The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1864-11-18
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nc unSncu nlmSell upon the grOud
in agony-tcars burst from him, and
the sweat stood in large drops upon
his lace-he sobbed aloud-he tore
his hair-he rolled about like one
suffering intolerahlc anguish OF body,
and would have bitten the iron floor
beneath him; he brenthcd fearful
cnrses nnon Tolh, and the next mo.
nent passionate prayers to heaven
for immediate death. Then the vio-
lcncc Of his grief became exhausted,
and he lay still, weeping as Il child
would weep. The twilight of depart
ING day shed its gloom around him
ere he arose from that posture Of utter
and hopeless sorrow. He had taken
no food. Not one drop of water had
cooled the fever of his parched lips.
Sleep had not visited his eyes for six
and thirty hours. lie WAS faint with
hunger; weary with watching, and
with the excess Of his emotions. He
tasted of his food, he drank with
avidity of the water; and reeling like
q drunken man to his straw, cast him
self upon it to brood again over the
appalling image that had fastened
itself upon his almost frenzied tho'ts.
/ He slept. But his slumbers were
not tranquil. He resisted, rs long
rs he could. their approach; nnd when,
at last. entcebled nature yielded to
their influence, lie found no Oblivion
from his cares. Terrible dreams
haunted him-ghastly visions har-
rowed up his imagination--h shouted
and screamed, as if he already felt
the dungeons ponderous roof des-
cending on him-he breathed hard
and thick, as though writing between
. its iron walls Then would he spring
up--stare wildly about him-stretch
forth his hands, to be sure he yet had
/ space enough to live, and mutterino
: some incoherent words, sink down
= again, to pass through the same fierce
vicissitudes of delirious sleep.
The morning of the fourth day
! dawned upon Vivenzio. But it was
nigh noon before his mind shook of
its stupor, or he awoke TO full con.
, sciousness of his situation. And what
fixed energy of despair sat upon his
(. pale features, as he cast his eyes up
ward, and gazed upon three window:
that now alone remained! The three
there were no more! and they seemed
to number his own allotted days. -
Slowly and camly he next surveyed
g the top and sides, and comprchended
j all the meaning of the diminished
=. hight of the former, as well rs The
gradual approximation of the latter
The contracted Dimensions of hi:
mysterious prison were now too gross
and palpable to be the juggle of hi,
heated Imagination. Still lost il
wonder at the means, Niyenzio coult
put no cheat upon his reason, as tC
the end. Byvhat horrible ingenuity
it was contrivcd, that walls, and roof
, and windows, should thus silently
and impcrccptibly without noise. anC
without motion almost, fold as il
were within zach other, he knew not
He only knew they did so; and hC
vainly strove TO persuade himself i
was the intention of the contriver t.
p, rack tho miserable wretch who nigh
he immured there, with anticipation
d merely, of fate, from which, in th'
r. very crisis of his agony, lie was To b.
reprieved.
I Gladly would he have clung eve
to this possibility, if his heart woul,
have let. him; but he fet a dreadfu
assurance of its fallacy. And wha
matchless inhumanity it was to door
the sufferer to such lingering tor
5, ments, to lead him day by day to 5
; appalling a death, unsupported b
the consultations Of religion, unvisite
by any human being, abandoned t
,e himself, deserted of all, and denie
even the sad privilege of knowing thu
3. his cruel destiny would awaken pit,
70 Alone he was to perish! alone he wa
ri to wait a slow coming torture, who's
US most exqisite pangs would be inhic
~ ed by that very solitude and thi
- tardy comingl
"It is not death fear" he exclair
= ed, but The death / must prepare TO
y Methinks too, could even meet tha
"' all horrible and revolving as it is,
C it might overtake me now. But whe
- shall find fortitude to tarry till
,sl comes2 How can ] live, the thr
long days and nights ] have to liv
- There is no power within me TO b
the hideous specter hence, none
% make it familiar to my thoughts;