The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-10-25

Philip CHANGED to have In his pocket box
of wax tnpers which smokers use. After
several Intellectual attempts he succeeded IN
igniting one against the damp wall, and by its
momcntary glare perceived that the candle
had been left In the tomb. This would serve
him in examining the fastenings OF the vault.
If he could force the inner door by any means
and reach the grating, of which he had an
indistinct recollection, he might hope to make
himself heard. But the oaken door was i'm
movable, rs solid rs the wall itself, into
which 1t fitted air tight. Even If he had had
the requisite tools there were no fastenngs to
be removed; the hinges were set on the out.
side.
Having ascertained this, he replaced the can
die on the floor, and leaned against the wall
thoughtfully, watching the blue fan Of flame
that wayered TO and fro, threatening to de-
tach itself from the wick. At all events, he
thought the place is ventilated. Suddenly
Philip sprang forward and eStineuished the
light. His existence depended upon that can
de
He had read somewhere, In some account Of
shipwrcck, how the survivors had lived for
days upon few candles which one of the
male passengers had insanely thrown into the
longboat And here he had been bur ming
away his very life
BY transient illumination Of one Of the ia
pcrs, he looked NJ his watch. 1t had stopped
III cleven--but 1T eleven that day or the pre-
cedng night? The funeral, he knew, had left
the church ut ten. How MANY hours had
been his swoon?
He picked up the candle and seated himself
on The stone steps. He was a sanguine man,
this Wentworth; but as he weighed the
chances of escape, the prospect did not seem
encouraging. or course he would be missed.
His disappearance under the circumstances
would surely alarm his friends; they wonld
inStigate n search for him but who would
think Of searching for q live man in the Gene
terry of MontmnrteH The Prefect of Police
would set n hundred intelligences at work 10
find him: the Seine might be dragged and les
niiserdJies turned over 1t the dead house; 4
minute description Of him would be in every
detectives pocket, and HEN M. Dorinc's
family tomb
Yet, on the other hand, it was here he was
last seen from this point keen detective
would naturally work up the case. Then
might not the undertaken return for the can
dlcstci probably not'left by design How
long could he keep life in himsrlf7
With uuaCcclcratrd pulse. he quietly cut tho
hall; burned candle into four equal parts.
" Tonight hc mcdtatod IL will cat the
first OF these pieces o-morruw tho second
10 morrow evening the third. tho next day the
fourth. and thcn--th"n III wait
He had taken 10 breakfast that morning
unless 4 cup Of coffee can he called u breakfast
lie had never hr"n very hungry before. W."
was rayrnously hungry now. lSut he post
ronrd The mral - long as practicable. II
must have been near midnight. according to
his calculation when he determined Ia try tho
first of his four singular rrpaStS III" bit OF
white wax WAS useless, I'M, IT herVed its
purpose,
His appetite for tho time arrcasod. hn found
= urw discomfort. Tho humidity Of the
walls and TIA" wind that Crrpt through ia"
unseen vrutilator chilled him Ia the bone. Il"
keep walking was his only resource" Ndrow-
giurSS too. occasionally came over NM. II
took all his Will to fight " oil. 10 sleep, he
felt, was to die; and h. then mad" MP his
mind 10 live.
Very strange fancirs fitted through his
head rs hr cropped up and down w" S'on'
floor of the dungeon. His whole liz" in detail
was unrollcd before him like panorama :,
The changes of Il year, with its burden OF low"
and deaths. its sweets and bitterness, were
rpitomZcd in Il second. The desire Ia sleep
had left him. But hunger cam" again.
phiiip became conscious that the gloom, inc
silence, and the cold were gradually conquer
nr HIM The fevcrSh activity OF his braun
brought on Il reaction. He grew letlIargic, he
ing. His hand fell by chance on enc Of the
pieces of candle; he graspcd 1t ana deVoured
il mechanically. This revived him. " How
strange" he thought, - that amnot thirsty
Is ii possible that the dampneSs OF the walls,
which | must inhalc with every breath, has
supplied the need Of water? Not 4 drop has
passed my lips for two days, and still !. eN-
pcrience no thirst whatever.
The minutes were like hours. Now ne
walked Us briskly rs he dared up ana down
More than once he was tempted TO throw him
self upon the stone coffin that held j ulie, and
make no struggle for his lie'
Only one piece of candle remained. lie had
eaten the third portion, not TO satisfy munger,
but for 4 precautionary motive. He had taken
il as Il man takes some dlsagreeahle drug,
upon the result Of which hangs safety. The
time was rapidly approaching when even thIs
poor substitute for nourishmcnt would be eX-
hausted He delayed that moment. He gave
I, r,lT f,SI Z lie m
OF caudle which he held in his hand was Il ST.
cred thing to him. II was his last defence
against death
At length, with snch a sinking heart rs he
had not known before, he raised il to his lips.
Then he paused, then he hurled the fragment
across the tomb. then the oaten door was lung
open, and Philip, with daZzled eyes, saw VI.
Dorine's form sharply defined against the biue
When they led him ont, half blinded, into
the broad DAYLIGHT NJ. Dorine noticed that
Philips hair, which Il short time since was as
black as Il crows wing, had actually turned
faded the darkness had spoiled their luslre.
"Aud how long was ne really confined III
Tho tomb?'' I asked, us Mr.. IL concluded
the story. ... -, 80
Dlicd Mr. H, smiling blandly.
M. lis narrative made 4 deep impress
sion on me.
After this it was but natural should re-
gard Mr.. Wentworth win deepehea interest
" Mr.. Wentworth, l began; -
He interrupted me.
NV name, SIR he said, in IN oil-hand
manner els Jones"
go, 10. JONES' he returned coolly, but
Frederick" -,
Mr.. Jones, or whatever his name Is, Will
never know, unless he reads these pages, why
a man accostcd him one morning as MT
Wentworth" and then abruptly rushed
down the nearest path and disappeared III the
crowd.
The fact is, had been duped by Mr.. IL.
Mr.. - occasionally contributes Il story 10
magazines. He had actually tried the erect
of one of his romances on me.
Mr.. hero, as | subsequently learned, Is no
hero at ALL but 4 commonplace young man
who has some connection with the building OF
that pretty granite bridge which Will snortiy
span the crooked little lake III the FuDllc
Garden.
Brobdingna9.