The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1879-07-16

my fight turned upon me like a wolf
at bay.
"iMaldeaop he rosred, stay
where you are, and be taken l have
always hated you!D
"And with that be struck me a tre-
mendous blow on the face.
down / went, as If struck by a
slcdge-hammer. As i fell | saw him
dash one soldier to the ground, dart
past the remaining two, heard a shot,
and then all grew dark, and l knew
no more for many hours, when l
came back to my senses in my dun
geon cell, bruised and bloody, and
loaded down with triple irons.
II couldn't discover from the pris-
on officials whether Faldemar had
effected his escape or been killed.
They are profoundly secret about
such things in the mines-l suppose
for the purpose of adding mental dis
tress and suspense to the bodily pun
ishment that n endures. However,
it was enough for me that had been
recaptured, and that / should in oil
probability have TO serve out my
term-which | did.
Finally, j was discharged; | re-
turned to the capital, ruined in for
tune as in reputation, and only to
meet a more bitter blow. Poor Car
men, my beloved bride, had plned
away of grief during my captivity,
and mad been dead and buried several
months before my release. Her faith
er drove me from his inn with curses
and ~reproaches, when i presented
myself there. Ny OWL relatives and
former friends Stunned me. / was a
miserable, ruined man-and a beggsr
il the s~,reetsl
"rhe second day following my re-
turn was Easter Sunday, which was
to be the occasion of an immense fes-
tival-a holy day and civic celebra'
ton combined, whose browning feat
ure in the evening was was to be
the illumination of the cathedral,
which had just been completed IN
every part, and was to .eceive a sort
OF rededication.
II cared nothing for these things
as | wandered, on the preceding Sat
arday, ragged and hungry, through
the CAV and crowded streets. But
chance led me here to the front OF the
cathedral, where | read a placard
concerning the illumination, that
gave me new hope.
1t announced that n hundred
workmen were required for the light
ing of the dome and cupola, three
hundred for the cornices, pillar, col
onnades, and the like and stated In
conclusion, that every workman en-
ployed on the outside of the dome
and cupola should, on account OF the
extreme danger attending the employ
ment, receive in payment a hearty
meal and the sum of twenty pesos-thc
wages of the rest being less than one
half that sum-.
"There were few applicants for the
dangerous posts; but desperate work
at fair pay was just in my line. i
went at once to the msjor-domo hav-
ing charge of the illumination, was
entered upon his list, received two
pesos as an earnest of the contract,
and engaged to present myself punct-
ually at noon Of the following day.
That evening | supped well at a
street stall, and bought leave to sleep
on some straw in a stable at the back
of the Gale del Theatre.
81 was at the Office on time next
day, and together with q raoble OF
poor fellows, doubtless as miserable
and desperate as myself, was ushered
into a hall where two tables had been
laid for our accommodation. We
were in by a file of sentries, and q;
we stood around the table, grace was
read by an old padre. whom | had
known and loved in better days, bu'
who had quite forgotten me.
"As be began to read a magnetic
thrill shot through me. 1t impelled me
to look across to the opposite table.
and there-yes by all the saints :
there / saw Naldemar.
"He was looking full at me, but
his eyes dropped on meeting mine
and / saw him urn perfectly livid
Cdram6a l.! what a sea of %revengefu
re~collections surged upon me. Oh
that | might live to meet him yet, un
der the free sky, where no priests
was praying and no guards were
by!
1.-THE dinner lasted long, and wher
no one seemed able to eat more tn,
tables were cleared. Most of th,
men threw themselves upon the foo
and benches, and went to sleep il
preparation of the hazardous night
work that was before us-Pedrt
among the number. / could not re
frain from going over and spurninl
him with my foot.
"'Pedro you know met | Kissed.
"'Diablop be growled, looking
sullenly up i thought you were 10
the mines
1T is not your fault that / an
not there still,' / muttered. Blu
hearken! If you and l survive thii
night, yor shall answer for you
treachery.' erfrr
"He only glared at me from under
his bushy eyebrows, and without re
plying turned over Oh his side again
as if to sleep.
"He had evidently gained little by
his villainy, for he was dirty, ragged
and as friendless as /.
"The guards aroused us at sever
in the evening. We were Their
marched in double file around by the
back of the cathedral, and conducted
by an incline plane to the roof below
the dome. From this point, a series
of staircases and winding passages
carried us up between the double
walls of the dome and at different
stages in the ascent a certain number
Of us were detached and posted ready
for work. l was detached alb a,
half way up, and saw Pedro going
higher still.
When We were all posted the su.
perintendent came around and in.
s,ructed US. At q given signal, every
man was to pass through the Ioophole,
or window before which he was
stationed, and seal himself astride