The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1856-05-28

,DAY, MAY 28, 1856.
fearful consciousness Of my dreadful situation
Fresh but vain efforts to make myself heard
were reiterated as far as my strength would al
low. | found with great difficulty | could not
turn on my side, and then over. I tried, by
lifting my back and by a violent strain, to burst
open the coffin lid, but the screw resisted my
utmost strength. l could not, besides, draw
up my knees sufficiently high to afford tenth
part of the purchase should otherwise have
made to bear upon it. Ihad no help but to re-
turn again to the position of the dead, and re-
luctantly gain a little agonizing repose from my
forts had made me, yet I resolved to repeat them
u While thus at rest-f inactive torture could
be denominated rest-I wept like a child when
l thought of the sunshine and blue skies and
fresh air which should never more enjoy-how
living beings thronged the streets, and thou
sands round me were joyous or busy, while 1
was doomed to perish in tortures. Why was
my fate differently marked out to that of others?
had no monstrous crimes to repent Of, Hun
dreds of criminal men were in the full reyelry
of life. I fancied heard the tone Of a bell.-
Breathless, listened. 1t was clock striking
the hour. The sound was new life to me- Is
Il am not inhumed, ateast!'' such were my
thoughts. ''Interment will take place-my eof
fin will be moved. shall easily make myself
heard them RI va s.s a'a~ *'55 v ~@S' a% 8zs5t
Men may fancy how they would find them
selves under similar circumstances and on the
like trying occasions; but it is seldom correct
judgment can be previously formed on such
matters. 1t was only at intervals that Twas so
fearful ly maddened by my dreadful situation as
to lose the power of rational reflection, Or so
overcome as to be debarred from the faculty Of
memory. Stretched in position where my
changes consisted only Of a turn on my side upon
hard boards, the soreness Of my limbs was ex-
cruciatingly painful. When I drew my feet up
a few inches, my knees pressed the cover, so
hattie slight shift of position brought no relief
Ny impatience of the restraint in which I was
kept, began at length to drive me well nigh to
madness. I was fevered. My temples burned
and throbbed, my tongue became dry, light
flashed across my eyes, and my brain whlrled
round. -. .,--..s.. .-...-..-
am certain that my existence was preserved
solely by the diminished strength and subse-
quent feebleness which L experienced, and
which, from its rendering me nsensible to the
increasing exacerbation ofmy brains heat al
lowed nature to resume her wonted temperature
But, alas! this was only that might revive to
encounter once more rremediabe horror. Who
could depict the phrenzy, the unspeakable an
guish of my situation? thought my eyes would
start from my head. Burning tears flowed down
my cheeks. Ny heart was swollen almost to
bursting. l became restless in feeling without
finding space for fancied reefin a new change
of position. In my mental anguish, at times,
however, forgot my motionless bodily suffer
ing, my rack of immovable agony.
How many hours lay in this state of active
and passive torture, | cannot tell. My thirst,
however, soon became intolerable. My mouth
seemed full of hot ashes. | heard again the
hollow sound of clock bell, Of no small mag
nitude, judging from its deep intonation. No
Granny, which | had hitherto observed in my
prison, let in light-though [ well knew there
must be some fssure for fresh air, for the con-
tnuance of life so far. How else had | existed?
1t was night perhaps, when I first came to
myself in my prison of ''six dark boards. }"
groped in vain over every part of their wooden
surface which | could reach. could find no
chink, could see no day. Again heard the hol-
low kneil, which tended to increase my fearful
agony. Oh! what were my feelings! For long
time after this lay stepped in my suHering-or
at least for a long time as it seemed to me. Ny
head was bruised all over-my limbs were ex-
places with my struggling-my eyes aching
with pain. sought relief by turning on my
right side-I had never before turned but on
my left--when l felt under me hard substance,
which had not before perceived, / grasped it
with some difficulty, and soon found it was a
knot from the coffin plank which had been forced
inwards, in all probability after was placed
there. saw also dim light through hole,
about as large as half-crown piece, just below
where my chin came. put my hand to it, and
found it covered with coarse cloth, which easi-
imagined was the lining of my coffin. | soon
contrlved to force my finger through this cloth.
though not without considerable difficulty
Faint enough was. the light it revealed, but
was MONDAY sun of Joy to me. By an un-
easy strain of my neck I could see obliquely
through the opening, but everything was con
fused in my brain. My sight was cloudy heavy
and thick. 1 at first could only see there was,
light, but could distinguish no object. s- ..
My senses, however, seemed to sharpen as
new hopes arose. closed my eyes for min
ute together, and then opened them, to restore
their almost worn-out power Of vision. Atlength
could distinguish that Immediately opposite to
me there was small window crossed by massv
iron bars, through which the light saw stream
ed in upon me like Joy into the soul of misery.
now cried with delight. l thought l. was
among men again, for the .pitchy darkness
around me was dispersed. l forgot for a mo-
ment my suferings. Even the fearful question,
how should I get free from my durance before
famine destroyed me, was long time absent
from my mind, and did not recur until could
look through the fssure no longer, from the gid 7
diness caused by a too earnest fxedness of gaze.
soon concluded, from the noassy stones on
each side Of the opening, and the strength of
The bars, that was in church vault, and this
was confirmed when came to distinguish the
ends of two or three cofins which partly inter
posed between me and the light watched
The window until the light began to grow dim,
with feelings no language can describe no