The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1884-09-06


CONDEMNED TO deathr' Ever since
the Judge spoke the awful words in the
hush of the crowded courtroom they
have been ringing in his ears. His
nerves had been strained to their ut
most tension when the words were
spoken, and they seem to have been
burned into his brain. When he closed
his eyes the sentence stood out red,
where all else was black. When he
forgot himself for moment he come
back with a start to sense OF bitter
recollection. as something seemed to
whisper in his ear: Condemned to
death" At first the time of execution
appeared mercifully far of, but day
after day passed like the steady drop
ming of water, and each fair summer
morning that woke the world to the en-
ioymcnt of life and beauty, merely for
him tinged the stone walls with gray
and gave more fearful significance to
the words that haunted him-"Con
demned to DEATH"
He wakes in the middle of the silent
night and sits bolt upright with the
overwhelming pressure of some unde-
| Unable fear upon him. He asks him
self: 'sWhat is it?" 'Where am IP''
He must have had horrible dream.
He must wake himself. He will laugh
at this when sleep has completely left
| him. But as he arouses himself he sees
the terrible letters like phosphorescent
handwriting on the wall of his cell, and
| he falls back aghast as If struck by an
unseen hand. Whichever way he turns
the words CONDEMNED to DEATH con-
front him. With groan he sinks. on his
hard bed. The grim reality IS more
fearful than the dreadful dream. He
tries to forget-to sleep, if possible.
The distant bells, which tell to others
the hour of the night, toll out to him:
Condemned 70 death, condemned to
death!' ~. E~sa - -
At last the very rythm of the words
in his ear brings on troubled stumber
But what must be the dreams of q
wretch sent to sleep with such q hide
Gus lullaby? He dreams, perhaps. Of
the man in the room of ever-closins
walls that at last crush hinfato death.
He sees himself in marrow. passage
from which there is no escape. An moi
grating shoves him toward the Othel
end. As he nears it he sees in his path
way an open grave. He grxsps the ir0I
frame work that is sending him re
morselessly on. He puts forth hi
strength, but it avails him nothing
The next move will be the last. HI
filings himself against the wall ans
| shrieks for help. The grave fades from
his sight and he finds himself graspin,
the iron bars of his cell. He draw
a breath of intense relief, but the mex
instant begins the dread refrain:
CONDEMNED 10 death. I"
He has his wild and fruitless dream
of escape and then the madness of self
destruction makes him for the momen
insane. There are the hours of unutteI
able despair when he sits on his be
with his head bowed and his finger
tangled in his hair. He listens with
} dull, mechanical agony to the foot
J steps of the death-watch on the ston
! floor outside, and they seem to slowl
creak the words: ITO death. to death
to DEATH"
At times it is impossible for him ;
believe that be, who is sound in healt
and limbs, robust and full of vigor, wit
J not an ailment that he knows of, ma
in the prime of life, with energy
strength, well-all that goes to max
life worth living-that heiscaged herr
helpless like a rat in a trap, waitin
till at signal he will be a quiverina
r inert mass. Then he faces his cell an
raves and curses all mankind. Th
! knowledge of the uselessness Of tn
: forces itself upon him and he become
i calm again. His thoughts turn to Il
, ore and only channel that can give r
0 lief. There is but one ray of light tn
| enters the cell Of the condemned.
Religion. He has doubtless given lit
r regard to it in former life, but now |
!. realizes that. it alone can dull Il
/ CHASTITY significance Of the dismal eel
q In his ears, Condemned! copdemne
!. to death. "-DetroI Free Press.