Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Mass.) 1828-1830, 1829-09-08

+ lung con' his nutIered replies were lnco-
herent or unintelligible, and his sunk and
weakened eyes strained painfully on the
grated window, as if he momentarily expect
ed to see the first streak of the dawn of that
morning, which to him was to be night. His
nervous agitation gradually became horrible.
and his motions stronger. He seemed not
to have resolution enough to rise from his
seat and go to the window, and yet to have
an overpowering wish or impulse to do so.
The lowest sound startled him-but with
this terrible irritation, his muscular power.
before debltated, seemed to revive, and his
action, which was dropping and languid be-
came qnick and angular. | began to be
seized with an underlined sense Of fear and
alarm. In vain combated it it grew:uron
me; and had almost risen from NV seat to
try to make myself heard, and obtain if pos
sble, assistance. The loneliness of the lail.
however, rendered this, even, if attempted
almost desperate-the sense of duty, the
dread ofridicule, came across me, and chain
zen me to my seat by the miserable criminal
whose state was becoming every minute
more . dreadful and extraordinary.
! X
| Let us not scorn or distrust our obscurest
mlsgivings, for we are strangely constituted ;
and though the evidence for snch concIu-
sion often be in manner unknown to our
selves, they are not the less yeritable and
Just. Exhausted by the wearing excitement
and anxiety ofmy situation, had for mo-
ment sunk into that confused absence of
mind, with which, those who have been in
similar circumstances cannot be nnacquaint
ed, when my miserable companion, with a
convulsive shudder, grasped lily arm sud-
denly. ! was for few seconds unaware of
the cause of this emotion and movement,
and low indistinct sound caught my ear.
1t was the rumbling of a cart, mingled with
two or three suppressed voices and the cart
appeared to he leaving the gate of the dis
NAL building in which we were. 1t rolled
slowly and heavily as if cumbrously laden,
under the paved gateway; and after few
minutes all was silent. The agonized
wretch understood its import better than
did. A gust of the widest despair came
suddenly over him. He clutched with his
hands whatever met his grasp. His knees
worked. His frame became agitated with
one continued movement, swaying back
wards and forwards, almost to falling and
IL.
| attempted to steady him by an exertion of
strength spoke kindly to him, but he
writhed in my grasp like an adder, and as
an adder, was deaf; grief and fear had hor-
rble possession. Myself, almost in state
ofdesperation-for the sight was pitiful. |
at last endeavonred to awe him into mo-
mentary quiescence and strongly bade him
at last to de like man; but the word
Death" had to him only the effect it may
be supposed to have upon mere animal ma.
ture and understanding-how could it have
any other? He tried to bear it, and could
not, and uttering stiaed noise, between o
yell and moan, be grasped his own neck
L his face assumed a dark red colour, and he
fell into state Distilled convulsion.
\
When despair had wrought with him, |
! lifted him with difficulty from the floor on
which he had fallen. His relaxed features
had the hue of death, and his parched lips,
from a livid blue, became of an ashy white
ness. In appearance he was dying and in
the agitation of the moment poured con-
siderable portion of the wine which had
been left with us into glass, and after wet
ting his temples, held it to his lips. He
made an effort to swallow, and again reviv-
ed to consciousness and h. lding the vessel
firmly in his hands, got down with difficulty
and at intervals the entire draught. When
he found it totally exhausted, the glass fell
from his hands but he seized and held one
Of mine with grasp SO firm and iron-like
that the contrast startled me. He seemed
to be involved in confused whrl of sensa-
H. "A 81 al
ness Of purpose that was appalling and af-
ter time, | began to see with deep re-
morse, that the vine had unguardedly CIV
en- was, as is always the case, adding keen
ness to his agony and strength to his de-
spair. He half rose once or twice and lis
tened all was silent-when, after the pause
Of minute or two, Sudden fit of despera-
ton seemed to seize upon him. He rushed
to the window and hurriedly surveying the
CRATES. wrenched at them with strength
demonlack and superhuman, till the iron
bars shook in their embedments.
From this period my recolections are
vague and indistinct. remember strongly
demonstrating with the poor creature, and
being pushed away by hands which were
now bleeding profnsely with the intense eff
J forts oil his awful uellflun. l TeHleHHoer at
tempting to stop him, and hanging upon
him, until the insane wretch clutched me by
the throat, and struggle ensued, during
which suppose must at length have faint
ed or become insensibe for the contest
was long, and, while consciousness remain
ed, terrible and appalling. My fainting, |
presume, saved my life, for the felon was in
that state of maniacal desperation, which
nothing but perfect unresistingness could
have evaded.
After this, the first sensation | can recall
is that of awaking out of that state OF stupor
into which exhaustion and agitation had
thrown me. Shall ever forget it? The
anxiety of some of my friends had brought
them early to the jail; and the unusual
noises which had been heard by some OF its
miserable inmates occasioned believe, the
door of the cell in which we were, TO be un-
locked before the intended hour. Keenly
do recollect the struggling again into pain
full consciousness, the sudden sense OF
cheering daylight, the sound of friendly
voices, the changed room. and the strange
looks of all around me. The passage, was ter
I