The Ripley advertiser. [volume] (Ripley, Miss.) 1843-1897, 1881-02-12

scribable. 1t was after midnight
when the coach halted in front of a
large brick building in the village
of P, andI was ordered to get
out. | made an effort to obey; but
| was so i'll that l could not rise
from my seat
"You will have to assist me, gen
tlemen," said |, 'for l am very ILL
"None of your s~hamming now"
growled one of the drunken brutes,
rhat's.too thiu--it is too soon,to be.
gin that game; that's the way you
fooled the jailer, in order to make
your escape, but it wont work this
time; so out with you, and be quick
about it too"
81 am really very i'll, sir; and,
without help, | am not able to stand
alone"
"Oome along with you then, but
| believe you are trying to play the
sametold dodge; but we'll fix you
this time so you won't get away.
AS he muttered these words he
dragged me from the coach, and
led me into the house; which
proved to be the county Jail.
They carried me up a pair of stairs
and placed me In a dungeon, closed
the door, and left me in total dark
ness. l sank down on the floor
completely exhausted, and almost
crazy with misery. If l were to
undertake to give a correct descrip-
ton of my feelings on that occa-
sion, it would result in a signal fail
ure. 1t was plain to my mind
that some great crime had been
committed, and that suspicion
pointed to me as the perpetrator.
1t appeared from the lite scraps of
conversation | had heard, that some
one had been arrested, and had
managed to effect his escape, and
that | was supposed to be the man.
At least such was the conclusion l
came to from what | had heard.
The blood in my veins seemed to
be boiling hot, while the fever con-
tinued to increase. My stomach
felt like it was on fire, my mouth
and tongue were dry, and l was
nearly famished for water. | be.
gan to crawl about the floor, hop.
ing to find water; for l had called
as loud as | could severa! times,
begging for some to be brought,
but no one had answered my cries.
After searching about in the dark
for some time, l found a stone jug
of water, that was very warm, but
it was better than none. During
my search for the water | found a
little bundle of straw in one cor.
ner Of the room, with a blanket
spread over it. Throwing myself
down on it | groaned in despair.
No mental torture could be great
er than l suffered then; the mystic
rious manner of my arrest, the
knowledge that | was on the eve
of dangerous spell Of fever, the
disgrace that would attach to my
name, the opinion that General
Galloway would have of me, the
sorrow that woald fall on my dar-
ling Lottie, all combined to drive
me down to the lowest depths OF
despair. While all this mental an
guish was conspiring to drive me
mad, the burning fever was scorch-
ing and parching my very vitals in
to ashes. l well knew from the
symptoms that l was seriously
threatened with brain fever, | rolled
and tossed myself about on the
straw, until | felt my brain begin
to grow dizzy. My mind common
ced to wander; / cried aloud for
help, but none came. With Lot
ties sweet name on my lips, her
picture in my hand, l fell into a
state of Inconsistencies. When
/ regained consciousness / was a
mere skeleton, unable to lift my
head from my pillow, and it was a
long time after my reason return
ed before I could remember
where | was, or what had happen
ed. A little negro boy came to
the door and showed a dish of pro-
visions through the bars of iron,
then placed a pitcher Of water
where l could reach it, and was
turning away when | called 10 him
liz a voice SO feeble, that | was as
tonished at the sound Of it, He
heard me, however, and returned
to the door, and enquired 'what |
wanted"
show long have | been heres' |
whispered.
"You bin dar dis trip free weeks;