imprisonment slipped away. I regained my liberty on Monday. I received
my five dollars and immediately started for my home, in Atchison. On
my arrival, Monday night, I had four dollars and ten cents. On Tuesday
morning I went to the proprietor of the Opera House, in Atchison, and
inquired how much money was necessary to secure the use of the
building for the next evening. "Fifty dollars,"was his reply. I gave
him all the money I had, and persuaded him to trust me for the rest. I
informed him that I was going to deliver a lecture on my prison life.
He asked if I thought anybody would come to hear a convict talk. In
answer, I told him that was the most important question that was
agitating my mind at the present moment, and if he would let me have
the use of the Opera House we would soon settle that question. I
further told him that if the receipts of the evening were not enough
to pay him for the use of the house, that I would pay him as soon as
possible. He let me have the use of the house. I advertised in the
daily papers of the city that I would lecture in the Opera House the
following evening on my prison life,--admission fifty cents. I
thought if the good people wanted to come at all they would come even
if they had to pay well for it. I was very restless from the morning
that I engaged the Opera House until the next evening, at which time I
was to speak. I did not know whether I would have any audience. If
not, I was fifty dollars deeper in debt. The evening for the lecture
came, I went to the Opera House prepared to interest anyone that might
put in an appearance; I entered the building in the rear, and took my
position on the platform. The signal was given and up went the
curtain. I was highly pleased when I saw my audience. The building was
packed. The lecture was a financial success. In this manner I secured
a nice "stake" for future use. I delivered that lecture for several
weeks in Kansas, and made a thousand dollars above expenses. To return
to my first afternoon in the cell. I thought of another scheme. I