Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1858-05-13

come the greatest part of the difficulties before
us, when the light became extinct for want of
fuel, the board being all consumed. I tried to
pursue the business in the dark, but found it |
in vain, and therefore was obliged to quit our
undertaking. How much would now have
given for farthing candle but wishing were
as vain as our expectations were unfounded |
The necessity of our relinquishing the pursuit
was absolute, and therefor, with sullen re-
luctance yielded to the force of necessity
Il did not entirely lose all hopes of succeed
ing yet in this method As soon as daylight
should afford an opportunity, / determined to
renew my labore, and ii by good fortune our
CERBERUs should not make us visit till some
time in the morning, Twas still in hopes of
making the breach soon enough to leave him to
his own agreeable reflections, when he came to
search our room which he constantly did every
day. Therefore, at the dawn of day | again
renewed my labor with increased animation.
struggled and toled with the huge rocks in
such manner as to establish the belief, that
in the course of an hour should again fit upon
the wing of liberty. But oh horrid to relate
the laundering noise of the .jailor, in opening
his ponderous DOORS throwing back the many
bolts and turning the keys Of the enormous
locks, at once defeated all my expectations of
freedom. The mighty castles which had been
building in the air, came tumbling over my
head Ikea sweeping deluge.
The jailer came into the room, and what
was the scene pictured to his view? Rubbish,
rocks, stones, and dirt, filled the room! Two
men almost naked, covered with sweat and dust.
The door was again Immediately shut, and
the .jalor retired, but his absense was almost
momentary. He returned with a band of fin
ty-hearted myrmidons, to assist in the execution
of his dabolical system of revenge. We were
taken by those patrons Of humanity, tied to the
CRATES, and received ten lashes each on our ma
ked backs with horse-whip. Immediately
after this, we were put in the dungeon, where
we lay two days, and were then removed to an
'The second day of my confinement, nearly
night, heard terrible canking of massy
chains approaching toward my apartment.
The door of the dungeon was opened when 10,
horrid to relate deformed VULCAN, attended
with his grisly CYcLoPs, carrying with them a
huge iron chain and all the tools for their in
fernal purpose.
[ was ordered into another apartment, and
to W )rk went those engines of cruelty. They
in the first place, made fast fat ring around
my leg, about six inches wide and an inch thick
THIS was connected with chain, weighing
about thirty-six pounds and ten feet in length.
The other end of the chain was fastened to the
timber composing our floor, with staple driven
with sledge, which made the whole Jail trem-
ble After was fixed in this manuer, they
left me to my own reflections, lnwardly exultlng
at their mighty power, in making poor wretch
secure from enjoying the cold comfort of hop
ing for better times.
'Ilay in this dismal situation about fort
night, if remember right My leg, by thi
time, was worn by the iron around it, till tn,
skin was quite off, In this situation | became
entirely inpatient. My sufforings I though
insupportable. cursed the day in which
was born. l cursed my friends, and all the hu
man race, in the bitterness of my anguish
roared with anguish! ragged like Bedlamite
The obdurate heart of my CERBERUs was no
moved by my situation he was terrified, an
burst otapproach me. Yet that adamantin
barrier which fortified the avenues to the SOU
from the approaches of compassion remained er
tiroly unimplired, and prevented the least mo
ton of pity from disturbing his repose.
There are certain situations Of sufferin
which make man mad-will take away ever
exercise of rational conduct--will reduce hil
to state of desperation so that he will rus
into the most desperate danger. This was m
situation at this time. was determined not
endure these trials any longer and, in the la1
guage of the poet, to end them by taking arm
against myself, and all my woes at once
Illuminated upon the means of accomplish
ing this design Various were the plans whic
offered to my view, but none appeared so elig
bic to answer the state of my mind, as the te
rble element of fire. Therefore, | determine
to set fire to the Jail, and, SAMsoN-lke, make
, sacrifice at my death, which should atone f
the cruelties had suffered in life
The flooring Of the Jail was laid with tv
thcknessess of timber, each thickness beir
= about fourteen inches, and over these timbe
: a floor OF inch boards. The boards which cor
posed the floor cut away, in such manner
. to be able to take up piece about two feet lor
: the cracks between the timbers were about tv
y aches wide into which dropped Goals of fir
!, which fell down to the ground, twenty Gig
inches below the floor, among shavings al
other combustible stuff. The air drawing
. strongly at the place where the fire was, 1t SO,
. began to rage with great violence. replac
~ the board in its former situation, placed II
. straw which served for my bed, on the boar
~ and lay down, with great composure, viewil
my suferings as fast fastening to an end.
~ The floor being SO tight as not to admit t
- blaze into the room, it sought passage ell,
/ where, and soon burst out, through the und,
: pinnns, and bazed up to the height of t
20 caves of the Jail, about twenty feet This W
u scene possessing more of the horrid sublil
70 than anything had ever met with during /,
life
4, AT the dead hour of night, when all natu
| was lost in forgetfulness, to see columns ofsmo
J. and fire rolling up witha majestic power, G
il voloping me around, was a scene which surp,
t. ses all description! viewed the operation
rs the flames with trannnil horrorl L ..O.. e