighted him no further.
At bedtime ho was as empty of Ideas as
at dinner time, and he wanted another
twelve hours for quiet meditation. Ho had
thought out his last escape In a punishment
cell nt Chatham. On the Monday morning.
accordingly, he refused to muster for chapel
and was promptly marched to "chokey."
"I'll get It here." said "Old" Remnant, as
tho door closed upon him In tho dark cell.
III.
Thr llrll.
Room went tho bell, the great bell In the
tower, and 1,200 convicts, less one. sat bolt
up In their hammocks and listened. Not a
warder patrolling his hall In felt shoes, lan
tern In band, but stood nnd listened to the
bell. No sound ever moves the prison an
that does, for tho angry messago of the bell
was this: "Prisoner escaped!"
It wai perfectly dark In tho cells, so, being
mid July, It could be nowhere near tho
morning; who had got clear in that abort
span of darkness?
Fairfax alone, porhaps. divined aright.
Kvory warder on night duty In every hall
glanced norvoutly nt the cells around and
abovo him. Ho know that In each of thoso
cells a convict was sitting up wlde-oyed and
with both ears straining; and whilst that
bell was clanging none could tell what next
might happen.
Happy the warder who could say, "It
ain't ono of my birds!"
No prisoner durst quit his hammock, no
warder could leavo his hall until tho door
was unlocked from the other side by the
officer o( the morning.
nut every hall was silent nnd secure, yet
still the bell kept shrieking. "Prisoner es
caped! Prisoner esca-a-aped!"
IV.
Thr Nlwht Ward or of ).
The new punishment cells were In the
southenst angle of the prison. They had
been built against an outer wall of old
Longstaff castle, at the baso ot which, some
twenty feet below tho level of the prison,
ran the small, swift river Tenc. This outer
wall, almost tbo solo upstanding portion of
tho castle, was fashioned of enormous gran
ito blocks, and Its thickness throughout was
nearly four feet.
Tho fivo new punishment cells occupied a
short corridor, ono end of; which was en
closed, while at the other end an Iron wicket
led into a little circular yard
with very high walls, whre pris
oners In close confinement were exercised
separately during one hour of the twenty
four. This yard communicated, by means
ot a stono passage and two other wickets,
with D ball of tho prison, and tho night
warder In D patrolled the far corridor every
fifteen minutes.
That night warder had just discovered
that the dark cell Into which "Old
Remnant bad been locked In the morning
was empty. Ho had seen him, a quarter of
an hour earlier, apparently asleep on bis
plank. If this were strange, stranger a
hundred times was the sight which tho cell
presented. It was flawless In every part!
Not n brick had been displaced, tho floor
ana tne celling woro wholes the fastenings
ot the door intact.
It Is little to say that the warder was
dumfounded. His feeling of the matter
went deeper, for he saw how desperately
black it looked against. h(mself, Miracles
suspended, n prisoner does not pass unaided
out of a double-proof tell and leave not a
traco behind him. He floats magically
through four feet of granite wall, or some-
ooay lets htm out.
During twenty heats of" his watch the
night warder passed In review ,hs seven
years' untarnished service, and reckoned
up his very certain chances of nunlshment,
Then ho did his duty, and pressed' his
Anger on the electric button at the wicket.
On the heels qf ho 'chief warder came
the governor, and they both looked askance
at that clean cell out of which "Old
, Rcmuant had whisked himself In fifteen
minutes, with neither chip nor filing to
betray his flight.
It was then that the big bell In the tower
laid Its tonguo to that rousing mersagc
of "Prisoner Escaped."
The night warder, an old salt with a
faultless record In the navy, and a fau't
less ono In Longstaff, stood a little on his
dignity. The governor and the chief war
der knew hlra for a very safe hand; hut
hero was a strong cell with not a stone dis
placed In It, from which a prisoner had
vanished In Aflecn minutes. Is prlion
broken and not a brick loosened, not a
bar severed? It Is Impossible to credit
miracles In the service; the night warder
disappeared under arrest.
