Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1854-01-05

l
was on my feet again. With den
scrutiny | endeayored to ascerla tn,
nature OF the fastenings which s;ured
the door. TIE planks fortunate hav.
ing been nailed together fresh. ID be
came dry and shrank so as to Ieai wide
chlnks between each and its neig,or -
BY means OF these aper,ures. | 81 .ha,
my dungeon was secured, not ba lock
as | had feared, but by s,rong,oodeu
bar, running horizontally across door,
about midway upon the outside
Contriving to make an or,ing, he
reaches the door Of The apar,mn where
he had been seized, and ove,has an or.
der given by Oliver for his secution.
which he declared should tai place in
the evening ere the moon rosd
There was kind of gee Oliver's 8
manner and expression whichhilled ny
very heart. He shall be shoike dog,
and then hanged like a dos-shol TO-
night and hung o-morrow--Ing at the
bridgehead-hurg, until his ones drop
asundere
It's impossible to descrb the exul-
tation with which he seerd TO dwell
upon, and to par,icula.izs, le fate tha,
ne intended for me. A ch. sick hor.
ror crept over me as they tired, and
ielt, for the moment. upothe brink OF
swooning. This feeling, lwever, soon
gave place 10 sensation i'll more ter.
rible-a state Of exciteme. so intense
and tremendous as to borf upon literal
madness. supervened; brain reeled
and ;hrobbed as if j, wou burst; tho'ts,
the widest and the mos Ideous, fash
ed through my mind vita spontaneous
Iapldity that scared my ny soul; while
all the time, felt s,ra,e and .frightful
impulse to burs, into unan,rolled laugh.
ter. Gradually this fGful paroxysm
passed away. | knecd and prayed
iervenlly, and felt comfted and assur.
ed; but still could no view the slow
approaches to certain oath without an
agitation little short of ,ony.
| returned again TO u closet in which
haG fonnd myself upd recovering from
the swoon.
The evening sunshi,and twilight was
fast melting into dark sss, when | heard
The outer door, tina, wich communicated
with the guard roouin which the off.
GERS had been amusis themselves, open
and locked again on le inside. A step
then approached, ad the door of the
cell in which lay sing rudely pushed
open, a soldier etered, who carried
something in his had, but. owing to the
ooscurity Of the plce, could not see
what.
car. thou awake fellow!' said he, in a
gruff voice. 'S.irhyself-ge, upon thy
legs. His orderswere enforced by no
very gentle appliation OF his military
boot.
'Friend.' said Irising with difficulty.
you need not inslt dying man. You
have been sent hher to conduct me to
death. Lead on!i My trust is in God,
that he will forgie me my sins, and re-
celve my soul, reteemed by the blood of
his Son.
Then there inteveued pause of some
length, at the eri of which the soldier
said in The same yruff voice, but in low
er tone:
Look ye, coprade, it will be your
own fault if yab die tonight. On one
| promise to get you out Of
his hobble within whole skin; bu, if you
90 to any of your CANNON, before two
hours are passed you will have as many
holes in your carcass as target
Name your condihons,' said l; 'and
f they consist with honor, will never
back at the offer
Here they are: you are TO be shot to.
night, by Captain Divers orders The
are cleaned Cor the job, and the
served ou. to the men. tell
you the truth
Of this needed not much persuasion,
Ind intimated to the man my conviction
hat he spoke the truth.
We'll, them he continued, now fol
he means Of avoiding this ugly business.
Captain Oliver rides this night TO head.
quarters. with the papers which you car.
led. Before he starts he will pay you
visit, 10 fish what he can out Of you
with all the fine promises he can make
Humor him little, and when you fine
IN opportunity, stab in the throat above
The cuirass.
"A feasible plan. surely said I. rails
ng my shackled hands, for man thu.
completely crippled and Without any
weapon
4 will manage all that for you, pres
entity said the soldier. when yo,
nave thus dealt with him, take his CLOAK
md hat; and so forth. and put them OF
the papers you will find in the pocke
of his vest, iE a red leather case; wall
boldly out--I am appointed to ride will
Captain Oliver, and you will find m,
holding his horse and my own by tn,
door; mount quickly, and will do tn
same. and then we will ride for our live,
across the bridge. You will hnd th'
holster pistols loaded in case of pursui,
and with the Devils help we shall reacI
Limerick without hair hurt. My onl,
is. that when you strike Oliver
you strike home. and again. and again
until he is tfnished-and l trust to you