Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1867-04-10

When he grew more calm, he surveyed hi
gloomy dungeon. Alas the stronger light O
day only served to confirm what the gloomy
indistinctness of the preceding evening had
artially disclosed, the utter impossibility o
escape. As, however, his eyes wandered
around and around, and from place to place
he noticed two circumstances which e1citeo
his surprise and curiosity. The one, he thought
might be fancy; but the other was positive
His pitcher Of water and the dish which con
tanned his food, had been removed from hi
side while he slept, and now stood near th'
door. Were he even inclined to doubt thi!
by supposing he had mistaken the spot WHERE
he saw them over night be could not, for the
pitcher now in his dungeon was neither o
the same form nor color as the other, while
the food was changed for some other OF bettel
quality. He had been visited therefore durln:
the night. But how had the person obtained
entrance? Could he have slept SO soundly
that the unlocking and opening of those pom
derous portals. were effected without waking
him? lie would have said this was not pos
sible, but that in doing so, he must admit
greater difficulty, an entrance By other means
of which he was convinced there existed none
twas not intended, then, that he should belief
to perish by hunger. But the secret ane
mysterious mode Of supplying him with fond
seemed to indicate he was to have no oppor
tunity OF communication with human being
The other circumstance which had attracted
his notice, was the Disappearance, as he be-
lieyed, Of one of the seven grsted windows tha
ran along the top of his prison. lie felt conil
dent that he had observed and counted sever
for he was rather surprised at their number
and there was something peculiar in thei
form. as we'll as in the manner of their ar
rangernent, at unequal distances. 1t vas SC
much easier, however, to suppose be was mis-
taken. than that q portion of the solid iror
which formed the walls could have escspec
from, its position that he soon dismissed the
thought from his mind.
Viyenzio partook of the food that was be-
fore him without apprehension. 1t might bs
poisoned, but iii were, ho knew that ne coulc
not escape death, should such be the design
of Tolf, and the quickest death would be the
speediest relief
The day passed YEARLY and gloomily though
not without faint hope thatby keeping watch
at night, he might observe when the person
came to bring him food, which lie supposed he
would do in the same way as before. The
m:re thought of being approached by living
creature, and the opportunity 1t might. pres enl
him, impaired some comfort. Besides, il
he came alone, might he notin furious on
set ovcrpower him7 Or he might be acces
sible to pity, or the influence Of such munifi
cent rewards as he could bestow if once more
at liberty, and master of himself. Say he
was armed. The worst that could bcfall, il
neither brbc, nor prayers, nor force prevailed
was a faithful blow, which though dealt in a
damned cause, might work desired end
There was no ciGnee so desperate but il
looked lovely in yivcnzio's eyes, compared
with the thought of being totally abandoned
The night came, and Vivcnzio watched
morning cams, end Vivenzo was confounded
BE must have slumbered without knowing it.
-5Iecp must raye srUieu over him when es-
hausted by fatigue, and in that interval of fe-
ycrish repose he had been bailled +; for there
stood his replenishea pitcher of water, and
there his days meal. Nor was this oil. Cast
;nq his looks towards the windows of his
dungeon, he counted but FIVE Here WAS no
decc, ton; and he was nov convirGed that
there had been none the day before. Bat
what did all this portend !? Into what strange
and mysterious den had he been cast. He
gaz.d till his eyes ached he could discover
nothing to explain the mystery.
That it was so, he knew. Why it was so,
lie racked his imagination in vain to conjcc-
ture. He examined tug dqors. 4 single
circumstance convinced him they had nGt
been opened.
A wisp Of straw, which he had careleSsly
thrown against them the preceding day, as he
paced to aud fro, remained where lie 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 be some secret machi-
ncry in the walls 10y which a Person could en-
Ter. He inspected them closely. They ap.
reared to him one solid and Compact mass Of
iron; or joined, if fjoinel they were, with such
nice art that no mark of division was percep.
tible. Again and again he surveyed them
on the floor; and the roof; and tue range Of
visionary windows, as he was now almost
tempted to consider them; he could discover
nothing, absolutely nothing, 10 relieve his
doubts, or satisfy his curiosity. Sometimes
he fancied that altogether the dungeon had a
more contracted appearance that it looked
smaller; but this he absorbed to fancy, and
the impression naturally produced upon his
mind by the undeniable disapl earance of two
of the windows.
With intense anxiety Yivenzio looked for
ward to the return Of night; and as it ap-
proached, he resolved that no treacherous
Sleep saon!4 sgain betray him. Instead Of
seeking his bed Of straw he cGatinued to walk
up and down his dungeon until daylight,
straining his eyes in every direction through
the darkness, TO watch for any appearance
that might explain these mysteries. While
thus engaged, ppd as nearly as 10 could judge,
fby the time that afterwards elspsed before
the M rning came in, about two o'clock,
there was a slight tremulous motion Of the
Aoor. He stopped the motion lasted nearly
minute; but it was SO e1 1'remely gentle
that he almost doubted whether it was real
or imaginary. Not a sound could be heard.
Presently, ko~sseF, he Eit q Fish af iGid cir
blow upon him; and dasliing towards the
ouartsr whence it seemed to proceed, he
stumbled over something which he judged to
be the wator aEeF, The rush OF cold air was
no longer pcrceptibiel and &C Yiveuzio
stretched out his hands, he found himself
close to the walls. Hc remained motionless
for considerable time but nothing occurred
during the remainder of the night to excite
his attention, thqEgA be continued to watch
with undated glglianGs:
The first approaches Of the morning wac
visible through the grated windows, breaking
with faint division of light the darkness nat
still pervaded every other part, long beore
yigenzio was enabled to distinguish anIob-
iect In his dunsaG2, Instinctively and ear,
fully he turned his cyes, noi sEss ;named
with watching towards them. There we're
foar!! He could see only iour; but .,,. !. ,,gns
be th4t ssqqMo intervening object Prevniing
the fifth becoming Per'eptthlei ine he 'a'ted
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