East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1860-05-24
NUMBER 43.


told even that his apprehensions were
just, and that his fate s,oas to be what he
foreboded, would be preferable to sus-
pense which hung upon the possibility of
his worst fears being visionary.
The night came; and as the hour APP
preached when Vivenzio imagined he
might expect the signs, he stood fixed
and silent as a statue. He feared to
breathe, almost, lest he might lose any
sound which would warn him of their
coming. While thas listening with every
faculty of mind and body strained to an
agony of attention, it occurred to him
that he should be more sensible of the
motion, probably, ii he stretched himself
along the iron floor. He accordingly
laid himself softly down, and had not
been long in that position wlien-yes, hs
was certain of 1.-THE floor moved under
him! He sprang up, and in voice suf.
focated nearly with emotion, called aloud.
He paused-the motion ceased.-he felt
no stream Of air-all was hushed-no
voice answered to his-he burst into
tears and as he sank to the ground ex-
claimed-"Oh, my Godl my God! You
alone have power to save me now, or
strengthen me for the trial you permit"
Another morning dawned upon the
wretched captive, and the fatal index Of
his doom met his eyes. Two windows
and t,1o days--and all would be overl
Fresh food--fresh water-the mysterious
visit had been paid though he had i'm.
plored il in vain. But how awfully was
his prayer answered in what he now
saw! The roof of his dungeon was
within foot of his head. The two ends
were SO near, that in six PAGES he trod the
space between them. Vivenzio shuddered
as he gazed, and as his steps traversed
the narrow area. But his feelings no
longer vented themselves in frantic wall.
ings. With folded arms and clenched
teeth, with eyes that were blood-shot-
from much watching, and fixed with
vacant glare upon the ground, with
hard quick breathing, and hurried walk,
he strobe backwards and forward in ST.
lent musing for several hours. What
mind can conceive, what tongue utter, or
what pen describe the dark and terrible
character of his thoughts p? Like the
fate that moulded them, they had no
similtude in the wide range of this
worlds agony for man. Suddenly he
stopped, and his eyes were fixed upon
that part of the wall which was over his
bed of straw. Words are inscribed
there--a human language traced by
human hand He rushes towards them
Ibis blood freezes as he reads
81, Ludovico Sforza, tempted by tho
gold of the Prince Of Tol6, spent three
years in contriving and executing this
accursed triumph of my art When it
was completed, the perfdious Tolfi, more
devil than man, who conducted mo
hther one morning, to be witness, as
he said, of its perfection, doomed me to
be the first victim OF my pernicious skill;
lest, as he declared, should divulge
the secret, or repeat the effort of my in.
gcnuity. May. God pardon him, as l
hope he will me, that ministcrcd to his
unhallowed purpose Miserable wretch;
who'er thou art, that readest these, fall
on thy knees, and invoke, as have done,
His sustaining mercy, who alone can
nerve thee to meet the vengeance Of
Tolf, armed with this tremendous en-.
gine, which, in few hours, must crush
yoa, as it will the needy wretch who
made it,"
A deep groan burst from Vivenzio.-
HeSstood like one transfixed, with dilatcd
eyes, expanded nostrils and ouiverinp
lips, gazing at this fatal inscription. 1t
was as if voice from the sepulchre had
sounded in his ears, Prepare !" Hope
forsook him. There was his sentence.
recorded in those dismal words. The
future stood unveiled before him, ghastly
and appalling. His brain already feels
the descending horror-his bones seem
to crack and crumblc in the mighty grasp
of the iron walls Unlnowing what it
is Inc does, he fumbles in his garment for
some weapon of self destruction. Ho
clenches his throat in his convulsive
gripe, as though he would strangle him.
self at once. He stares upon the walls,
and his warning spirit demands, "Wili
they not anticipate their office, if dash
my head against them?" A hysterical
laugh chokes him as he exclaims, "Why
should /? He was but man who died
first in their fierce embrace; and should
be less than man not to do as much?n
The evening sun was descending, and
Vivenzio beheld its golden beams strcam-
ing through one of the windows. What
a thrill of JOY shot through his soul at
the sight? 1t was precious link that
united him, for the moment, with the
world beyond. There was ecstacy in the
thought AS he gazed, long and earn
estly, IL seemed as if the windows had
lowered sufficiently for him to reach
them-with one wild spring lie clung TO
the bars. Whether it was so contrived
to madden with delight the
wretch who looked, he knew not; but at
the extremity of a long vista cut through
the solid rocks, the ocean, the sky, tho
setting sun, olive groves, shady walks,
md, in tho farthcrest distance, delicious
glimpscs Of magnificent Sicily burst upon
his sight. How exquisite was the cool
breeze as it swept across his cheek, load
ed with fragrance lie inhaled it "a
though it were the breath Of continued
life. And thero was freshness in the
landscape, and in the ripping Of tho
calm green sea, that fell upon his with
cred heart like dew upon the parched
earth. How he gazed, and painted, and
still clnnrr N HE bold cc,nst,r,ss b>~n