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Show "I don't read," Port said, handing hand-ing the paper to Winchester who unfolded it and began to read. "...And if thou should.st be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the veryjawsofhellshallgapeopen the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good. The Son of Man hath "Can I get them?" "Go ahead, but make it fast," Clancy said, turning back to his breakfast. The grate was unlocked and open, so Port didn't need any assistance assis-tance as he climbed down the ladder lad-der into the smelly dungeon. As expected, the swill bucket was full. Grabbing the handle, Port harried back up the ladder. Hehad lied about the letters. Thought I'd empty the swill pail one last time for you," Port said as he climbed out of the hole. "Thanks," Clancy said, without thinking. (To be continued) descended below them all; art thou greater than he? "Therefore, hold on thy way, the Priesthood shall remain with thee, for their bounds are set, they cannot can-not pass. Thy days are known, and thy years shall not be numbered less; therefore, fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever." Port spent a good part of the winter in his wickiup in the woods near the Liberty jail. Much of his time was spent traveling back and forth between the jail and Far West carrying mail. There was a steady stream of visitors at the jail who were more than happy to carry the mail to the prisoners and bring out messages for Port to take to Far West. The visitors also brought out reports of increasingly horrible conditions in the jail. Not only was the food unfit to eat, but was sometimes some-times served in the swill bucket. The prisoners did not receive new food until the old food was consumed. con-sumed. Were it not for bits of concealed con-cealed bread and meat brought in by visitors, some felt the prisoners would not have survived the winter. win-ter. The lice-covered prisoners had re-occurring bouts of dysentery. Sidney Rigdon, whose health continued con-tinued to deteriorate, was released early in 1839. The shackles on the prisoners hands and feet were tightened on a regular basis as the prisoners lost weight. Through it all Joseph and his fellow prisoners maintained a healthy correspondence correspon-dence with friends and loved ones, with Rockwell always on hand to make prompt and safe deliveries. Joseph received numerous revelations revela-tions while confined in Liberty Jail, and carrying those gave an added sense of importance to Port's work. On Saturday, April 6, ten armed men arrived at the jail to join one of Clancy's companions, deputy jailer Samuel Tillery, in transporting the prisoners to Gallatin in Daviess County for another hearing. Port watched closely from the safety of the woods as the prisoners weakly climbed onto their horses. The journey would take several days, perhaps providing an opportunity oppor-tunity for the prisoners to escape, but first Port had some unfinished business at Liberty Jail. When the prisoners were well out of sight, a goodmile or two down the road, Port leaped upon Bill and galloped up to the front of the jail. It being a comfortable spring day, the front door was open as he marched up the steps. Clancy and his two companions were seated at the plank table, just beginning a huge breakfast of eggs, potatoes, bacon, toast with jam, coffee and whiskey apparently celebrating the departure of the prisoners. They were surprised to see Port. "You got a lot oi nerve coming here," Clancy growled, his mouth full of eggs. He didn't get up. "One of the prisoners left a bundle of letters behind," Port said, |
