Virginia free press & farmers' repository. [volume] (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1827-1832, 1831-11-10


looked down and saw the horrible
wound. the blood pouring from il down
her neck, and over her cheeks aud long
locks. The mangled head wa. still
pressed down by the knee of the exc.
cutioner; and though I could no, see
her lace, there was an expression Of
even more dreadful import At such a
time IN the convulsive movements of
her frame.
They deliberately rolled her over on
the other side. Her hair was hanging
loose. and her coun,enance was So CO,
vered with it and with blood. that |
could distinguish nothing Of her fea.
lures but the struggling. .uiioc atm.
oppression of her breath, was unendu
rable. Some tried 10 keep up their
ierocity by CALCULATIONS Of the coarsest
kind, but few joined them; and could
hear the shortened breathing Of every
one around me.
The knife was again brandished.-
Many questions We're put. but no re-
ply was gwen. ''Are YOU so ohstinate."
| demanded the executioner; '.are YOU
determined TO answer none Of my qucs.
tionsv Then BIshmlllauI Rackhman
al Rahecm." la the maine of God, the
most merciGul, the mos, benevoIent,)
and AZ he uttered the words, a single
stroke OF his knife separated the other
ear from her head but no scream. no
moan follow no struggle could be
Derceived-sOme said that she was
dead. some that she had tainted. ]
hoped the first was true, but was
mistaken. Slowl, she began TO revive.
and her hair had been removed from
her face, and a cup of water thrown
over it;-they raised her up, aud she
sat for time bcwiIdered; at length a
checked respiration marked the return
OF consciousness-Is saw il. and felt AZ
that instant Pang which l had never
| felt before.
l knew that the sentence which had
been passed upon her. had not vet been
fulfilled, and that she had vet much to
suffer, before she was led to end the
last scene Of her existence. She knew
II too. and my heart bled for her, tho
! tried to fortify it by painting to my
self her crime and her dcpravity in the
most revolving and irritating point Of
view. but it would not do-and | felt,
that had the power been in nv hands,
her punishment would now have end
ed felt, too, the wisdom of the an
Gent custom. according TO which. all
offenders should receive their punish
ment in the presence of the Judge who
has condemned them 10 suffer ", whc.
Their he be king or governor, and la
mented that in this instance il had
been set aside. for I knew that the
Shah had merciful heart, more mer-
citul than any prince who had ever Sat
on the throne of Persia, though HE Ger
wants, alas had no pity in their bo-
SONS.
They returned 10 their work-one Of
them thrust his knife between her teeth
and forced open her jaws she tried to
struggle. but she was faint and weak,
and even had she not been SO, any re
sistance she could have made would
equally have been IN vain. Her mouth
was forced open. and then they fixed
an iron hook IN her tongue. aud drew
~ out-thc bosom heayed as if IL would
have busrt. cold sweat stood upon
her brow, her eyes giared wildly, and
she uttered an agoDizing cry like the
laugh of msniac--it was but an i'm
slant, aud then that portion Of her
tongue which protruded was cut of.
and hung like bit Of cold, raw flesh,
upon the hook.
Her fortunes were now over for a
while, and iclt relieved: bat when
she asked for water, the hollow mum
bling which issued from the bloody,
empty cavern ul her mouth. was 10 me
more he1rt-reBdiDg than all had seen
her endure.
With a composure which caImed us
all. she washed her own wounds and
her hair, and hastily arranged her dis.
ordered dress then returned 10 the
mat on which bad seen her seated ~
the morning. Her cOuntenance era.
dually resumed the expression Il had
then borne. and az the handkerchief
which she threw over her head GOV er.
cd her wounds, 700 could have disco.
vered nothing bot the blood upon the
floor, by which TO guess at what had
happened.
returned home, exhausted with the
excitement. and with The heat and pres.
sure Of the crowd, and related 10 my
assembled family, with an air Of Indrf-
ference. and even of triumph, the pun.
Ishment Of the wretch who had poison.
ed her mistress. My women layisbed
upon her every opprobrious epithet they
could think OF, and almost provoked
me to say something IN her behalf -
but thought il more prudent to dwell
on the horrors OF the punishment.
which, whatever might have been the