Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-10-29

each morning. As he partakes OF MS lru'
gal meal he notices that the cell appears
contracted. He thinks that his confine-
ment is surely injuring his mind. But no
his cell has diminished by several feet
since he first entered it. Good God, he
exclaims, "my dungeon is closing upon
met" A few more mornings and second
window had disappeared. He had now
only one from which to see the light of
day. Soon total darkness would come,
and then ---. As he thinks of this lying
upon bis pallet of straw, it seems that he
must 90 mad. His bed was close upon
one wall, and the one opposite, which at
first had been as much as fifteen feet dis
tant, was now scarcely nine. But his suf-
fering could not always last-there must
sometime be an end.
Three weeks have passed away. 1t is
q beautiful moonlight evening. The orb
of night, round and full, shines its soft light
into the clear waters of Lake Lochleven.
Our hero from his lonely cell. gazes out of
his one remaining window, upon the beau
tifnl night. In the distance his eye meets
the dim outline of the island of Saint Serf.
His vision takes in but small portion OF
the lake, and the black walls of the Castle
jutting out on either side, hide the shores
of the mainland. The bright rays OF the
moon shining into his contracted apart
ment awoke him from his slumber, and he
has been for some time gazing from his
window upon the lovely night without. 1t
is midnight, and all is still. He is think
ing of Agnes-and if all of his friends
have deserted him. He knows that in a
few days more the walls of his prison will
have closed in and he-that his body will
still be prisoner, but his soul, free. He
has turned from the window, and is about
to again lie down when something enters
from the window which he has just left.
It strikes upon the wall opposite
and falls to the floor. Quickly
the prisoner watches it from where
it has fallen. 1t is an arrow. To
one end is attached thread, and, wound
around the arrow and firmly attached, is
a piece of white paper. This is quickly
opened, and the contents which were
written on the inside, read.
Touch spring at the right lower cor
ner of your window, and it will open.
Draw up the thread until you reach rope
attach it to the sill descend. You have
friends below" Notwithstanding the
briefness Of this epistle, the prisoner was
hardly able to read it. His hands shook
as if with ague. His brain whirled-his
senses nearly left him. He is soon, how
ever, recovered from the shock which the
joyful news rendered to his nerves.
Thank God = he exclaims al have yet
friends"
He searches for the secret spring in the
window. After few minutes it is found.
He presses-the window opens. He draws
up the thread until the cord is reached;
attaching 1t to the cell he commences his
descent without once looking below. Slow
progress does he make; his hands can
hardly retain their hold. so weakened is
he by confinement. At last he nears the
looks beneath him. There is awaiting
him boat, with two persons in it. The
few intervening feet are soon passed and
he is in the boat. The two persons await
ing him are middle-aged man, boat
man. and boy of eighteen years. or less,
dressed as page. When Brougham en-
tiers the boat, forgetting his yet unsafe
condition, he attempts to speak, but is mo-
toned to be silent by the boatman. The
latter person gives the escaped prisoner
pair of muffled oars, and, noislessly. they
set out for the mainland.
The moon is now obscured by a black
cloud, and Brougham can not plainly see
the countenances Of his rescuers. His
gaze has been for some time, intently
fixed upon the page. At length the moon
appears and lights up the face of the boy.
"Agnes p exclaimed our hero.
Hush ~ whispers the page, Speak
and you may be heard at the Castle-we
are not yet safe"
The shore is soon reached, and the page
(really Agnes) is clasped in her lovers
arms.
One sad event told by Agnes to Broug-
ham mars the happiness of both. Our
hero's twin brother Richard had started
with the rescners to assist the escape of
his brother, but. when in he boat which
was about equally distant from the shore
and Castle he had carelessly fallen over
its side, and did not again rise to the sur
face of the water. He had probably been
caught In the weeds which lined the bot
tom of the lake, and was unable to ex-
tricate himself from their meshes
For nearly year James Brougham re-
manned at King Charles Palace. in the
PRESERVATION of his brother Richard. whose
untimely death had indeed been advan.
tageous in one way to his brother. The ey-
act likeness of James to Richard deceived
the court, and even the King himself.
But short time after the escape OF
Brougham from his place of confinement
1t was announced to the King who then
believed the escaped prisoner to be far
away, instead of, at the same time which
he received the announcement, in the
same room with himself
Those who knew that Richard Broug-
ham was dead, were but three. James
Brougham as Richard sought and obtained
the hand of Agnes, as Lord Wentworth
was no more; and it was not until the
marriage had passed that the King dis
covered the deception which the bold
Knight had practiced for his nieces hand.
1t was bold part that James Broug-
ham took, but what difficulties and dan
gers will not love brave The King could
not but admire the course of the bold
knight. and could not help but see "that
where deep love is once implanted, it is
hard to root it out" And James Broug-
ham and Agnes lived the happier togeth-
er because OF the obstacles encountered
before reaching this state nj happiness