Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1852-05-19


--It Was the last sunset ever Witnessed by
the poor keeper. AS the light faded a
way ~ Whlte divested himself Of his irons,
ana STOOD tremblingiy awaiting the night
tis. OF the man. He heard him de-
scenuihS She steps-every football smote
his heart. Slowly he came, carelessly.
humming Spanish air-his death SONG.
He entered the cell. White grasped the
foot shackles. The man stopped to sot
down the food and water which he bore,
when White sprang up and with one blow
of the bolt stretched him a corpse on the
solid floor. The fearful drama had cons
meneed. Without stopping to look upon
his victim, he rushed up the long flight
of stairs still gTasping the fatal bolt. He
reached platform nearly at the top. A
sentinel was stationed there, who, think
ing that White was the keeper returning
from visit to the prisoner. stood quite At
his ease, A blow from White leTaled him
to the ground. The stroke was not fatal,
and he soon manifested signs of life. The
prisoner felt there was but one course to
pursue, and he did not hesitate. He re-
peated the blows until the man was quiet.
de then mounted the other steps, when
10, to his dismay, the first objects he saw
were the soldiers relieving guard What
course should he take
There is moat about ten or twelve
feet wide, running through this front on
the harbor and seaside. This nlOat is OF
great depth, and across it runs a draw
bridge. AT the moment when the pri-
soner reached the final landing, the
sentinels on the harbor side had been re-
lieved. and the soldiers were crossing the
bridge to relieve guard about the fort
and prison. AS sOon.as they got the
bridge was taken up ut
But little time was given the prisoner
to think, lie MAS placed in fearful po-
sltion. To retreat back to his prison would
be death. What should he do =? A mo-
ment he hesitated, aud faint sickness
stole over him as the hopelessness Of his
situation stared him in the face. He
shook it of, and gathering his energies he
dashed past the guard, and leRped the
moat. 1t was a desperate leap, but he
well knew that desperate leaps could
alone save him. His left foot struck
the opposite bank, and for n brief por-
iod he balanced on the fearful edge, when
by mastery effort his body leaned for
wards, and he recovered q sure footing
Here then he stood----tho moat and tho
guard behind him, and sentinel before
him. lie had gone so far that retreat was
now impossible, and there was but one
alternaIYe-gO ahead Dashing past
tho sentinel, who was so astonishcd that
he scarcely offered resistance, be rushed
to the brink of the rock. For q moment
he stood there, gazing on the dizzy depth
below him. 1t was an Ngonizing moment.
Behind him were the infuriatcd soldiers
before him a ayawning gulf Sheer down
for sixty feet or more the precipice fell,
at the foot OF which the foam Of the waves
could just be seen AS they broke against
the clitf-sO distant that their roar came
up family to the ear. Death was behind
him-certain death and no moro than
death was before him. ug7
He looked wildly around. He esaw one
of the soldiers preparing to fire upon him
there was no time to be lost Concsn-
trating all his energies and commencing
his soul To his maker, he leaped from the
cliff. Not moment too soon, for the ball
of the sentinel whistled over bis head,
rs like aR arrow he shot downward -
Down, down lie went his feet pressed
together /; and his arms glued to his sides.
He struck fairly. and cutting the water
like harpoon, he sunk far beneath the
surface. Consciousness for a while de-
serted him, but as he arose from his plunge
and found himself unhuTt, he struck out
for the cliff, and swimming alongside, he
CHUNG to the rocks, thanking God, who
had preserved him so n,iracuiously.
The sentry on the Moro concluded that
the prisoner was drowned, notWithstand-
ing the fort commenced firing minute
guns, and the alarm quickly spread thro'
the place. n 8
It had now got to be quite dark and
feeling the insecurity of his situation,
White took to the water and swan to
vessel anchored not a great distance off
1t was the brig Happy Couple. ~
Boarding her, he informed the Captain
of the strait lie was in, and asked him 10
secrets somewhere in the vessel This
the captain said would be impossible, as
every vessel in the harbor would DC strict
~ searched, and IL White was found on
board, the SpaniardS would put all Of
them to death.
We'll" sAid White, after heariug the
captain through, "eannot you do any
thing for me? Will you let me be muir
dered by them %
The captain told him there was the
bost astcrn, and went below. The boat
was Immediately llauled alongside some
bread and water was hastily put in her,
and one Of the sailors threw White an old
jacket. Showing of, nc seuhed her aioug.
side the rocks as gently as possible.
II was now dark, and he remained quiet
for some time. listening eagerly, expecting
every moment TO hear ;he elink Of the row