The North-Carolina standard., 1846-03-18

had been agreed upon, on the IronuelS Vi
sia Thee days from that time rumoF rumoF ie''e'ieu M
him that Lafayette had been relAen' ''l1 80
m learn the truth, he toelE5Ahe :oad to Ohnulz
Fe-vas not long left in suspense; the whole story
of the atiempted escape and the recapture OF tne
prisoner. was we'll known; and in addition 10 tnls
: he learned the fact of his generous ana osinte'-
ested friend, the young and gallant t1ugcr' nav
ing shared the same fate
,ThislIas. seems to have been too much lot tue
sensitive mind of NJ. BaIman, and, IN despair at
having been the primary cause of misfortune 10 10
the vonncr American, he resolved, since ne coulu
not rescue his friend from captivity, 10 SNARE al
,vith.bim. and voluntarily surrendcrng himself nc
-svas committed prisoner to the castle ouch was was
tho unfortunate issue of plan which, lot sKii!ui
uroiection and generous s"lf-deyotlon, 'ncFitcd
HAMMER close But even now, the trlends tlte
apprehended what was to follow. Being directed
to prepare for examination, they believed that,
having told their story, and declared the real
motives of their attempt, they might be suDJeeted
to nerhaps a short Imprisonment, but no more;
and great therefore, was their alnazement on md
mo themselves accused Of having entered into
conspiracy against the Austrian government, ana
that they were consequently to stand trlal LOT
life or death.
Uuoer was the fist placed at the bar. AS he
was nHacquainted with The Austrian language, the
examination was carried on by means OF an IN
terpreter-a young man who, by his looks ana
voice seemed to compassionate the sIluatloh OIL
the prisoner, and who, when repeating his an
swcrs 10 the court omitted such expressions as ne
thought might tend to his disadvantage Huger
quickly caught at the good intentions of his new
friend, and resolving to.rely on his Judgment, ne
took the kindly hints as they were intended. One
examination followed another; and the repeatrd
exhortation of the magistrate to prepare Ior the
worst for that there was little Likelihood OF par
don being obtained, forced upon the unfortunate
hat hn had Land
down his own life for the visionary project OF res
cuing a stranger from imprisonment The Sc
yeTjty of his treatment also exceeded that even of
Lafayette the dungeon in which he had been
placed was without light, he was fed upon the
coarscst food during the night was chained to the
floor ofthe vault and his own clothes, which had
been taken from him, were replaced With those
worn by many an unfortunate predecessor.
For three months he dragged on this misera-
BILE existence: but at the end of that time there
some amendment in his condition; he was re-
moved to a better room. into which was admitted
a small but welcome light; better clothes, and
more wholesome food, were allowed him !; and
altogether, his circumstances were improved: but
he still continued in total ignorance as to what his
future fate was 10 be ), for the jier The only hu-
man being he ever saw, was unable or unwilling
to answer any questions on the subject. At length
one day, much to his surprise and JOY, his young
friend the Interpreter entered his cell. and nothing
could exceed the delight of the poor prisoner nj
once again meeting with kindly face. t]nger
now learned for the first time the total failure OF
their scheme-that lafayette had been retaken,
and that BIlman, fellow-prisoner was under
the same roof with himself Shortly afterwards
he discovered him to be in the room Immediately
above his own and, after various efforts he sue
eeeded in holding communication with him, in a
manner vrnlurons and ingenious rs that adopt /
ed with NJ. de L1myette. The window, which
threw borrowed light into his own cell. served
likewise to light that of Balman and with piece |
of lime taken from the wall, Huger contrived to
scratch few words upon a black silk handker-
chief, which. by fastening TO STICK and climbing
up the side of the room he raised as the com
mon window as he could. 1t attracted the aten-
ton of M. Balman, and, after mIny efforts, max
ing himself master oft he returned an answer by
the same method. From this time no dav passed
without their holding communication with each
other; while 10 the Pxertions of the friendly inter-
prefer they indebted for the means Of max
ing their situation still more comfortable. By
small presents and occasional bribes of money, he
had secured the good offices Of the wife ofthe
jailer, so that secretly, she provided them with
books, food, wine. and warmer clothes Through
her interest also the two friends procured long
wished-for meeting. At first the visit was short
but by degrees becoming less timorous, they were
permitted to pass some part of every day together
lhe government beng at length satisfied that
the attempt TO liberate lafayette had been planned
independently by these two advennrers, and was
not as supposed, a plot laid by the secret
agents of France, they RENTED to receive
sentence from the supreme magistrate of Olmutz.
In this condition they permitted every indul-
gence but that of liberty and, in the enjoyment
oil each others society, and the hope of a speedy
release, were already beginning to forget past suf-
terlng, when, by a visit from their newly found.
friend, the kindly interpreter, they learned with
dIsmay that the intended punishment was to be
heavy indeed seeing it was no less than imprison-
ment for life. hint was ct the same time con-
Veyed that, if by any means they could procure
money, that sentence might be changed for one
much less severe, it was in The power of the
magistrate to make it what he chose and even to
release them entirely.
This information seemed to bode the unfortu-I
nate prisoners little, at least of immediate good
for Baman had no fortune, and Huger being with
out credit in Austria, could not, within short
time, receive remittance from England Their
friend, however, did not desert them; he with
drew, promising to all his influence for their
release; and it is probable he had already formed
that design, which the generosity of another.
equally stranger to the prisoners whose name
instead OF being unknown, should be published
aloud: enabled him afterwards so happily to carry
through. Russian nobleman of large fortune.
residing near Olmutz, was perhaps, from resem,
blance in character, the most intimate friend of
the young interpreter, and from him had learned
the whole story of the projected release of Lafay
eye, OF Its failure, and of the generous conduct of