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


had just begun to reyel in. And by what
means! BY secret poison Or by murder
Gus assault No for then it had been need
less to bring him hither. Famine, perhaps a
thousand deaths in one 1t was terrible TO
| think of 1t but it was yet more terrible to
picture long, long years of captivity, in
solitude so appalling, loneliness so dreary,
that thought, for want of fellowship. would
lose itself IN madness, or stagnate into idiocy.
/ lie could not hope to escape unless he had
the power, with his bare hands. of rending
aSunder the solid iron walls of his prison. He
could not hope for liberty from the relenting
mercieS of his enemy His instant death. un-
der any form of refined cruelty. was not the
object OF Tolfi, for he might have inflicted it.
ana ne had not 1t was too evident. therefore
he was reserved for some premeditated scheme
OF subtle vengeance that could transcend in
iiendiSh malice, either the slow death of fam
Inc, or the still slower one of solitary incarcer
alton, till the last lingering spark of life expir-
ed, or till reason fled, and nothing should re-
main to perish but the brute functions of the
| BODY
1t was evening when Vivenzio entered his
dungeon, and the approaching shades of night
wrapped his cell In total darkness, as he paced
rible forebodingS. No toling bell from the
castle, nor from any neighboring church or
convent struck upon his ear to tell how the
hours passed. Frequently he would stop and
listen for some sound that might betoken the
vicinity of man : but the solitude of the des-
ett. the silence of the tomb, are not so still
and deep as the oppressive desolation by
which he was encomnassed HIS heart snpt
within him, and he threw himself detected ON
his couch of straw Hara sIaor r-radnaIIv
obliterated the consciousness of misery and
bland dreams waited his deliehted sn;r;t -
scenes which were once glowing realities for
him in whose rayishiD,- illusions he soon for.
20; the remembrance that he was Tol6's pri-
souer
Waen ne awoka. s. wa< daylight. hut how
ion- lie had sg..i .e sew pot. Ii migbt he
early alora.u.. or +. .,s=... 3e >,.irry noon, for
he could measure r.sas Y 70 other note of its
progress than light an. darkness Uehad been
50 happy In his sleen amid friends who loved
him, aud the sweet endearlnents of those who
| loved him as friends could not. that in the first
moments of waking, his startled mind seemed
| 10 admit the knowledge of his situation. as if
it had burst upon il for the first time. fresh in
/ all its appalling horrors He cazed around
mp a handful of the straw upon which he Law.
| as though he would ask himself what it meant
But memory too faithful 10 her Office soon
| unveiled the melancholy past, while reason
shuddered al the task, lifting up before his
eyes the tremendous future Tie contrast
overpoWsTed him He remained for some time
iahen''hS' IKE truth, the bright visions
'Hat ha4 VANISHED ana reeolIns from the
pf2Sc1I EhieA chung 10 nm as poisoned gar:
MEM,
" men ne gre" more calm, ne Surveyed ms
c.e0u! GunSeon A.a> TIE stronger hight OF
u@E oAiy served 70 conhrm Wnat the gloomy
i-G,>' '.hc'neS> o. ti'e lFtet.Hl' evening had par
. I'a!i! cisclo>ed, the utter lMpoS>loilty Q! 8
cape. Is; EoTeIt7' rs eyes #2-dcTts! around
ana around ana from place 10 pace, ne 2ofic-
ed TWO circumstances which excited his sur
Prise anu curiosity The one, he Thought
might be fancy but the other WAS positive
HIS pitcher Of water, a2d the dish which CON
ta!ne1 rs t00L, had been removed from his
S.ce wAlle he slept, and now stood near the
0o0T- Were ne even inclined 20 dolot this by
SugpoS.HS he had mistaken tAe spot where he
"a" t1e| over night, be could not. for the
p.tt-lr AoW II lis dungeon vas neither q the
same form nor color as The other. while the
Toad was changed Tor some other Of better
4aa--.F, he ha4 been VISITED therefore curing
Inc H-SAf hui had The person oe;a.n@d Ell
trance Conla ne have >i@:t % So2HIiy. thar
the unlocking and opening q those pondeco-S
lo''@4>. we're elet:eI W..-oGt 2|4AAe hin
tie "old have sad th.S was not possible, bQt
thar ID DONG 50 be must admit greater d:-
tc2lt!. an entrance by other means, q which
he was convinced there existed none l. vas
noi ATTENDED. then, thar he should be .ett TO
PERISH hT hunger. But the secret aGd myS-
ferrous mode q Supplying him With food
seemed 10 Indicate he was 10 have no opi'or-
tuniIy OF communicating WITH human BE-
ing