The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-11-09
THE IRON STROUD.
A Tragedy Of the olden Times
ny Nm. NrDFoRD.

" Nm. AGufphl'
| a'..
The castle OF the Prince OF Toll was
built n the summit Of the towering and
prccipitous rock OF scylla, aud commanded
magnificent view Of Sicily in all its grand
eur. Here, during the wars OF the Mid
die Ages, when the fertile planes Of Italy
were devastated by hostile factions, those
prisoners were confined, for whose ransom
costly price was demanded. : Here, too,
in dungeon excavate1 deep in the solid
rock, the miserable victim was immurcd
whom revenge pursued, the dark, fierce.
and Implying revenge Of an Italian heart
viyenzio,-the noble and tho generous,
the fearless in battle, aud the pride OF
Naples in her sunny hours OF peace,-the
young, the brave, the proud Vivcnzio,-
foil beneath this subtle and rclnorseless
spirit. lie was the prisoner OF Toll; and
he languished in that rock-encircled
dungeon, which stood alone, and whose
portals never opened twice upon living
captive.
II had the sembIanCc OF a vast cage for
the roof and floor and sides were Of iron,
solidly wrought and spaciously construct
ell. High above ran range of seven
grated windows, guarded with massy
bars Of the sumo metal, which admitted
light aud air. Save these, and the tall
iolding-doors beneath them, which occupi'
ed the centre, no chink or chasm or pro-
lection broke the smooth, black surface OF
the walls. An iron bedstcad Uttered with
straw, stood in one corner, and beside 1t,
a vessel Of water, and coarse dish filled
with coarSer food. G rL sH
Even the intrepid soul Of vivenzlo
shrunk with dismay as hc. entered this
abode, and hear the ponderous doors
triple.locked by the silent rutllans
who conducted him to II. Their silence
seemed prophetic OF his fate, Of the living
grave that had been prepared for him.
His mcnaces and his entrcaties his indig.
nant appeals for Justice, and his impatient
0uestioning OF their intentions were alike
vain, They listened but spoke not lit
ministers oil crime that should have no
tongue!
How dismal was tue sound OF their re-
firing steps! And, as their faint echoes
died along the winding passages, fearful
presaye grew within him, that never more
lie facc or voice or tread Of man would
greet bissenses. lie had seen human be-
incs Tor the last time! And he had looked
his last upon the brigst sky, anil upon me
smiling earth and upon beautiful world
he loved, and whose minlon he had been
Hcrc he was to end his litc,-a life lIc had
inst begun TO rcyel In! And bywhatmeans;!,
by secret poison z or by mirderolis assault!
No; for then Il had been neellcss to bring
him thither. Famine, PERHAPS thon-
| sand deaths In one! II was terrible TO
think ofits but twas yet moreterrible TO
picture long, long years OF captivity IN d
solitude so appalling loncltness so Urea;
nv, that thought, for want oil fellowship
would lose itself In madness, or stagnate
into idiocy. .................-...,-..,-
lad the power, with his bare hands, Of
rending asunder the solid iron walls Of
Ibis prison. lie could not hope for liberty
from the rclenting mcrcies OF hts enemy.
Ills instant death, nnderany lorm0l refined
cruelty, was not tho object OF Tolte; for
he might havo inflicted i, and he had not.
II was too evident, therefore, he was rcscr-
we'd for some prcmeditatcd scheme OF sub;
lie vengeance; and what vengeance could
Transcend in fendish malice, either the
slow death OF famine, or the still slower
one OF solitary incarceration, I'LL tho last
lingering spark OF life expired, or tlll rca'
son fled, and nothing should remain to
perish hut the brute functions OF the body!
II was evening when VivCnzio entered
his dungeon; and tho approaching shades
OF night wrapped Il in total darkness, q
he paced up and down, revolving In his
mind these horrible iorebodings. No toll
ling bell from the castle, or from any neigh
boring church convent, struck upon his
ears 10 tellhow the hours passed. Fro
uuently he would stop and listen for Eome
sound That might betoken the vicinity Of
man: but the solitude of'theleSert the 81
lcnce OF the tomb, are not SO still and deep
as the Oppressive desolatlon by which no
was cncompassCh. Ills heart sunk within
him, and hc throw himself dcjectcdly
unon hiS couch OF straw. Here sleep grad
nally oblitGrated his consciousness Of mis-.
lrry: and bland dreams waited his delight
cd shirt To scenes which were onco glow
ing realities for him, in whose rayishing H.
insions lie soon lost the remembrance that
he was Tolfi'srrisoper n.y.
When he awokc, II was daylight; but
how long he bad slept he knew not. II
might be early morning, or II might be
snIiry noon; for he could measure time by
M other note OF Its progress than light and
,i"rtncss. lIc had been 80 happy In his
SIeen amid friends who loved him, aud
Ina swcceteF endcarments Of those who
: ioved him as friends could not, that, in the
iSrst momont OF waking, his startled mind
Hooincd u admit the knowledge Of his sit
uation, as II II had burst upon i for The
, first time fresh In MI lis appalling horrors
!, lIc gazed round with aIiair Of doubt and
anazement, and took up handful oil straw
upon which ho lay, rs though he would
' ask himself what Il meant. But memory,
too faithful to her Office, soon unveiled
: the melancholy past, while reason, shud'
lering at thetask, flashed before his eyes
the tremendous future. The contrast over
powered him. lie remained for some time
Iamenting, like q truth, the bright visions
that had vanished, and recoiling from the
/. present, which chung to him as poisoned
q garment itilErH
. When he grow moro calm, he surveyed
his gloomy dungeon. Alasl the stronger
> light Of day only served 10 confirm wha
the gloomy indistinctness Of the preceding
, evening had partially disclosed, -thI
utter impossibility Of escape. As, how
I ever, his eyes wandered round and round
!. aud from place To- place, he noticed twt
4 circumstances which excited bis suTpris'
j and curiosity. The ono no thought
3 might DO fancy but the other wRs positive
/" Ills pitcher Of water, and the dish whiCl
!" contained bis food, hsd been removes
from bis side while he slept, aud nov
4. stood near tho door. Wore he ovon In
3 clined 10 doubt this, by surprising he haI
u mistaken the spot whore h6 law them Owe
y night heeouldsnotyfor the pltchornoN
I, In his'hungcunIwas neither Of the sam
Z. color nor form ~ the other, while the loo
q was changed for some other Of bette
: quality. He had been visited therefor