The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1849-09-22

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and | dreamed-between sleeping and
waking--that it was midnight, and that
Elizabeth had come back as she promised,
and that they refused to admit her. And
I thought it showed heavily, and that the
streets were covered with il, as If with
white sheet, and that saw her deadly
ing in the fallen snow, and in the dark
ness at the prison gate.
"When came to myself was struggling
and breathless. In minute or two |
heard Saint Sepulchre's clock strike ten,
and knew it was a dream that had had.
The Chaplain of the prison came without
my sending. He exhorted me, solemnly,
TO think no more Of cares and troubles in
this world, but to bend my thoughts upon
that to come, and to try to reconcile my
soul to Heaven; trusting that my sins, tho
they were heavy, under repentance, might
have hope Of mercy" When he had
gone, | did feel myself, for little while,
more collected; and sat down again on
the bed, and tried seriously to commune
with myself, and prepare myself for my
fate. recalled to my mind that | had
but few hours more, at all events, to live
that there was no hope for ME On earth
of escaping-and that it was at least bet
ter that should die decently, like man.
Then tried to recollect all the tales had
ever heard about death by hanging-that
1t was said to be the sensation of mo-
ment--to give no pain-to cause the ex-
tincton of life instantaneously-and SO on,
to twenty other strange ideas. By de
grees my head began to wander, and grow
unmanageable. l put my hands tightly to
my throat, as though to try the sensation
of strangling-then felt my arms at the
place the cord would be tied. went
through the fastenings of the rope-the
tying ofthe hands together; the thing that
felt most averse to was the white cap
muffled over my eyes and face: If |
could avoid that. the rest was not so very
horrible! In the midst of offancies, numb
ness seemed to creep over my senses
The giddiness that | had felt gave way to
a dull stupor, which lessened the pain that
my thoughts gave me, though still went
on thinking. The church clock rang
midnight; i was sensible of the sound, but
it reached me indistinctly--as though
coming through many closed doors, or
from far distance. By and by | saw
the objects before me more clearly-then
only partially-they were gone altogether.
| fell asleep. tla
slept until the hour of execution. 1t
was seven O'Clock the next morning, when
a knocking at the door of my cell awoke
me. i heard the sound as though in my
dreams. for some moments before | was
fully awake; and my first sensation was
only the dislike weary man feels at be-
ing reused; | was tired, and wished to
dose on. In minute after, the bolts ON
the outside Of my dungeon were drawn;
turnkey, carrying small lamp, and |
tried 10 make another observation when
the master was leaving the cell; but this
time | could not get the words out; my
tongue stuck to the roof Of my mouth. and
my speech seemed gone; | made two des
perate efforts, but it would not dol could
not utter.
"When they left me, | never stirred
from my place on the bed: was be-
numbed with the cold, probably from the
sleep. and at the unaccustomed exposure,
and | sat crouched together, as it were, to
keep myself warmer, with my arms folded
across my breast, and my head hanging
down, shivering, and my body felt as if
it was such weight to me, that am un-
able to move it, or stir. The day was
breaking, yellow and heavy and the light
stole by degrees into my dungeon, show.
ing me the damp stone walls, and desolate,
dark paved floor; and strange as it was,
with all l could do, | could not keep my
self from noticing these trifling things,
though perdition was coming upon me the
next moment. noticed the lamp which
the turnkey had left on the floor, and
which was burning dimly, with long
wick, being clogged with the chill and bad
air, and | thought to myself-even at that
moment--that it had not been trimmed
since the night before. And | looked at
the bare, naked, iron bed frame that |
sat on; and the heavy studs on the floor
Of the dungeon; and at the scrawls and
writings upon the wall, that had been
drawn by former prisoners; and put my
hand to my pulse and it was so low that
I could hardly count it. | could not feel
though tried to make myself feel it
that was going to die. In the midst of
this, | heard the chimes Of the chapel clock
begin to strike; and thought, sLord take
pity on me, wretchl' Itlcould not be
three quarters after seven yet. The clock
went over the three quarters; it chimed the
fourth quarter, and then struck eight
They were in the cell before perceived
them. They found me in the same place,
andin the same posture, as they had left
me. t,t
"Followed by the master Of the jail, and
the chaplain, 1 entered. | looked up, and
d shudder like the shock Of electricity
like a plunge into d bath Of iceLran
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