The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1864-11-11
Volume ll--No. 25,

led, was faithful blow, which, though
dealt in a damned cause might work
a desired eHd. There was no chance
so desperate, but it looked lovely in
IVivenzio's eyes, compared with the
idea of being totally abandoned.
The night came, aud Vivcnzio
watched. Morning came, and Vivcn.
zio was coniounded! He must have
slumbcrcd without knowing it. Sleep
must have stolen over him when eX.
hausted Ivy fatigue, and in that inter
val of feverish repose he had been
baflled; for there stood his rcplensh-
ed pitcher Of water, and there his
days meal. Nor was this all, casting
his looks toward the windows of his
dungeon, he counted but five Here
was no deception; and he was now
convinced there had been none the
day before. But what did all this
portcnd? Into what strange and
mysterious den had he been castp---
He gazcd till his eyes ached; he could
discover nothing to explain the mys-
terry. That twas so, he knew. Why
it was so, he racled his Imagination
in vain to conjecture. lie examined
the doors. A simple circumstance
convinced him that they had not been
opened.
A wisp Of straw, which he had
carelessly thrown against them the
preceding day, rs he passed to and
fro, remained where he had cast it,
though it must have been displaced
by the slightest motion Of either of
the doors. This was evidence that
could not be disputed; and il followed
there must he some secret machinery
in the walls by which person could
enter. He inspcctected them closely.
They appeard to him one solid and
compact mass of iron; or Joined, if
joined they were, with such nice art
that no mark of division was perccp-
tiblc. Again anda gain he surveyed,
thcm-and the noor-and the roof
and that range Of visionary windows,
rs he was now almost tempted TO
consider them; he could discover
nothing, absolutely nothing, TO relieve
his doubts or satisfy his curiosity.--
Sometimes he fancicd that altogether
the dungeon had more contracted
appearance-that it looked smaller;
but this he ascribed TO fancy, and the
impression naturally produced upon
his mind by the undeniable disap-
pcarance of two Of the windows
With intense anxiety, Nivenzio
iVOi,~u rOt anu W UIU ICGuiu va iIgIII,
and rs it approached, he resolved
that no treacherous sleep should again
bctray him. Instead of seeking his
bed Of straw, he continued to walk up
and down his dungeon till daylight,
straining his eyes in every direction
through the darkness, to watch for
any appearance that might explain
these mysteries. While thus engaged,
and rs nearly rs he could Judge. (byI
the time that aftcrward elapsed before
the morning came in,) about two
o'clock, there was slight tremulous
motion of the floor. He stopped -
The motion lasted nearly u minute,
but it was so extremely gentle, that
he almost doubted whether it was
real, or only imaginary. He listened.
Not Il sound could be heard. Pres.
emily, however, he felt a rush Of cold
air blow upon him, and dashing to.
ward the quarter whence it seemed
to proceed, he stumbled over some
thing which he judged to be the water
ever. The rush Of cold air was no
longer perceptible; and as Vivcnzio
stretched out his hands, he found
himself close to the walls. lie re-
maincd motionless for considerable
time, but nothing occurred during the
remainder of the night to excite his
attention, though he continued to
watch with undated vigilance.
The first approaches of the morn
ing were visible through the grated
windows, breaking with faint diyis-
ions of light, the darkness that still
peryadcd every other part, long be-
fore Vivenzlo was enabled to distin
gush any object in his dungeon. In.
stinctively and fearfully in his dun
geon. Instinctivcly and fcarfully he
turned his eyes, hot and inllamcd
with Watching, toward them. There
were four! He could see only four;
but 1t might be that some Intervening
object prevented the fifth from be
coming preccptiblc; and he wait,l
impatiently TO ascertain if it were so.
AS the light strengthened, however,
and penetrated every corner of the
cell, other objects of amazcmcnt
struck his sight. On the ground lay
the broken fragments of the pitcher
he had used the day before, and at Il
small distance from them nearer the
wall, stood the one he had noticed the
first night. 1t was filled with water,
and beside il was his food. He was
now certain, that by some mechanical
contrivance an opening was obtained
through the iron wall, and through
that opening the current of air found
entrance. But how noiselcss! For
had feather almost waved at the
time, he must have heard it. Again
he examined that part of the wall; but
both to sight and touch it appeared
one even and uniform surface, while
to repeated and violent blows, there
was an reverberating sound indica
tive of hollowness,
This perplexing mystery had for a
time withdrawn his thoughts from the