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


that we join in prayer. gathered myself
up, and remained seated on the side of
the bed-place--my teeth chartered and
my knees knocked together in spite of
myself 1t was barely daylight yet; and,
as the cell door stood open, | could see
into the small paved court beyond; the
morning was thick and gloomy, and
slow but settled rain was coming down.
1T is Ralf-past seven o'clock, r.
said the master. Just muttered an en-
treaty to be left alone till the last moment.
| had thirty minutes to live
'"What have further to tell willie lie in
very small compass: my recollections
are very minute up to this point, but not at
all so close as to what occurred afterwards.
l scarcely recollect very clearly how |
got from that cell to the press-room |
think two little withered men, dressed in
black, supported me. | knew | tried to
rise when saw the master and his-people
come into my dungeon, bat could not.
sin the press-room were the two miser-
able wretches that were to suffer mith me;
they were bound, with their arms behind
them, and their hands together, and were
lying upon bench, hard by, until was
ready A ,meagre-looking old man, with
thin white HAIR, who was reading to one Of
them. came up and said something that
we would embfate,'-I did not distinctly
hear what it was.
"The greatest difficulty had was to keep
from falling. | had thought that these mo-
ments would have been all of fury and
horror, but felt nothing of this; but only
weakness, as though my heart, and the
very floor on which | stood, was sinking
under me, | could Just make motion,
that the old white haired man should leave
me; and Some one interfered and sent him
away. The pihidning Of my hands and
arms was then finished-and heard an
officer whisper to the chaplain that all
was ready Aswe passed out one of the
men in black held glass of water to my
lips; but I could not swallow.
"This was the last moment, but one, of
full perception that | had life. remember
our beginning to move forward, through
the long arch passages which led from the
press-room to the scaffold. saw the
lamps that were still burning; for the day
light never entered there; heard the quick
tolling Of the bell. and the deep voice of
the chaplain, reading as he walked before
us:
"sI am the resurrection and the life,
saith the Lord: he that believeth in me,
though he were dead, shall live. And
though after my skin, worms destroy this
body, yet in my flesh shall | see God?
sit was the funeral service-the order
of the grave-the Office of those that were
senseless and dead, over US the quick and
the living.
81 felt once more, and saw! | felt that
the transition from these dim, close, hot,
lamp lighted subterraneous passages, to
the open platform, and steps at the foot of
the scaffold. and to-day saw the immense
crowd blackening the whole area of the
street below me. The windows of the
shops and houses opposite, to the fourth
story, choaked with gazers. | saw St.
Sepulchre's church through the yellow fog
in the distance-had heard the pealing of
its bell.
"I recollect the cloudy, misty morning,
the wet that lay upon the scaffold, the
huge dark mass of buildings, the prison it.
self, that rose beside, and seemed to cast
shadow over us--the bold fresh breeze
that, as merged from it, broke on my face.
| see it all now. the whole horrible land
scape is before me. The scaffold-the
rain--the face of the multitude-the peo-
pie clinging to the house-tops-the smoke
that beat heavily downwards. from the
chimneys--the wagons filled with women,
staring at the inn-yard opposite-the
hoarse, low roar that ran through the gath
ering crowd as we appeared. lnever saw
so many objects at once, so plainly and
distinctly, in all my life, as at that one
glance; but it lasted only for an instant.
"From that look, and from that instant,
all that followed is blank. Of the pray
ers Of the chaplain--of the fastening Of
the fatal moose, of the putting on Of the
cap which | had so much dislike--of my
actual execution, and death, | have not
the slightest atom Of recollection. But
that know such occurrences must have
taken place, | should not have the smallest
consciousness that they ever did so. |
read in the daily newspapers an account
of nv behavior atthe scaffold-that con-
Quoted myself decently, but with firmness;
of my deatb-that | seemed to die almost
without struggle. Ofany ofthese events
have not been able, by any exertion, to
recall the most distant remembrance.
With the first view of the scaffold, all my
recollections cease The next circum-
stance which, to my perception, seems to
follow, is having awoke. as if from sleep,
and found myselfin a bed, in a handsome
chamber, with gentleman {aslI first open
ed my eyes) looking attentively at me.
had my senses perfectly, that l had been
reprieved at the scafold, and tainted. AT.
ter / learned the truth, thought 4 had an