The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1884-07-12
Condemned to Death.

"Condemued to DEATH" 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 ont red.
where all else was black. When he
forgot himself for moment he come
back with start to sense of bitter
recollection. as something seemed to
whisper in his ear: Condemned to
dcath." At first the time OF execution
appeared mercifully far Off but day
after day passed like the steady drop
ping of water, and each fair summer
morning that woke the world to the ca
,ioyment of life and beauty. merely fc~
him tipged the stone walls with gray
and gave a more fearful signi6ca1re 20
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: "What 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 phosphoresccnt
handwriting on the wall of his cell, and
he falls back aghast rs If struck by an
unseen hand. Whichever way he turns
the words Condemned to death" con-
front him. With q groan he sinks on his
hard bed. The grim reality Is more
fearful than the dreadful dream. He
tries to forget Ito sleep, If possible.
| The distant bells, which tell to others
the hour Of the night, toll out to him:
f.Condemned 10 death, condemned to
DEATH"
At last the very rythm of the words
in his ear brings on troubled slumber.
But what must be the dreams OF a
wretch sent to sleep with such a hide
bus lullaby He dreams. perhaps, OF
the man in the room Of eyer-closing
walls that at last crush him to death.
He sees himself in a narrow passage,
from which there is no escape. An iron
grating shoves him toward the other
lend. As he nears it he sees in his path
WAY an open grave. He grasps the iron
frame work that is sending him re-
Imorselessly on. He puts forth his
strength, but it avails him nothing
THE next move will be the last. He
filings himself against the wall and
shrieks for help The grave fades from
his sight and he finds himself graspine
the iron bars of his cell. He draws
a breath of intense relief, but the nexl
instant begins the dread refrain:
.sCondem .ed 10 death. -
He has his wild and fruitless dreams
of escape and then the madness OF self
destruction makes him for the momen
insane. There are the hours OF unutter
able despair when he sits on his bet
with his head bowed and his fingers
tangled in his hair. He listens with I
dull, mechanical agony to the foot
steps of the death-watch on the ston'
door outside, and they seem to slowl!
creak the words: ITO death, to death
to death!'
At times it is impossible for him b
believe that he, who Is sound in healtl
and limbs, robust and full OF vigor. wit
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 he is Gagged here
helpless like rat in trap, waiting
till at a signal he will be quivering
inert mass. Then he faces his cell ant
raves and curses all mankind. Th'
knowledge of the uselessness Of thi
forces itself upon him and he become
calm again. His thoughts turn to tn
ore and only channel that can give re
lief. There is but one ray of light this
enters the cell of the condemned
Religion. He has doubtless given littl
regard to it in former life, but now b
realizes that 1T alone can dull tn
Ehastly significance of the dismal ech
. in his ears, Condemned! condemns
! to death. ~ Detroit Free Press.