Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1860-09-01
For the Telegraph,
THE REsUsCITATED.
ny otARA cErN.


vices, was young man under sentence OF
death, then in Jail. They told me that be
was i'll, having eaten nothing for several
days, and of course it would not do to let
him die natural death, for then jasticc
would be defraudcd of its due, and that
morbid hahkering after sight which should
make men and angels weep, he unappeased.
My first interview with the prisoner cre-
ated in my breast powerful interest, aud
! felt the most intense desire to learn the
history Of life, likely to come to so terri
BILE termination And this, not, from an
idle curiosity but because in his appearance,
there was nothing of the ruffian, but every
evidence of refined and gentle breeding
In person he was tall aud symmetrically
formed with a noble and expressive coun-
tenancs, while in his suhducd tones there
was pathos, which appealed directly to
the heart. He lay upon his pallet when l
entered his CELL but extended his hand with
a faint smile as the jailor named me.
4 have heard Of you he said, you are
the friend of the wretched, and are well
come.
l took his hand, and as / felt his pulSe,
his dark mouruful eyes scanned my face
narrowly n .. ,..f
You are weak, | said, but have no dis.
ease. Come, let me prepared you strength
eniug draugm, He glanced at the jailor,
as if he wished him to 60 and l begged to
be left alone with the patient for short
time when the door closed upon bis retreat
ing form, | again spoke of preparing some
medicine, but with deprecatiug motion Of
the hand he declined to receiveit. c .....
L wish you to tell me doctor how long
a,man can live without food p t Az 'l'
] Started. Here, then, was clne to bis
long abstinence. He meant to starve him
self. BelieTing this, you may be assured
that l made the process q long one by my
answer. .... ....| .-.-..
Il con endure it, muttcred be, then clasp
ing bis thin pale hands together, he said,
in tones so deSpairing, that their accents
haunted me for days afterward.
Can you who have heart, wish me to
prolong by medicine and food, my life, that
they may strangIe me? o rather suffer
me to sink into grave not prepared by
the hangman ! Affected even to tears, l
took bis cold hand within my own, and with
arguments drawn from firm belief in chris
tianity, comhattcd his suicidal intentions,
for such he admitted them to be. Appar
emily my words had little or no effect upon
his mind, but had not the strength to re-
sst bis pleading that would keep secret
bis determinations
/ have, said he, told the keeper that
have no appetite, but was obliged to hide
my eyes lest he should see the hunger gleam-
ing in them, when he brought my meals.
Although had failed to turn him from
his purpose, had won his confidence, and
he promised at parting to relate to me the
incidents of his life. | could not bauish
him from my mind, for ten minutes togeth-
er after left the prison. and long after
had retired wooed the 'Irowsy god in
vain What was this strange fascination,
that had fastened upon my memory every
look and motion of his. A man convicted
of murder, confessed suicide in intention,
and instead of inspiring horror, | only felt
for him the most profound pity, yet so it
was, and with the utmost impatience | wait
ed to see him again. He graSped my hand
warmly, when l came, thanking me again,
and again for thinking of him, and an.
swered my inquiries whether he had taken
any food.
Do not let it grieve you that have not,
but sit beside me while tell you what has
brought me TO this sad plight. That shall
soon be done with earth believe, and O.,
trust me when assure yon that never
meant to kill the man, who fell by my hand.
| was mad, and to the practice of carrying
concealed sweapons, is attributable its
bad results. | would have given my own
hearts blood, to have restored his life the
moment after had taken it. am will
ing to die, bat not upon the scafold. Why
should | n Jt anticipate the time, by my
own act, which shall rid the earth of my
presence | am native of France, al
though my long residence in the United
States, has perfected my knowledge of the
English language, and my parents are now
living in Texas. received a thorugh edu-
cation at Yale, where graduated, but
was of an unquiet aud rowing disposition,
and having at my majority come iulo pos
session of fortune, have spent the last
five wears in travelling about The world. Six
months since | visited my fathers home, and
in its vicinity, | learned to love beautiful
Spanish maiden, who loved me in return
We were betrothed, and after visit which
| had promised to make to this city with a
friend, we were to be married o worshiped
but now lost one l shall be food for the
worm, while your eyes grow dim, watching
for my coming. He bowed his head upon
his hands, while groans of anguish burst
from his heaving bosom. Bye and bye he
resumed. We reached the city at dusk,
and entering saloon cslled for wine, and
refreshments aud then for the first time,
saw Edward drink to excess. lie became
boisterous, talking londIy and without re-
straint. Presently he spake Of lNEz, drink
ing to her health, and ndulging in inuen-
does concerning her which annoyed aud
yexed me beyond measure. begged him
to desist, for a crowd was gathering around
MS but in vain. Stung to madness by a
most foul and false insinuation, drew a
revolver and fred. / had not meant to kill
him, but he sank at ms feet a corpse, There
is little else to tell, we had both, for the
sake of sport, assumed an aiios, aud am
known here by the name Of Morton. That
is not my real name, bat let 1t die with me.
The next morning, to my surprise, i
learned from the keeper that the prisoner
II ...,,. .,,,o hraaL FIST xVhiah VIVA ann.