American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1827-06-12

or fixed itself fully upon the trial that had, with
in few hours, to 60 through and, as reflected
on it, terror spread over me almost in an instant
az though it were that my sentence was Just pro-
nounced, aud that had not known, really and Sc
rously, that | was to die. before. had eaten
nothing for "a hours. There was food, which
religious gentleman who visited me had sent from
his own table, but could not taste it; strange
fances came over me. 1t was dainty tood-not
such as was served TO the prisoners in the gao.-
1t was sent to me because was to die to morrow .
and thought of the beasts of the field, and the
fowls of the air. that were pampered for slaughter
| fe,t that my own sensations were not as they
ought to be at this time; and believe that, for a
while, I was insane. A sort of dull humming
noise that could not get rid Of, like the buzzing
Ut bees, sounded in my ears. And though 1t was
dark, sparks of light seemed to dance before my
eyes; and cuuld recollect nothing. tried to
say my prayers, but could only remember word
here and there; and then it seemed to me as if
these were blasphemies that | was uttering; l
don't know what they were II cannot tell what 1t
said; and then, on a sudden, felt as though
all this terror was useless. and that would not
stay there to die; and jumped up and wrenched
at the bars of my cell window With a force that
bent then--for felt as if had the strength of a
lion. And felt all over the lock Of my door;
and tried the door with my shoulder-though
Knew it was plated with iron, and heavier than
that of church; and I CROPPED about the very
walls, and into the corners of my dungeon
though | knew very we'll, If I had had my senses.
that it was all of solid stone three feet thick and
that, if could have passed through crevce small
Ter than the eye Of needle, | had no chance OF
escaping. And, in the midst of all this exerton,
faintness came over me az though had swallow
Ell poison; and had just power to reel to the bed.
place. where sank down, as | think, in a swoon
but this did not last-for my head swan round. and
ali ,..t.
betweea sleeping and waking-that it was mid
night, and that Elizabeth had come back as she had
promised, and that they refused to admit her.
And thought that it showed heavily, and that the
streets were all covered with it as if with white
sheet, and that saw her dead--lying in the fallen
snow and in the daikness--at the prison gate
When ! came to myself was struggling and
hrea!less. In minute or two | heard St
Sepuehrc's clock 20 ten and knew it was
dream that had had but could not help fancy
ing that Elizabeth really had come back And
knocked loudly at tile door ofmy cell and, when
one OF the turnkeys came, begged Of him, for
rercy's sake, to go down to the gate and and
moreover. to take small bundle, containing two
shlrts--which pushed to him through the CRATE
for had no money; and-if he would have m,
blessing to bring me bit one small cup of brandy !
10 keep my heart alive; for felt that had not
the strength of man, and should never be able
shook his head at nv request, as he went away
and said that he had not the brandy, even if he
dared run the risk to give it me. But in few
minutes, he returned, bringing ME glass nf wine.
which he SAID the master Of the Jail had sent me
and hoped it would do me good.-however, he
would take nothing for it. And the chaplain Of
the prison came without my sending lie exhort
ed me soemnly " to think no more Of cares ur
troubles in this world. but to bend m, thoughts
upon that to come and to try to reconcile my soul
to Heaven; trusting that my sins, though they
we're heavy, under repentance, might have nope
OF mercy" When he gone. did find m, self
for a little while, more collected and sat down
again on the bed, and tried seriously to commune
With myself, and prepare myself for my tate
recalled to my mind, that l had but few hours
more at all events to live that there was no hone
on earth Of escaping and that it was at least bet
Yer that should die decenty and like a man
Then tiled TO recoect all the tales that | mad ,
ever heard about death or hanging that it was {
sald to be the sensation Of a moment-to give no
pan-to cause the extinction If life instantane
ousiy-and SO on. to twenty other strange ideas.
by degrees, my head he@an tn wander and grow
anmanageabe again. put my hands tightly In
my throat, as though to try the sensation of strang
ling Then felt my at the places where
she cords would be tied. | went through the fas.
eenng OF the rope the tying of the hands to.eth
or the thlng that ! felt the most averse to- was
The having the he cap unified over my ewes and
lace II could avoid that, the res was not 50
very horrible In the midst Of these fancies
numbness seemed to creep over my senses. The f
giddiness that had felt gave way 10 dull stupor.
which essened the pain that my thought, gave me,
though | still went on thinking. The church
clock rang midnight: was sensible of the sound.
but it reached me indistinctly-as though coming
through many closed doors, or from fal distance.
BY and BY, saw the objects before my mind less
and less clearly-then only partialIy-thcn .hey
were gone altogether fell asleep.
slept until the hour OF execution II was
seven O'Clock on the next morning. when knock.