The Kenosha telegraph and tribune. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1859-1860, 1859-09-29
THRILLING SKETCH!

| L SenSA
ton items from Russia Here is an instance
from his own experience, in the highest orde
of the French school of intensity, before who's
writers our American diaberie Ledger writer
dwindle into commonplace
We left the room with turnkey behind us
and walked on until we found ourselves oppo
site the prison. The gaoler opened it, went il
and lighted lantern. We followed. We wen
down ten steps, passed a row of dungeons
then down ten more, but did not stop. We wen
down five more and then stopped at the on,
marked No. IL. He gave a silent signal; i
; seemed IN this abode of the dead as if he haC
lost the power of speech. There was at thi.
time q frost OF at least twenty degrees outside
AT the depth where we found ourself, it wal
mingled with damp which penetrated to the
bone my marrow was frozen, and yet wiped
the perspiration from my brow. The door open
3D. we went down six damp and slippery step.
and found ourselves in adungeon of six square
feet. fancied by the light of the lantern, tha
L saw human form moving in it. The govern
or remained on the last step and said TO the
| prisoner
| "Rlse and dress yourself"
| had a curiosity to know to whom this orde,
was addressed.
"Turn on the light" said to the gaoler
then saw a thin and pallid old man rise up
He had evidently been immured in this dungeon
in the same clothes he had on when arrested
but they had fallen off him piecomeal, and he
was only dressed in raggedpelsse. Through
the rags his naked, bony, shivering body could
be seen. Perhaps this body had been covered
with splendid garments perhaps the ribbons of
the most noble orders that once crossed his
pan ting chest. AT present he was only living
skeleton, that had lost rank, dignity, even
name, and was called No. IL. He rose, and
wrapped himself in the fragments of his ragged
pelisse, without uttering a complaint his body
was bowed down, conquered by prison damp,
time, it might be hunger. His eye was haugh-
ty, almost menacing.
at is good said the governor. Come"
He was the first to go out.
The prisoner threw parting glance on his
cell, his stone bench, his water jug and rotten
straw He uttered sigh, yet it was impossi-
BILE that he could regret anything of this. He
followed the governor and passed before me.
shall never forget the glance he turned up
on me in passing, and the reproach that was
concentrated in it.
$50 young" it seemed to say, and already
obeying tyranny"
turned away; that glance had pierced my
heart like dagger. He passed the door of the
dungeon. How long was it since he entered
it Perhaps he did not know himself. He
must have ceased for long time counting days
and nights. On reaching the governors door
we found Two sledges waiting. The prisoner
was ordered into the one that had brought us,
and we followed him, the governor by his side,
in front. The other sledge was occupied by
four soldiers
Where were we going knew not What
were we going to do was equally ignorant.
l had only to see-.the action itself did not con-
Germ me.
We started.
Through my position the old mans knees
were between mine. I felt them tremble. The
governor was wrapped in his furs. 1 was but
toned up in my military frock, and yet the cold
reached u.s. The prisoner was almost naked,
but tn governor had offered him no coverings.
For moment thought of taking off my coat
and Offering it to him. The governor guessed
my intention.
at is not worth WHILE" he said.
Soon we reached the Neva again, and our
sledge took the direction of Cronstadt The
wind came off the Baltic and blew furiously;
ole anti 1a1
become accustomed to the darkness, we could
not see ten va rds before us.
At last we stepped in the midst Of furious
storm. We must have been about league and
half from St. Petersburgh The governor got
| off the sleigh and went up to the other. The
| soldiers had already got off, holding the tool
| they had been ordered to bring.
"Cut hole in the ice," the governor said to
| them.
l could not refrain a cry of terror. began
TO apprehend.
''Ah !" the old man uttered with an accent re-
sembling the laugh of skeleton" then the
Empress does still remember me !"
| Of what empress was he talking Three
| had passed away in succssOn-Annie, Elizabeth
and Catharine. 1t was evident he still be-
lievd he was living under one of them, and he
| did not know even the name Of the man who or
dered his death.
What was the obscurity ofthe nj ght compared
with that of the tomb.
The four soldiers then set to work. They
broke the ice with their hammers, cut it will
thiir axes, and raised the blocks with their lever
All at once they started back ; the ice was brok
en- ; the water was rising
"Come down, "the governor said to the old man
The order was useles, for he had alread done so
, Kneelng on the ice he was praying ferVently
The governor gave an order in a low tone t
, the soldiers then he came back to my side, TO
had not left the sledge. In minute fine pris
oner rose.
! 81 am ready" he said.
S The four soldiers rushed upon him;
turned my eyes away, but though did NJ
q see heard the noise of body hurled into I'll
abyss. In spite of myself I turned. The oil
/, man had disappeared, / forgot that had no rigt
to give orders, but shouted to the driver,
away away"
d "Stop - cried the governor The sledg
q which had already moved forward stopped again
e Cali is not finished. +" the governor said to n
: in French.
e "What have we to do ~ asked.
: "What !" he replied.
Il We waited half an hour.
h "The ice has SET" said one of the soldiers.
r cart thou sure"
}, He struck the spot where the hole had s
4 lately yawned the water had become soil