The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1870-04-28

wretch could but sit still and groan.
All how | strove to seize the out
stretched hand Of love and mercy How
| strove to speak out the whole truth !
| could not. That terrible power still
held me down and | had no free volitiou.
The holy priest left us, the tears
streaming from his eyes as he thought
of our hardened condition And now
the night pissed slowly on. could
hear the deer tones of the prison clock
tell the hours; could hear the bells Of
the neighboring convent, where had
u tenderly loved sister, us they called
the pious ones to devotion, and still !
sat on the stony floor with my bowed
head on my knees and did not once
ask for mercy. Ayel thus | sat until
the first dim flicker of daylight peeped
through the Sits in the wall, aud the
jailor brought our morning meal. My
companion drank the wine and ate the
meal, singing at intervals snatches of
wild aud ribald songs, whilst | rocked
myselfto aud fro, moaning. But twelve
O'Clock soon came, and as the bell tolled,
the heavy door was thrown open and
the guard entered. We were attired in
the black garb Of the condemned and
prec ded by the same good priest, who
had visited US, bearing before him the
sacred crucifx and chanting our sacred
death song, we marched to the execu
tion hall! | walked without assistance,
my head bowed down, and as one in a
fearful dream. TIE procession halted.
| slowly raised my eyes, there was the
black, raised platform, there stood the
two blocks, and there the axcmen in
their dark masks, but more horrible
than all, there stood the fearful, hated
Blanko, his Instruments lying on a
table near him, his coat off and his
sleeves rolled up, apparently ready for
action | would have rushed upon him
aud torn him asunder, but that fearful
eye again subdued me. The word being
given we stepped upon the platform,
and as | passed Bllnko he whispered,
.' BE not cast down both bodies belong
to me Immediately after the stroke, and
| pledge my life | will restore YOU
| answered not, but took my place and
laid down my head Then | heard
Blanko say: Strike as closely as pos
sible to the bodies" The signal was
given i felt for an Instant keen pain
us the axe entered ; agony as the spl'
nal column was severed, and then n
numbncss seemed to come upon the
parts wounded. But oh J the wild,
wild sensations and thoughts that flashed
throu;h my system. The head seemed
to have but one steady thought, while
the body contained a chaotic mass OF
thoughts. The mind only in the head /!
No, no gentlemen, it permeatcs our
whole body. With convulsive action
| grasped the saw.dust on the floor, and
knew it was saw-dust, and when my
head was raised | could see aud hear.
| saw the instrument applied to my
bleeding neck, and heard Blauko say /:
" not that head, the other" and felt
that he had again deceived me aud was
about to place a murderer's head on my
innocent shoulders. My bead was then
cast down ana uneonsc'ouSness' suVn "'
comes in deep sleep, came over me.
.Ihaye 40 means OF knowing how long
continued IN iH's s'ape. was am"A
ened 10 consciousness py ssnse'l snarP
ana keeniy Painiuisnochs wn'eh seemeu
10 rush nrst 70 my hcar' anu 'hcu oaoN
to every nerve aud muscle 'n my sys,
iem' L ieit my heaFF give coh'aisiNe
throbs, and presently Deal WIN resu,
iarity' ooon my seuses, WIN oa,'
them mine hereafter as aiso tue neaI'
returned, but l could nRt move l,
however, opened my eyes, ana 'he,e sas
my more IMAM murderer a' tnc sac .,
my oed, hoidine my "r,s,, anu ncara
annnsa @ say ,v,a aO~ o~rl;sa liz TO NV nOstrils and
= ;ua oe aroan,r unconsc;ousnsss came
over n,c II wust have been some time
of,nr HE when I ag,;n owoke now I
eli .on,a .neat Thero was an old
,S 49, y .b bus,,;a,, ahou, ,be room. I,urned
m,v onas mon her and sstea suow
oa,,e y III 7 harp p ~ sho an wered me moth
~, 10, ,asnoa daadIv naIe aed from
,he I roa'n I,r;oJ ~ r;se hn, conld oot
i praia",lr o !, oams RlanIo in sre"t ex
,;,ea.a,',. - ~ = -, ~ n,a c.llo5 ms h;s
oea,, Sas s'i,,, ~ ans s H. ar;I ovo non
uea' 'oioY, S"S -, AA m e ~, -
;noaas 'o as H., 80 ,S"; oye Ma lost ia
- ,nn.ea' la ."oa;rad s s.f;c;en, nerve
Pose' : iaa naai 'eIe, ~ ,,asaarar - ros;s,
;.o'n s aug noau " t,u aai1 , ,el, hiro nn,b
10 i"HSeu''' s"u 49, ., ~ 49, M 7,