V.
I'nlrfns I'olliirrn "Old" lleiiinnut.
When a prisoner has escaped the governor
and his staff expect to be busy. The small
percentage of dangerous convicts, found in
every prison, grows very warm. It Is angry
and envious, ripe for mutiny, and sore In
clined to follow in the footsteps of the
fugitive. And every class In the prison
except, perhaps, that o( the ''blue dress
men," whoso release Is near (eels tho dis
turbing Influence ot a bold escape.
Great that day, amongst nil the brother
hood of tho broad arrow, was tho fame of
"Old" Remnant.
Fairfax was a prisoner of approved be
havior. He kept himself a man, ni far rs
one may do under that Egyptian sway; and
having sense enough to Ignore the waspish
Incivilities ot the typo of warder who likes
to "put the gentleman lag In his place," It
was raro for him to be In trouble. In two
years ho had not onco tried to And out the
weak places In tho rules a favorlto sport
In that unsportlvo arena.
Rut Fairfax had a livelier and more per
sonal relish of "Old" Remnant's flight than
any other man In Longstaff, since ho alone
had been privy to tho design; and Fairfax
tho self-contained had the fidgets as badly
as anynno that morning. He hoped he was
not going to loso his head.
A man In ono of tho quarry parties struck
work and tald they might ns well let him
out ns "Old" Remnant. No one except
Fairfax believed that he had broken unas
sisted out of Longstaff.
"We'll run you In Instead," said the war
der of tho mutineer, and oft thoy marched
him.
Fairfax himself was twice bidden to be
brisker with his work; Fairfax the diligent
It annoyed him, for ho was working below
his form.
All tho warders wcro Inclined to show
their teeth and when a much-fretted warder
does this it may be natty for the lag within
his reach. Fairfax tad no mind to take
Are If he could help It, but all tempers wcro
touchwood that morning and the pricking
heat did not soothe them.
"Keep step there, won't you! What's
come to you this morning?"
This was addressed to Fairfax on the
march off from the quarries. Fairfax was
aware that his stop was perfect.
"Ho hanged to you!"
The Imprudent answer had loft his tongue
almost before his mind had framed It.
'Very well, my boy!" came the ominous
retort.
Early as It was tho chief warder had
dealt with n number ot petty cases (the
governor holds his court later), and his
temper, too, was on tho down grade. "Abu
slvo language" to an offlcor, ns striking too
deeply at discipline, Is never condoned In
prison. But Fairfax had a very clean bill
of conduct, and the gray-bearded chlof
warder, despite his, unwonted Irritation, was
not disposed to mako this a caso for the
governor.
"A prisoner ot your station and educa
tion," ho said, "Is expected to keep a civil
tonguo In his head, even when his temper
Is a Ilttlo tried. Perhaps twenty-four hours'
solitary confinement with plain fare will be
long enough' for you to got this lesson by
heart."
As penalties aro meted out this was a
mild one; many a roan has been tied to tho
triangles for a hot retort upon a warder.
Fairfax, then. Instead ot returning to his
own cell, was hauled away to "chokey."
Chokey, tho punishment cell, Is no longer
tho "black holo" of tbo old days, but It
Is very still and dismal, and twilight reigns
thcro through alt tho gaudy noons ot sum
mer. A deal plank Is tho only furntturo,
there Is nothing to read and "plain" Is a
generous description of tho fare. Chokey
wan unusually full that day (thanks, In the
main, to "Old" Remnant's example), or the
apartment which had been assigned to Fair
fax might have been scaled, for particular
reasons.
As ho took In Its solid proportions, his
eyo growing reconciled to the murk, his
spirit within him did obelsanco to the
genius of "Old" Remnant. What a man, to
have oluded such a fastness! Fairfax ex
amined tho Iron-plated door, sounded the
cement Aoorlng with his foot and smote the
walls sottly with his hand. How was It
done? Had "Old" Remnant bribed his
warder aftor all? If not, then the nnnals
ot prison-breaking held no feat worthy ot
a place with this.
