A yail Adventure. i
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��were searched for evidence that I was cells on my right and left and in the
a dangerous man in the community, opposite corridor. Modesty was no
and I was catechised concerning my part of their education. They spoke
birth, parentage, occupation, and age ; in the vernacular of the street, and
to all of which the answers were truth- with the familiarity of old friends and
ful, but were not believed. I was acquaintances.
told that my conduct was suspicious ; "'You've got the finest parlor
that I had been faithfully shadowed, f what's in the hotel, Johnny,' chuck-
and, painful as the duty might be, it led a small boy, who climbed about
was necessary to lock me up. on the bars of his cell door with all
"Well, I made an earnest and elo- the agility and evident enjoyment of
quent appeal to the chief. He lis- a caged monkey at a menagerie,
tened patiently. I declared over and "'And the villain still pursued
over again that I was a newspaper him,' remarked a seedy, middle-aged
man, and had an important and im- man, in a husky, stentorian voice;
perative dut}' to perform ; that to while a third person — an old man,
doubt me was little less than a crime ; who was evidently behind the bars
that to commit me was to disappoint becauseof light-fingered proclivities, —
the journal upon which I was em- said, in the glibbest manner possible,
ployed, and perhaps ruin my pros- 'My son, it grieves me to the heart
pects in life. to meet you in marble halls. You
" 'That is what they all say,' he are young, and probably think your-
coolly replied. He promised, how- self innocent of the crime for which
ever, to give my case his considera- you are apprehended. It won't do !
tion as soon as the rush of business Up you go ! In brief, it is my duty
was over. to inform you that the court — bavins:
"I was then hurried below, my considered the offence to which, by
name, age. and occupation recorded the advice of able counsel, you have
in a book kept for that purpose, and pleaded nolo contendere — orders that
compelled to accept quarters in a dis- you be confined at hard labor in the
mal cell. penitentiary for a period of five years ;
" Merciful Providence ! It was the that you pay the cost of prosecution,
worst place, as it then appeared to and stand committed till sentence be
me, that I had ever beheld. And performed.'
such companions! The vilest that " 'And may God have mercy on
ever breathed the damps of a dun- your soul !' bawled an idiotic youth ;
geon. whereupon the happy family sent up
"The key was turned in the lock, a peel of laughter that made the old
and ray captor hurriedly departed. dungeon echo.
"I was dazed and frightened. I " Oh, but it was a wicked place !
was weak and confused, and there- " There were nearly a dozen of these
fore it was several minutes before I hilarious captives, and every one fa-
fully realized what had happened to vored me with remarks or sugges-
me. I remember, though, the mocking tions.
sociability of those who occupied the "A wreck in a cell at my right ad-
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