The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1863-04-23
f. = EBENSBURG. THURSDAY APRII 23 1863

nothing from this cell but my dead body,
and you are welcome to the trophy
A protracted fit of coughing here pre-
vented his speech, and his visitors now
felt convinced that he was lncorrigibie.
Mortified at their i'll success, and
wounded by secret sense of shame at
their ignoble errand, contrasted with the
manful patriotism of the famished prisoner,
they let loose upon him torrent of in
vectives and taunts, of which none but the
baffied pimps of Southern treason could be
capable.
1.-THE world will be rid of you," was
the substance of their remarks, ''for an
obstinate, soulless dog, who had rather
starve and die, like a Shaving Yankee,
aud leave his wife aud daughters to perish
unprotected, than live and do service
for the soil that was his birthplace. Die,
then, fool"
"Yes, die, and with the thought that
your wife will yield to- the temptations
| that viii beset her. She is a comely wo-
E,an-so they say-and will not long suf-
fer her chastity to stand in the way OF
her interests, when you are out OF the
way nor your daughters, neither, Mister
Unioaist. Starye, then, in prison, and
rot in lc?ydl gravc!'
| The last words were uttered from out
side the cell, just as the door changed to,
or the speakers life might have paid the
penalty of his insult-weak though the
infuriated prisoner was. But these were
the last jeers which the unhappy Gamault
was destined to hear.
Seven days had elasped since he had
tasted food and with a view of Fastening
| the close of his .wretched existence, his
| fendish tormentors now withheld from
| him even water-caeer to see the last
mortal movement of that hated form, which
even in its pining helplcssness, still def
ed them
The scntinels, feeling that "a child might
| slay him now, neglected to fasten the
door of his cell, but gambled and drank
together in their room, hard by-expect-
| ing soon to behold his lifelcss body, when
they SHOULD chance to look in upon him.
Vain confidence Delusivc hope! A
| fit night for the prisoners delivcrance
came-a night of storm. While the
| winds howled without, the two scntinels
| were bowling and drinking within, and
finally sank to drunken repose. For
Gamault it proved the hour of escape frou'
| captivity.
He had listened long. When silence
within advised him to totter forth, ne
found, as he had expected, that the guards
of the prison were asleep. Keys lay
| upon a table near the chairs where they
drowscd. A bowie knife glittered in the
bosom of one of the sleepers. A desperate
hope inspired him. He seized the weaps
on and made that sleep their last, sum
| moning all his strength for the two bloody
and fatal blows. They fell, bathed in
gore, 10 the floors and grasping the keys
/. he now walked to the doors which stood
! between him and his hope of freedom
| With tremulous hand he managed tc
unlock them, relock ( Dem and-emerg.
ing into the dark open air ohm Gamaut'
| was free.
! Not far from the spot-it lacking still
/. two hours of midnight-he found horse
and vehicle before a house, apparently
. awaiting driver.
Nerved by the inspiring strength Of
hone he felt a, new life within him.
christening the animal, he entered. tho
vehicle and drove off rapidly through the
palting storm, toward the northern border
of the State and when the morning broke
next upon the earth, the sclf-hberated
captive found himself in Kentucky, anc
surrounded by loyal friends.
From them he soon learned of th'
whereabouts of his family; and impatient
to be with them,' despite his now almos
deathly weakness, at his solicitation h
was placed in the cars, and, attended b,
two friends, speedily conveyed to them
In the bosom of his family, and protec
ted by Union-loving community, h,
gradually recovered from the shock whici
his sy stem had undergone aud he nov
dweils in peace with them, victorious owe
his remorscless foes. Not moro victorious
however, than the sublime cause he S
nobIy suffered for viii yet be, when tn
G cd of Freedoms armies shall utter tn
final signal decree for the destruction Q
treason, and the last stronghold OF con
spiracy shall be forced and overwhelne'
by the avenging armies of the Nation.
! ng- In an old play, the undertaker nc