The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1859-10-05
A Thrilling Sketch.

from his own experience, in the highest or
der of the French school of intensity, before
whose writers our American dablerie Ledger
writer's dwindle into commonplace.
We left the room with turnkey behind
US, and walked on until we found ourselves
opposite the prison. The jailor opened it,
went in, and lighted lantern. We follow:
ed. We went down ten steps, passed row
OF dungeons, and then down ten more, but
did not stop. We went down five more, and
then stopped at the one marked No. IL. He
gave silent signal; it seemed in this abode
of the dead as If he had lost the power OF
speech. There was at this time frost Of
OF least twenty degrees outside. At the
depth where we found ourselves, 1t was
mingled with damp which penetrated to
the bone; my marrow was frozen, and yet
wiped the perspiration from my brow. The
door opened, we went down six damp and
slippery steps, and found ourselves in dun
geoU of six square feet. l fancied by the
light of the lantern that saw human form
moving in it. The governor remained on
the last step, and said to the prisoner:
"Rse and dress yourself"
l had a curiosity to know to whom this
I order was addressed.
"Turn on the light" said l 10 the jailor.
soon saw a thin and palld old man rise
up. He had evidently been immured in this
dungeon 10 the same clothes he had on when
arrested, but they had fallen off him Iiace-
meal. Through the rags his naked. bony,
shiverng body could be seen. Perhaps this
body had been covered with spendld gar
ments; perhaps the ribbons OF the most
noble orders had once crossed his painting
chest. At present he was only living
skeleton, that had lost rank, dignity, even
name, and was called No. II. He rose
and wrapped himself in the fragments o
his ragged pelisse, without ultering a com
pluint; his body was bowed down, conquered
by prison damp, time, it might be hunger
His eye was naughty, almost menucing.
at is good" said the governor. Come
He was the first TO 60 out.
The prisoner threw o parting glance or
his CELL his stone bench, his water jug, Gnt
rotten straw. He uttered sigh, yet 1t wal
impossible that he could regret anything 0
this. He followed the governor and passet
>before me.
shall never forget the glance he 'urne
upon me in passing, and the reproach tina
was concentrated 10 it.
$50 yonng," it seemed to say, "and ol
ready obeying tyranny"
turned away; that glance had pierce
my heart like dagger. He passed to-
), door of the dungeon. How long was
since he entered it Perhaps lie did nc
know himself. He must have ceased for
i long time counting days and nights. q
e reaching the governors door we found tw
sledges waiting. The prisoner was ordere
6 into the one that had brought us, and "
8 followed him, the governor BY his side,
Is front. The other sedge was occupied b
81 four soldiers.
g Where were we going? | knew not
Il What were we going TO do! | was equal
- ignorant. l had only to see-the action i
self did not concern me.
- We started.
g Through my position the old mans knee
'e were between mine. felt them trembl
e. The governor was wrapped up in his luT
I'd was buttoned up in my military frock, al
. vet the cold reached US. The prisoner W
N almost naked, but the governor had offer
e him no coverings. For moment thong
ne Of taking off my coat and offering it to hi'
ne The governor guessed my intention.
lg alt is not worth whie," he said.
is Soon we reached the Neva again, and 0
1g sledpe took the direction of Cronstndt. T
en- wind came off the Baltic and blew furious
ss the sleet cut our fuces. Though our ey
81, had become occu stoned to the darkness,
e. could not see ten yards before us.
to At last we stopped in the mid't of fu
ly GUS storm. We must have been about
ID, league and half from St. Petersburgh.
r. The governor got off the sIedge and we
en- up to the other. The soldiers had alrea
- got off, holding the tool they had been ord
NJ edio bring. ...,I.g f.
Is, aCut holelinsthe ice" the governor S
Al
'e' could not refrain cry Of terror. /
'rd gan to apprehend. a9nr,n .t.s
ss, "Ah!" the old man uttered with an acet
er resembling the laugh of skeleton, 18th
81 the Empress does still remember me"
Ot what Empress was'he talking! TIL
les had passed away in succession-Anne, 3
zabeth and Catharine. It was evident
it still be lieved he was living under one
,as them, and he did not know even the napt
The man who ordered his death. T.. -.
his What was the obscurity Of the night, C
EN- pared with that Of the tomb! 49,, ..-
The four soldiers then set to work: II
his broke the ice with their hammers, Gu
with their axes. and raised the blocks y y
TO the lever. All at once they started ba
the ice was broken, the water was rising
full "Come down." the governor said to
ion old man. The order was useless, for
rem had already done so. Kneeling on the
ana he was praying ferveptly.
we'd The governor gave an order in low