It struck Fairfax as curious that tho wall
facing the door, which appeared to bo of
granite, was not whitewashed like the other
walls, but ho remembered that these cells
were scarcely out of the hands of the con
vict builders.
A trap In the door fell Inward and dinner
was served: One pound of bread with water;
the sybarites In tho ordinary cells were
feasting on stewed mutton and hot potatoes.
Fairfax stretched himself upon his plank
and contemplated the luxury of a noonday's
sleep. He had eaten only halt his bread and
he was hungry; But he was also wearier
than he had supposed and sleep came easily.
As ho slept ho dreamed that a voice rose
from beneath him, and even In his dream he
was conscious that he turned over and
strained his ear. Then tho voico grew
clearer, ard It said, close to him and quite
plainly: "Remnant! 'Old' Remnant!"
Still dresmlng, ho beheld "Old" Remnant
lying In a swoon on a narrow, spiral stair
way, between two walls, and It was pitch
dark. Dreaming, he arose and groped his
way downward, touched Remnant and
passed him, until, at a bend In tho spiral
passage, he saw, far below, a point of light
like a pin hole. He cried aloud cheerily and
awoke.
He must have slept away ten hours of his
sentence, for tho cell was as black as the
stairway of his dream, and he could seo the
twinkle of the gas In the corridor. Hearing
the warder coming on his round, ho lay still
upon his clank.
If he had known at that moment that he
was In the cell from which "Old" Remnant
had escaped the night before!
Tho warder passed and returned along his
beat.
Then Fairfax sat up and listened, certain
that a call was coming. It came, rising as
It had risen in his dream, from some spot
beneath him. Scarcely audible at Arst, It
mounted higher and became, a distinct cry
of
"Remnant! 'Old' Remnant!"
"It's the man himself!" said Fairfax,
under bis breath.
A pauso and the cry was repeated;
"Remnant! 'Old' Remnant!"
It was no spook. Fairfax knew the voice;
"Old" Remnant, alive, but still Imprisoned,
lay somewhere underneath.
The warder had evidently heard noth
ing; the voice had made no sound beyond
tbo ribbed and plated door of the cell.
When the warder had passed a second
time Fairfax slid down from his plank bed
and went cautiously on hands and knees
over the narrow area of the floor, pressing
It closely, inch by Inch. Then he moved
both hands slowly over the surface of the.
granite wall. Dut what ho looked for he
did not And,
Ho spent half an hour at this task, creep
ing back to his plank at tba sound ot the
warder's foot, and twice again he heard
"Old'' Remnant calling.
For a last move, when thr felt shoes bad
shuffled oft a third time. Fairfax set back
close against the granltrt wall and edged
his way Inch by luch along it
Midway beside the two side walls, the
wall at his back seemed to give. He laid
all his weight against It, and thr granite
sank behind blm like a cushion. Turnlug
around, he pressed one Anger on the spot
that gave, and the solid wall opened to
his touch.
Tho mystery was solved, the two pris
oners had happened on a secret spring
which no Anger had found (or 300 years.
VI.
How I'ltlrfiiT 1)1(1 Not i:'iii-.
Fairfax reckoned that he had from ten
to Afteen minutes for the business ot ex
ploring. Stuffing Into hit pocket the halt
loaf of bread he had preserved (for "Old"
Rcmuant, If be had trapped himself below,
must bo hungry as a ra), he pushed open
tbo tolld door In the solid wait and peered
down. It was ns black as he had dreamed
It, but he could Just make out the narrow
stairs.
Stepping out, he drew tbo door close, but
was careful not to shut It, as "Old" Rem
nant must have done.
Time was everything and Fairfax catlcd
softly upon the burglar by name. No an
swer. The "old tin," If he vsere there, was
evidently In doubt. Again Fairfax called
and this time he added his own name.
Somewhere from the dark below the answer
came:
"It ain't you, mntry. Is It?"
