Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-10-08


hone beeap 10 plmmer upon me. My days
must in The end be aumbered-l musi die at
Iast-I vas only perishiug little sooner than
o,nerwise mu.t have done. Even from this
thought derived consolation; and now think
life mighl have closed calmly upon me, 1t The
pangs Of hunger had been al all bearab!e; and
have been told they are much more so man
is commonly believed.
If my memory serves me correc,ly, his CAIN
state of mimi did not last long. krason soon
began to whisper 10 me, that II had been ou-
ried and the earth closed around my COLI,
should not be abk to respirr, which could
now do with ease did not, oil course, dream
Of the vaul, in which was placed, but cons'd~
cred a, frs, that had been buried in The esr'h.
The freedom Of respiration gave me the idea,
that, after all l was not carried forth tor III
,ern,en,, bu, that | was about 10 be borne 10
the grave, and that there should be suffoca-
ted ine vitality. Such is the Inconsistency OF the
the human mind, that !, who had just now re-
signed myself 10 die by famine, imagined this
momcntary mode Of draIh hundred times
more formidable. The idea tha, was moi yet
inferred increased my anx'e'y 20 be heard from
without. called aloud and struck The sides
aud lid Of the coffin to no purpose, Till | was
boarsc aid fl,igued. but all in vain. death
Iy silence reigned around me amid my unofo-
ken darkness. Iwss now STEPPED in fearful az
ony: shrieked with horror; plugged my
nails into my thighs and wounded them; The
coffi, was soaked in my blood: and by earring
the woodtn sides "f my prison with the same
maniaca feeling, | laceraed my fingers, and
wore the mails 10 the quick, and soon became
molioness from exhaustion. When was
myself once more, allied aloud my wile's
name l prayed, and, fear. l bIasPhemrd,
foi knew no. what said; and thus contih.
| ued until my strength again lets me, and nature
once more, souga, replenishmcnt from tempo
rary inSen sibillty. Atisis time had vision
e mos, ndeiin,h,Ie character, il il va, one,
aud no, glance Ca, | am induced 10 think 1t
was) ne,we>n the por ais Of death into the
world of spirits Ii was all shape'ess and form
less. Images Of men and women, pfien nun
berIcss, in a sort OF outline came before and
around nr. They seemed as it limbless from
| decay. Their fca,urpless heads MAYED upon
trunks hideously vial; in figure like bodies,
| which | have seen drawn forth from burned
dwellings,, each being rather i hideous missha-
| pen mass than human resemblance. Thick
darkness and >ilenre succeeded; The darkness
and silence OF a too horrible reality. III IS
suspected, l sept abou' This 'ims from weak"
ness, il was bul to awake again TO more lear
rul consti ousnes, Of my dreadful situa ion
Fresh, but vain, IF rs to make mys II heard
were reiterated as far as my strength would
| allow found with no grea, difficulty could
turn on my side, ard then ever on my belly -
tried by lifting my bss ard by vioen'
strain 10 burst open tie coffin lid; but the
screw, resis'rd my umos, Strength. l could
not, besides, draw up my knees sufficiently
hig. 10 aff,rd a tenth part OF the purchase
should O, erwioe have made TO bear up"n l.. |
had No. help bul to return again to he position
Of the dead, and relue an ly gain l',le ago.
nizing repose from my txertions. | was CON-
scious how We k nv exerlions had made me-,
yet re solved 30 repeat them. While thus al
rest, If inactive 'o'ture could be- drhomHated
rest, / wept like child when | though, Of
lie sunshine, and blue skies, and fr-sh air,
which | should never more eujey; how living
beings ihronged he streets, and thousand.
round me were joyous or busy, while WAS
doomed to perish in ,orrures! Why was nv
fate so differently ma ked out 10 that OF Other s!
had no INDUSTRIOUS crimes to repent Of, YET
hundreds Of criminal men were in the full re-
VERY of life! fancied heard the toll Of a
bell; GREATNESS, listened; il was clock s;rik.
iny the hour! The sound was new life to M.
/" | am not inhu med at least, bu' perhaps m
unwstCh rd; such we're my Thoughts; inte'men'
will take place; shall easily make myself heard
then" This was balm 10 me; shouted anew;
struck my prison boards with all he power lef'
me, and ceasrd only when cxertinn was no
longer possible.
/ Men msy fancy how they would lind them
selves under similar circums ances, aud on The
like trying occasions, bu' il is seldom coneo'
Judgment can be e,iousiy formed on such
matters. II was only at intervals that was so
feaffully maddened by my dreadful snue'ioa as
TO lose The power Of rational rrHec ion or
come as TO be debai red the faculty. Of memory.
Stretched IN q .,osls,on where my changes con.
sisted only Of ,uin on my side upon hard
boards, the soreness Of my limbs was rxcruci
alingly painful When | drew up ms feet
f W inches, my keess pressed he cover. OF the
fin, so ihIt this slight shift OF position
broush no relief. My impotence Ut the re-
s,rainl in which was KEEP, began a, leDg to
drive me well nigh into real madness. was
feverrd, my temples burned and 'nrohb'd, my