The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-06-14


deliverance from it, the more restless she be-
came. 1t was no defnable sense or reason
that produced the restlessness which deprived
her of repose-no apprehension-no pain or
affection of the body; nothing but nervous
irritability. For many hours therefore she
lay awake thinking of the past and indulging
hopeful visions of the future Towards morn
ing, however, she fell into a sort of uneasy
slumber, which lasted until she was aroused
by the breakfast bell.
Hastily rising she prepared her toilette
with great care. She wanted her father to be
pleased with her appearance, and she knew he
would take to heart anything which indicated
sorrow and distress on her part. To him she
must always appear beautiful and bright, free
from care and sorrow. To know that she was
grlevlng over his imprisonment would have
been the severest infiction that the old man
had been called upon to suffer; and to see her
happy and cheerful, Laura well knew would
be his greatest solace.
When, therefore, she appeared at the break
fast table every trace of uneasiness and lack
of need of repose had disappeared from her
countenance. The beams of the rising sun
flashed over her tall figure from the opposite
easement as she entered the room, and lighted
up her rich warm face with splendid halo of
beauty. Zera noticed the pains she had taken
to appear well in her fathers sight and sought
to aid her exertions by indulging in gay and
cheerful conversation. The repast therefore
passed off amid playful jest and bright pic
turings of what the future held in store for
each. And when the hour had arrived in
which she might hope to gain admission to the
prison, she took her seat in the carriage
cheered by the happiest auguries for the
future.
But when she arrived at her destination,
and had shown her pass, and was admitted to
the gloomy recesses Of this lazar house of liy-
ing humanity, her heart recoiled with horror
of the place and the scene of misery she was
called on to witness.
The dungeon in which Colonel Taylor was
confined was one of those gloomy caverns
which had been excavated beneath the walls of
the old medical college as a recepticle for the
remains which were destined for the dissecting
room. The cell in which he was placed was
dark and narrow, and walled up at the sides
and arched over head with heavy stone. A
small lamp was allowed him, whose faint rays
could not dispel, although it might mitigate
the gloom Of the apartment. BY the dim
light Laura CROPPED her way into the cell, and
as her eyes got gradually accustomed to the
obscurity of the dark abode in which her
father was immured, she became aware of the
presence, CHASTITY now, and stricken with the
ravages which mental and physical discomfort
produces on the aged, Of her father. He
was standing at the rear of the cell,
and when he saw his daughter admitted to
the dismal cavity in which he had been
thrust, he seemed to be suddenly deprived of
all power of advancing. His whole frame
shook with emotion, and the stinging sense of
dishonor which had for the first time forced
itself on his mind, took away all ability to
speak or address her, but he opened his arms,
and with a wild shrek of anguish and con-
5uming woe, his daughter sprung to his
bosom, and there lay sobbing as if her heart
would break.
"Oh, father to find you plunged into this
dreadful dungeon, old, feeble and innocent,
1eprives me almost of reason
eyes, my poor child, am here almost on
my death bed to die at leisure, crushed with
wrongs, my groans unheard, and my despair
lnpitied by my cruel jailors," and the old
mans words were uttered in tone in which |
he bitterness of undeserved ignominy was
;uperadded TO the harshness to which he had |
been subjected.
"Oh, my father, this is terriblel and the |
noble but almost distracted girl flung her |
rms around her parents neck and wept in |
he utter abandon of wretchedness and grief
Strongly imaginative and sensitive to a |
degree, the situation of help |
ess misery in which she found her
'nly parent, exaggerated her fears and !
cad her to apprehend not only secret
murder, but the more horrible alterna-
i've OF death from prolonged Imprisonment.
But the emotions which her presence aroused
n her fathers heart had by this time subsidized,
md conscious of the necessity of quieting
lis daughters agitation, he proceeded at once
o address to her such soothing words and
heerful hopes, that in time her fears were
luieted and her apprehensions put at rest.
courage was restored to her heart, yigor
nd animation to her terrified mind
UGH influence does the power of parental
owe possess over the infrmities of our ma
ure.
"But what brings my daughter here? 1
lad enjoined you not to come" and the
Id man smiled upon her with afectionate
ride.
eyes, father, but 1 came to bring you
ews You know, 1 suppose, the cause of
our arrest, and by whose influence it was
REQUIRED ?" she inquired.
eyes, all this know from my old friend,
Iajor Hayes, who mourns for the unworthi-
ess Of his son. Poor old man, I would not
xchange places with him."
He is indeed terribly afflicted, and his
ishOnOr for quob he piaug - mill oIr,ost |