Hannibal journal. (Hannibal, Mo.) 1852-1853, 1852-09-16

and cold and hunger were gnawing at his heart
again.
He rose and dragged his feeble limbs few
PAGES further. The street was silent and emp
Ity-the few passers by, at that late hour, hlr-
Iried quickly on, and his tremulous voice was
lost in the violence Of the storm. The heavy
chill again struck through his frame, and his
blood seemed to stagnate beneath it. He coiled
himself up in projecting doorway, and tried to
sleep.
But sleep had fed from his dull and glazed
eyes. His mind wandered strangely, but he
was awake and conscious. The well-knOwn
shout Of drunken mirth sounded in his ear-the
glass was at his lips-the board was covered
with rich food-they were before him, he could
see them all--he had but to reach his hand ana
take them--and though the illusion was reality
itself, ne knew that he was sitting alone in the
deserted street. watching the rain drops as they
lpattered on the stones; and there were none to
care for or help him.
Suddenly he started UP in the extremitt Of
terror. He had heard his own voice shouting
in the night air; he knew not what or why.
Hark! A groan Anotherl His senses were
leaving hm-haif formed and incoherent words
burst from his lips; and his hands sought to
tear and lacerate his flesh. He was going mad,
and he shrieked for help till his voice failed him.
He raised his head and looked up the long
dismal street. He recollected that outcasts like
himself, condemned to wander day and night. in
those dreadful streets had sometimes gone dis
Itracted with their loneliness. He remembered
to have heard many years before, that home
less wretch had once been found in solitary
corner, sharpening a rusty knife to plunge into
his own heart, preferring death to that endless,
lWparV wanUprinCr fo nd fro In IL,
resolve was taken; his limbs received new life;
he ran quickly from the spot, and paused not
for breath until he reached the river side.
lie crept softly down the steep stone stairs
that led from the commencement of Waterloo
bridge down to the waters level. He crouched
into corner, and held his breath, as the patrol
passed. Never did a prisoners heart throb
with the hope of liberty and life half so eagerly
as ala that OF the wretched man at the prospect
OF DEATH The watch passed close TO him, but
he remained unobserved; and after waiting till
the sound of footsteps had died away in the dis
Itance, he cautiously descended, and stood be-
meath the gloomy arch that forms the landing
Iplace from the river.
The tide was in, and the water flowed at his
feet. The rain had ceased, the wind was lulled,
Iand all was for the moment still and quiet-so
quiet that the ripping of the water against the
Ibarges that were moored there was distinctly
AUDIBLE to his ears. The stream stole languidly
and suggishly on. Strange and fantastic forms
rose TO the surface and beckoned him to ap-
Iproach; dark cleaning eyes peered from the
water, and seemed to mock his hesitation, while
hollow murmurs from behind urged him onward.
He retreated few PAGES, took short run,
desperate leap, and plunged into the river.
Not five seconds had passed when he rose TO
the waters surface; but what change had taken
place in that short time in all his thoughts and
feelings Life, life, in any form; poverty,
misery, starvation, anything but death. He
fought and struggled with the water that closed
over his head, and screamed in agonies Of ter
Iror. The curse of his own son rang in his
ears. The shore--but one foot OF dry ground
he could almost touch the step. One hands
breadth nearer, and he was saved-but the tide
bore him onward, under the dark arches Of the
bridge and he sank 10 the bottom.
Again he rose and struggled for life. For one
ins nstant-for one brief instaht-the buildings on
the rivers bank the lights on the bridge under
which the current had borne him, the black
water and the ia st flying clouds, were distinctly
visible So once more he sunk and again he rose
bright flames Of fire shot up from earth TO
heavens and reeled before his eyes, whilst the
water thundered in his ears, and stunned him
with the furious roar
A W eek afterwards the body was washed
ashore some miles down the river, swollen
and disfgured mass. UnrecOgnized and unpi-
tied, it was borne TO the grave-there it has long
since mouldered away Dickens.
I