"Yes; where are you?"
"Slipped down the steps, and thought I'd
broke my blooming back, Fairly nabbed
this time, matey!"
"We'll seo about that directly." said Fair
tax, who knew that tho hidden passage
must lssuo somowhere.
He felt his way down until he camo upon
"Old" Remnant at an angle of the stairs.
"Are you badly hurt?" ho asked.
"No; I seem all right now, hut I'm that
sharp set, matey!"
Fairfax produced his half loaf.
"What made you call?"
"Well, matey, I rcconed the 'cat' was
better than buryln' alive."
Fear, hunger and that narrow passage of
darkness had almost cowed "Old" Remnant.
"Whcro's the 'screw'?" he asked again.
"He had Just passed when I slipped out.
At the worst, we can go back, but we'vo n
tew minutes, yet."
"Dut how In tho world did you get here,
matey? Fancy you In chokey!"
"I'll tell you that when there's time. I'm
going to see where we aro first."
As ho speke he made another step down
ward. "Old" Remnant, losing his foothold, fall
ing, swooning and coming to his senses with
the frightful conviction that he had burled
himself alive, had shouted, In the desperate
hopo that ho might be rescued and retaken.
Rut nt tho moment of his tall he was
within a few tent ot liberty.
Somo half-dozen steps brought Fairfax to
the bottom of the flight. Here, however, tho
way was barred by another mass of stono:
but Fairfax, remembering the point of light
his dream had revealed to him, groped until
ho camo upon a small round hole In tho
wall. Was this nnother door with a spring?
Ho pressed, and It yielded as the wall ot
tho cell had doncl
"Quick!" he whispered to "Old" Rem
nant, but before tho burglar had descended
Fairfax had the second door open. In an
other moment they stood together by the
switt-runnlng Teno. The governor's boat
lay moored at the bank. Liberty at last!
For both?
No; for one only.
Even as ho stood there Fairfax had taken
his resolve. For tho burglar, at war with
all authority, freedom atutiy price, but tho
course, which was natural1 .to "Old' Rem
nant was denied to tho political. For a mo
ment, with the sweet air, of freedom In his
nostrils, and the thought ot tho quarries
on tho morrow flight tempted him but he
could not steal away with' the felon.
Ho Judged that ho had still some two or
three minutes left him.
Kllcntly pointing to tho boat, he held
out his hand to "Old" Remnant.
Astonishment was writ In capitals on
those not repellant features, but Fairfax
gavo bis man no tlmo for words.
"Ooodby, old chap, and good luck," ho
said, and, slipping behind "Old" Remnant
whom ho nover sow again ho made fast
the door In tho wall.
Then ho mounted to his cell, and, closing
noiselessly behind hlra the second ot thoso
magic doors, he stretched himself once more
upon bis plank.
The night warder approached the door on
tip-toe, peeped in, and passed on.
UXCl.i: .SAM'S AHMOIUil) WAIJO.V.
Carries u IIIk Fortune Dully Tlirmigli
the Street of AVinliliiBtoii.
Almost any day -on tho streets of Wash
ington there can be seen a wagon loaded
with 11.000,000 or more in cash, or with
thousands of dollars' worth of stamps aud
quantities of the priceless paper used In
the printing of money. This is tho United
States ttcaoury's cash wagon. It might
at Arst sight reem an easy way to become
a millionaire by "holding up" tho outfit
and getting away with tho contents, but
tho execution of tho undertaking would
prove exceedingly difficult as well as
dangerous to 1 if o and limb. Although the
route traversed by this dally conveyances
of money lies In a comparatively unfre
quented part of the city and bordering a
great park, nobody has ever essayed to in
terfere with it, nor do tho treasury officials
11a awnke ot nights worrying about Its lia
bility to successful attack.
