Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1855-06-09

softly down, and had not been long in that no
sition, when-yeS, he was certain of it-th.
! floor moved under him He sprang up, and !:
a voice suffocated nearly with emotion, callcr
aloud. He paused the motion ceased; hc
felt no stream of air all was hushed no v0ic.
answered to his he burst into tears, and a.
he sunk to the ground, in renewed anguish, ex
claimed -
"Oh, nv God my God, You alone have
power to save me now, or strengthen me for
the trial you permit"
Another morning dawned upon the wretch
ed captive, and the fatal index Of his doom met
his eyes The windows and two DAYS and
all would be over , Fresh food fresh wat n,
The mysterious visit had been paid. though he
had inplored it in vain But how awfully was
his PRAYER answered in what he now saw =
The roof Of the dungeon was within foot of
his head The two ends were so near that in
six PAGES he trod the space between them. Vi
venZio shuddered as be gazed, and his steps
trayersed the narrow area But his feelings
no longer vented themselves in frantic wailings.
With folded arms and clenched teeth. with eyes
that were bloodshot from much watching, and
fixed with vacant glare upon the ground,
with hard, quick breathing, hurried walk,
strobe backwards and forwards in silent mus
ing for several hours What mind shall con-
ceive, what tongue shall utter, or what pen de-
describe, the dark and terrible character of his
thoughts Like the fate that moulded them.
they had no similitude in the wide range of this
worlds agony for man Suddenly be stopped.
and his eyes were rivetted On that part of the
wall which was over his bed of straw. Words
are Inscribed here. A human language traced
by human hand He rushed towards them,
but his blood freezes as he reads -
Ludovico Sforze, tempted BY the gold of
the Prince Of Tolh, spent three years in contTi-
wing and executing this accursed triumph Of
my art. When it was completed, the perfdi-
Gus TOlh, more devil than man, who conducted
me hither one morning, TO be witness he said,
of its perfection. doomed me TO be the first vic
tim of nv pernicious skill, lest, as be declared,
| should divulge the secret, or repeat the ef-
fort Of nv ingenuity May God pardon him,
as hope he will me- that ministered to this
unhal!owed purpose, Miserable wretch. who
ever thou art, fall on thy knees and invoke. as
| have done, His sustaining mercy, who alone
can nerve thee 10 meet the vengeance Of Toli.
armed with his tremendous engine, which in a
few hours must crush you as it viii the needy
wretch who made it,"
A deep groan burst from Vivenzio He
stood like one transfxed with dilated eyes,
expanded nostrils and quEering lips, gazing at
this fatal inscription 1t was as if voice
from the sepulchre had sounded in his ears
" Prepare ?" Hope forSook him There was
bis sentence recorded in those dismal words
The future 5000 uils eTl-l r--ofc ,fIIl.,
appalling H. brain already feels the descend
ing harrow his bones seem TO crack and
crumble in the mighty grasp Of the iron walls
Cnknowi.g what i Is lie dos, be fumbles in
bis garment for some weapon of selfdestruction.
He clenches his throat in his con7u,sive gripe,
as though be would strangle himself at once.
s.araS np0n the walls, and his waver.ug spirit
demands "WiN they no; anticipate their
ofice If | dash my head against them ?" An
historical langh chokes him as he excla:ms :
q WHY should |? He was bat man who died
first in their embrace and I shoall be less
than man not 10 DO as much -
The evening sun vas descending. a1i Wren
z:o beheId It's golden beams streaming through
one Of tie windows What thrill o. joy
shot through his soul a. the sight Il was 8
pyecio1s Ink. that united him, for the moment.
10 the world bevond There vas ecs:acy In
,he thought As he gazel long and earnestly,
i seemed IS r the windows had lowered Sutf-
c;ea,!y for him 10 reach them With one
single bo1ld he was b.aeath then-E.th one
v.li spE.ug he cl1lg 70 the bars. Whether i
was - cont-.ved, pa-posely TO maiden With
delight the wretch who looked, ne kaaw not
b1. q. .he extremity OF long vista, cut through
the soi.dF3ck the ocean, the sky, the setting sE1
Give gr0ves, shady walks. and n .le distance.
r
uroa his view How exquisite EaS To coo,
'5-eeze Is i sw=gt across a-s cheek, lo-lel VIZ
trlzrsace. He Inhaled i Is tlJa.a / FeEe
the breath q continued EEe And there AS
freshness il The landscape, sid I .ae r.pPiHgs
ot the calm green sea, that Tel upon his with
ering heart Ike dew upon the parciei earth
How he gaz.zI and painted, and still clalg 20
his hold; s0m.tiaes hanging By one hand
sometimes by the other, and thea graSE1in- th-
bar with both, as If 10Th 70 quit the smiling
paras!ise stretched out before him Til exhaust
81 and his hand SWOLLEN ami be-arnei, lie
dropped down, and lsy stunned for some tlne
by the fall
When he recorered, the gior;c1s vision had
vanished. HeEasin the darkness Hedc1bt-
ed whether il was not : dream that had
passed before his sleepy fancy bus gradually
ms scattered thoughts returned and Eith then
came remembrance Yes, he had looked once
again upon the gorgeous spieDdo- Of natGre-
Once again MS eyes hsd tresnbled beneath their
relied Ids 81 the suns radiance. and soagh;
repcse in the soft verdure Of the olive tree o.
the gentle sway Of uBdulsting waves On,
tia; be were mariner, exposed upon those
waves 10 the worst fury Of the storm AMI
tempest OF q rerT wretch, loatbsoEe EitL
ciseA<e. plagne-strckan, and his body one lep@oas
coota-ion from crown TO sole, hunted forth 10
g1Sh OF. the remnant 0f infections life beneath
those Terriaut trefs, sohe might shun The desti8r
upoa whose edge he to.tered
Vain tho1ghts Ike these woQl seal oTe'
his mind from time 10 time, in spite of hiE1selff
hut thev scarcely rored II from that stzpo.
into which il had sunk. and which keps hin