The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1868-02-20

ponderous Notwithstanding on him
-he breathed hard and thick, as
though writhing between it's iron
walls. Then would he spring up
stare wildly about him-stretch
forth his hands to be sure he vet
had space enough to live-and,
muttering some incoherent words,
sink down again, to pass through
the same fierce vicissitudes of de-
lirious sleep. o.a I, lIa laaI
The morning of the fourth day
lawncd upon Vivenzio. But it
was high noon before his mind
shook offits stupor, or he swcke to
full consciousness of his situation.
And what a fixed energy of despair
sat upon his pale features, as he
cast his eyes upward, and gazed
upon the THREE windows that now
alone remained! the three there
were no more and they seemed to
number his own allotted days.
Slowly and calmly he next surveyed
the top and sides, and comprehend
ed all the meaning ofthe diminished
height of the former, as well as Of
the gradual approximation of the
latter. The contracted dimensions
of his mysterious prison were now
too gross and palpable. to be- the
Ijuggle of his heated Imagination.
Still lost IN wonder at the means,
IVivenzioa could put no cheat upon
his reason as to the end. By what
horrible ingenuity it was centrived,
that walls, and roof, and windows,
should thus silently and impercept-
IDLY, and without motion almost,
fold. as it were, within each other,
he knew not. He only knew they
did so; and he yainly strove to per-
suade himself it was the intention
of the contriver to rack the miserable
wretch who might be immured
there, with anticipations, merely, of
a fate, from which in the very cri-
sis Of his agony he was to be re
pricved. -'''' ,s''
Gladly would he have clung even
to this possibility, if his heart
would have let him; but he felt a
dreadful assurance of it's fallacy
And what matchless inhumanity it
was to doom the sufferer to such
lingering torments- lead him
day by day to such appalling a
death, denied even the sad privilege
of knowing that his cruel destiny
would awaken pity! Alone he was
to wait a slow coming torture,
whose most exquisite pangs would
be inflicted by that very solitude
and that tardy coming! ..
sit is not death / fear" he ex-
claimed, s'but the death | must pre-
pare for! Metkinks too, I could
meet even that-ali horrible and re-
/ voting as it is-if it might over
take me now. But where shall ]
find fortitude to tarry till it come
: How can I outlive the three long
, days and nights / have to live
There is no power within me to bio
the hideous spectre hence-none to
make it familiar to my thoughts OF
3 myself, patient of its errand. Ny
Z, thoughts, rather, will fee from me
, and I grow mad in looking at it
f Oh for deep sleeps to fall upon
!, me! That SO, in deaths likeness,
might embrace death itself, anc
| drink no more Of the cup that is
. presented to me, than my flintins
r spirit has already stasted!'
In the midst Of these lamenta
f tions, Vivenzio noticed that hi:
1 accustomed meal, with the pitcher
: of water, had been conveyed, as be
: fore, into his dungeon. But this cir
E cumstance no longer excited his
t surprise. His mind.was oyerwhelm
l ed with others of far greater mag
] nitude. 1t suggested, however, :
e feeble hope of deliyerance; anc
= there is no hope SO feeble, as not tt
L yield some support to a heart bend
T ing under despair He resolved tt
watch, during the ensuing night
4 for the signs he had before OBJ
served; and should he again fee
the gentle, tremulous motion of tn,
: floor, or the current of air, to seiz'
: that moment for giving audible eX
e preston to his misery. Some per
e son must be near him, at the instan
+ when his food was supplied; SOM
n one, perhaps, susceptible of pity
: Or if not, to be told even that hi
4 apprehensions were just, and tha
e his fate was to be what he forebo
y ded. s5,B of - LES s.t ,s4s.y z:
d The night came and as the hou
e approached when Vivenzio imag
e ined he might expect the signs, h
e stood fixed and silent as a statute
He feared to breathe almost, lest b
t might lose the sound OF their com
o ing. While thus listening, it occur
red to him that he should be NOR
: sensible of the motion, if he stretch
n ed himself along the iron floor. II
accordingly laid himself softly down
e and had not been long in that pc
n sition when-yes-he was certain o
e 1.-THE floor moved under him! II
d sprang up, and in voice nearly sut
/ located with emotion, called aloud
e He paused-the motion -ceased-h
e felt no stream Of air-all was hush
+; ed-no voice answered to his-h
a sunk to the ground in renewed an
: guish, exclaimed, "Oh, my God m,
/ God! You alone have power t.
# save now, or strengthen me for, tn
e trial you permit" :" ea.f1-
d Another morning dawned upol
3 the wretched captive, and the fata
e index of his doom met his eyes
r Two windows ?-and taco days
It and all would be over! Fresh food
:, fresh water! The mysterious visi
). had been paid, though he had i'm
k plored it in vain. Rut how awfnlJ,