The wagon Is of bullet-proof steel, and
Is constructed In a manner to presont great
reststanco to a forcible attack. It opens
at ono end by the removal ot Immense
steel bars, and tho unlocking of an Intricate
system of safety locks. Tho body of the
wagon hangs low to tho ground and Is cov
ered with a wooden root and awning, tho
conveyance being drawn by threo great
draught horses that sometimes have a hard
pull to move tho cumbrous affair. This Is
when It is loaded with box after box ot
precious "grsonbacks," newly printed
money In bills, of all denominations, or with
the even more valuablo paper from which
tho money is made. As n matter of fact,
counterfeiters would rather havo the paper
than the printed money, for with that In
their possession they could turn out ns
much money and in as largo denominations
as they chose.
In addition to tho Immunity from rob
bery afforded by tho steel casting and the
heavy locks and bars tho wagon has tho
protection of an armed guard, which ac
companies it at all times when valuables
aro aboard. Four men, In addition to the
driver, usually go with tho conveyance.
They carry big navy revolvers on tholr per
sons, and several Winchester rlAes aro
ready at band under the driver's scat.
While the money Is being loaded and un
loaded at the treasury building or at tho
bureau of engraving and printing the es
cort guard Is augmented by tho presence
of watchmen from tho building, who stand
arotlnd In an unostentatious way, but ready
for business. A careful system of checks
and receipts requires accounting for the
contents of the wagon, and there Is no
possible loophole (or anything to get away.
Tho vehicle travels between the bureau
of engraving and printing, whero money,
stamps nnd bonds are made, and the treas
ury of the United States, where they are
stored.
The men who handlo the money become
so accustomed to seeing and Angorlng Im
mense sums In greenbacks that thoy come
to regard tho. money as so much green
paper, and It has not the fascination for
them whiih anyone else would feel In hold
ing a package of 1.000 $100 bills. When
tho money leaves the bureau of engraving
and printing It H complete, with the ex
ception of stamping a small seal upon each
bill, which Is done at tho treasury, and
after that ceremony is finished It Is ready
for circulation.
FAMED AS A LAWYER.
I'Olll, l.NCI.i: SAM'S A(ii:.TS.
Trlrli rril lij- SmtiKUler I'nrry
Thriii ThrotiKh iixlit l'lnrr.
The day of the picturesque smuggler Is
over. No longer does his swift craft steal
Into the harbor ot some seaside village In '
tho dead ot night and his brawny men pull 1
(or the bench to unload boxes nnd barrets
of rare stult and hide them on shore until
such time as they may be distributed with
out fear of tho revenue oiricer. Hut that
does not mean that smuggling Is a lost
art, by any means, (or, In spite of the army
ot men that Uncle Sam cmplojs to guard
his sources of revenue and zee that no
dutiable articles are brought In until ho
gets a shnro ot the profit on them, hundreds
of thautands ot dollars' worth of good
pass In without detection every year. It
Is estimated, says ths Raltlmoro American,
that mora than $1,000,000 worth of dlnmoads
are smuggled In every year, not to mention
other precious stones. It is n regular busi
ness and tho profriylonal smuggler Is nearly
us numerous, though not nearly so pictur
esque, ns of old.
Not only am tho professional smugglers
engaged In the business, but many good aud
worthy church members stand shivering
with fear while their baggage Is being ex
amined, lest tome articles that they well
know Is dutiable aud have tried to hldo In a
trunk or about their own persons may be
brought to light. Sail to say, not many
people's consciences aro tendor when It
tomes to trying to rob Uncle Sam. More
over, many regard It as an exciting sort
of a gamo and derive much pleasure from
a contemplation of their own cleverness
In eluding the revenue officers.
Diamond smuggling Is perhaps the most
profitable part of the business. Most of the
goms come from Canada over a regular
route from Montreal to New York. Canadu I
udinith them free of duty, so that there Is
no trouble In getting them to Montreal, but
then comes the problom of ronveylng them
across the border. Not only decs the govern
ment have a custom house wherever a rail
road crosses from one country to nnother.
but there uro a number of secret service
ngents who keep watch on tho dealers'
agents ana aro continually traveling about
to Intercept tho inessongor who carries tho
gems (or they must ot necessity bo carried
by hand, as It would be too dangerous to
send them by mall or express. The duty
on tho uncut gems is but 10 per cent. It
was mado low, so that there might not be
too much temptation to cvado tho payment
of It. Uut, nevertheless, thero uro many
sharp men and women who mako a good
profit out ot tho business and it 1 not often
that they aro caught.
ilium: .maiihiki) A.wmr.it .max.
