Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1869-05-21

think of looking for 20 here. 1t is finish
Wogel is your last resource; or rather
you are the last resource the one to the
other" a lasa4i q 7sa-r.sa arr ssad-sfI
All this passed through my mind like a
flash and, when at the same moment the
pale face of W Wolfgang, with his little lamp,
appeared at the opening above, l tried to
bly,, and not word came from my trem-
bling lips. v-~.-. r-w-r.a
Seeing this ne began to laugh; and, in
the silence, / could hear him saying,
"The coward he implores me!'
This was my finishing stroke. fell
face downward ON the floor, and it was
only the fear of being attacked by the old
woman that kept me from swooning.F She
however, had not as yet moved, or in the
least manifs sted her presence. The face
of Wolfgang was withdrawn; but could
rear the maniac walkin g to and fro in his
garrett. My ear was so quick that the
slightest noise did not escape me. heard
the old woman utter kind of yawn, and,
turning round, perceived for the first
time her eyes glitteriDg in the darkness
At the same time Wolfgang descended
the ladder; and counted mis- steps one by
one until they died away in the distance.
Where was the wretch going? knew not;
but through all the day and following
night he did not return. s ,asai
1t was not until the morrow, at about
eight o'clock In the evening, at a moment
when the old woman and mvself were
shrieking to make the very walls tremble,
that he came back. hs not once closed
my eyes during the night no longer
felt either fear or anger, but only de-
vouring hunger, which knew would in
crease all the time.
When I heard the faint noise in tire gar
ret became silent, and looking up saw
by the brightness coming through the
opening, that WOlfgang was lighting his
lamp. I doubted not that he would come
to see me; and with this hone / prepared
touching supplication. But the light
was extinguished al d no one came. This
wss the me t frigf IL nlo nent OF all. l
seemed to feel my hair written upon my
head-which it really did at this very mo-
ment-until at length my agony became
such that lost all consciousness. -e
About midnight I was aroused from
this stupor by feeling something touch
my body. I started up from my position
with disgust. Tfe old woman had ap-
preached, urged on by hunger. Her hands
were on my clothes, and at the same mo-
ment the cry, as of cat, filed the place,
and sent cold shiver through my whole
body. I expected she would attlck me,
but the poor wretch had not strength
enough left; this was her fifth day |
Then the words of Wolfgang returned
to my mind: GAS soon as the animal
soul becomes exhausted, the vegetable
soul gets the advantage; the hair and
nails grow under the ground !; the green
moss takes root in the openings OF the
skull" ts-f@@
/ pictured to myself the old woman re-
duced to this state-her skull covered
with moldy lichen, and myself, living near
her, our souls INTERVIEWING their vegeta-
ton, the one with the other, alone in the
silent darkness! saEs
This image took such possession of my
mind, that I scarcely felt any longer the
cravings of hunger. Stretched out
against the wall, my eyes wide open, l
stared before me into the empty space
AS lay thus, more dead thar alive, a
faint light penetrated the surrounding
darkness. I raised my eyes. The pale
face of Wolfgang appeared at the opening.
He did not laugh; he seemed to expert
ence neither joy nor satisfaction; he
merely observed me with cold, pitiless
eye. Thus we remained, our eyes fixed
upon one another-I, fear-stricken-he
cold, calm, attentive, as though looking at
some lifeless object. The insect, pierced
by needle, which we look at through
microscope, if he could think, if he could
such vision as then had. saw that
rauor x10,,ld Ia xrynroo tho,, nco1occ ond
said nothing cg4vsT .aafFf II A0eTr}
After scanning me thus, the maniac
turned his head In order to look at the old
woman l. followed mechanically the
direction of his gaze. What / saw the
human tongue cannot express; face
CHASTITY meagre |; the limbs shriveled, and
so sharp that they seemed about to pierce
the rags which covered them; something
shapeless, frightful-a deaths head, the
hair matted around the skull like long,
withered grass, and in the midst OF this,
two eyes burning with the fever light, and
two long yellow teeth; and, horrible to
tell, I saw two snails crawling over this
living skeleton. .g
Then, closing my eyes with convdl-
sive sigh, said to myself, "That is what
you will be in five daysr'
ucA hg,,u OPOAOu NY Cy Coi ciAO iiSno
was gone.
/" Wolfang," cried I, :" God is above us
God sees us, Wolfang; His curse be upon
you" :.'.1 aiaa
My worst suffering was from thirst at
this point it was intolerable. When the
first uncertain light of the morning ap-
peared, suddenly a wild fury seized upon
me. rhsa amHa a5aE
"The villain is there" said to myself;
he has some bread, a pitcher OF water
he drinks p
Then imagined him raising the pitcher
to his lips. | seemed to see the torrents
of water pass slowly down his throat. 1t
was a delicious stream which flowed
flowed Increasingly; and | saw the throat
of the wretch rise and fall voluptuously
with the refreshing current. Anger, de-
spair, indignation, seized me, and began
to run round my prison, crying out, Wa
ter, water, water!
And the old woman reused up, repeat-
ing after me, "Water, water, water p
In the midst of this scene, the face OF
Wolfgang appeared for the third time at
the opening Then, stopping, said to
him: s~gs s.s-s.--g-- ~.
0Wolfeang. listen; let me drink only
one draught from your pitcher, and you
| may leave me to die OF hunger. l will
not reproach your And /! wept. Then
| went on, Your immortal soul will an
swer for this before God. Yes, for the
| life of this old woman. But Il have
studied, and find your system very fine,
| admire it. Let me only take a drink of
water. have never seen so sublime a