Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1858-10-21


in rising himself suddenly struck his head
against the roof, which was now so low that
he could no longer stand upright. Gods will
be done," was all he said as no crOnched his
body, and placed his hands upon the bier for
such it was. The iron bedstead had been so
contrived, by the mechanical art of Ludovico
Sforza, that as the advancing walls came in
contact with its head and feet, pressure was
produced upon concealed springs, which, when
made to play, set in motion O very simple
though Ingeniously y-contrived machinery that
effected the transformation. The object was
Of course, to heighten, in the closing scene of
this horrible DRAMA all the feelings of despair
and anguish, which the preceding ones had
aroused. Fer the same reason, the last win
dow was made as to admit only q shadowy
kind of gloom rather than light that the
wretched captive might be surrounded as it
were, with every seeming preparation for up
prOaching death.
Vivenzio seated himself on his bier. Then
he knelt and prayed fervently and sometimes
tears would gush from him. The air seemed
thick and he breatled with difficulty or il
might he that he fancicd it was so, from the
hot and narrow lmis of his dungeon, which
were now SO diminished that he could neither
stand up nor lie down at his full length But
his wasted spirits and oppressed mind no lon
ger struggled within him lie was past hope,
and fear shook him no more. Happy if thus
revenge had struck its final blow for he
would have fallen beneath it almost unconscious
of u pang But such a lethargy Of the soul,
after such an excitement of its ferceSt passions
had entered into the dabolcal calculations of
Tolli j; and the fell arti6cer Of his designs had
imagined a conteracting devise.
The tolling of an enormous bell struck upon
the ears Of VivenziO He started IL beat
but once. The sound was so close and stun
ming, that it seemed to shatter his very brain,
while it echoed through the rocky passages
like reverberatiug peals of thunder. This was
followed by sudden crash of the roof and
walls, as if they were about to fall and close
around him at once Vivenzio screamed and
nstinctively spread forth his arms, as though
he had giants strength to hold them back
They moved nearer to him. and were now mo-
tionless. Vivenzio looked up and saw the roof
almost touching his head, even as he sat cow
ering beneath it ; and he felt that farther
contraction of but a few inches only must CON-
mence the frightfu operation. Reused as he
had been, he now gasped for breath His
body shook violently-he was nearly bent dou-
ble His hands rested upon either wall, and
his feet were drawn under him to avoid the
pressure in front. Thus he remained more
than an hour when that deafening bell beat
again, and again there came the crash Of hor.
rid death. But the conclusion was row SO
great that it struck Vivenzio down As he
lay gathered up in lessened bulk. the bell beat
loud and frequcnt-craSh succeeded crash
and on, and on, and on came the mysterious
engine of death, till Vivenzio's smothering
groans were heard no more He was horri-
bly, crushed by the ponderous roof mud collaps-
ing sideS-and the hattened bier was his
Iron Shrond