So
i:lirrlr.l (irnom i'iiIIci! lo Come,
Mir Acrriitcil u Strmicer.
"Tho quickest wedding and honeymoon
trip I ever saw," said an old minister who
lives In West Virginia, nnd who Is now
visiting Chicago, to a Tribune reporter,
"occurred at my houso when I was living
In North Carolina. The brldo had como
to ray houso nlono on horseback nnd said
her best man would bo along protty soon
and that they wero to bo married. While
waiting for tho groom tho woman gavo
mo her name,, age nnd placo ot residence.
Sho said sho reckoned I would not object
to giving a newly married couplo a din
ner for a sendoff. It was not far from
the dinner hour and I extended tho Invita
tion. The groom, however, failed to come
and wo snt down to tho fenst without him.
Tho woman did not nppcar much con
cerned over tho disappointment.
"Later In the day a man halted his
wagon In front of my placo and asked tho
road to a certain town. He was nn immi
grant and said ho was on his way to the
far west. Ho asked if ho could got some
thing to cat. ns was common with travel
ers in those days, and I told him we had
tho romunnts of a feast which had been
cooked for n wedding, but ns the groom
didn't como wo had plenty left. Ho ac
cepted my Invitation to come In. Ho
seemed a bit curious about tho wedding
which did not como off nnd I related the
details. Ho said ho had thought n good
deal about marrying slnco ho had started
for tho new country.
"Ho asked me If the disappointed woman
took it much to heart and, when I said
she didn't act ns If tho wero going Into a
decline, ho replied thnt sho must havo a
good deal of sand, as ho expressed It, and
sold ho would like to see her.
"Sho consented nnd met him whllo he
was eating tho remnants of the feast. I
had occasion to lcavo tho room for a few
minutes and when I returned they were
standing together, hand In hand.
"'Rather than disappoint n woman,' snld
tho traveler, 'I will tako her myself. Go
ahead with tho necessaries.'
"I married them and In less than an
hcur they wero on tholr way to the new
country. Sho had her nag hitched to tho
tall end of his wagon. Ten years after that
they camo back on a visit to the old tar
heel state nnd ho told mo ho reckoned there
nover was as good a wifo as his and she
said she had thanked her stars many times
that the other man didn't show up, as she
reckoned tho roan who came along after
ward was ono of tho best of the world."
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Mr. N. F. Heitmain tho Famous Lawyer
of Kansas City, Talks About His Case.
Strong Words Telling How His Health was Restored
by Dr. Greene's Nerval's.
Mb.
N. F, IlKtTMAJf, cured by Dr. Greene's Nervura.
Mr. N F. Ileitman is one of the foremost lawyers of Kansas City, Mo.
lie Is a living example ot what a man of ability, energy aud distinction can ac
complish for himself. Mr. Heitman has risen, step by &tep, by hard work from
a poor farmer's boy to the highest pinnacle of fame in western legal history.
He is one of tho most prominent and highly respected members of the Kansas
City liar, is a graduate of the University of Virginia, was awarded the
oratorial medal at this famous university, and also received the highest
average grade in his class of a large number. Mr. Heitman ascribes his suc
cess to keeping steadily at work. Of course everybody known that the person
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GOOD WIFE! YOU NEED
SAPOLIO
Womans Opportunity
Penrose, N. G, April 21, 1900.
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In cue rMulrinr gpecUl direction!, iddreai, glrlnc
rmtitomi, "Tho I,dle' Advisory Department,7' Tb
CbctUnooga Medicine Company, Chaiunooga, Tenn.
