St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-01-05
A TERRIBLE PUNISHMENT.
From "a Swallows Wing" a Tale
of Adventure in China, by
Charles Hammer.

From "A Swallows Wing" a Tale
of Adventure in China, by
Charles Hammer.
He was placed at the foot of the tree,
and bound to it in sitting posture with
ropes which surrounded his body and
the trunk of the tree. His left arm was
bound TO his side, not too tightly, so that
it should be numbed, but still securely
so that it might not be moved. When
they had tied him firmly, and fixed his
feet the attendant who had followed
Shan-min-yuen approached and uncov-
cred that which he carried, and which
Norris now saw to be rough cage, with
White bird of large size inside. One of
the priests bent and assisted the man,
and together they bound the bird by the
chain around its leg. So they left him
thus, with the bird at his feet; and Nor
riS gradually returned to life-tO exist
through these hours, which were the
most terrible of ALTO live through that
night, God knows how, and to greet the
dawn i'll the mockery of this soul, and
still to wait for the time to come. Thus
it was for him on the morning when
Nanscombe and Chin-chin-wa set out
for the temple of COnfuciuS; and as
tiANg WIN hNoAiAi@ WV saws u oNtti
leaden StupOr descended upon the man
who only waited, alone in that court
yard, with the bird chained at his feet,
until the last moment of his agony
should come. AT last it came, but the
bird impelled by hunger, bent down at
length and caught the flesh of Norris
toe in his beak, half wondering, per-
hapS, if this was food to eat. The mans
shriekS rose through the air, and the
bird second time and more greedily,
bent forward to taste his blood; and as
its overlapping beak met in his flesh, a
last great cry came from him, and
again, as was so often the case, the
whole world passed away in darkness.
AT that moment the temple door
opened, and Chin-chin-wa looked down
upon the scene. The strong mans
heart filled with agony-a pain witch
only the strong heart, such as his, can
feel in its fullneSs-and this agony
dwelling in him yet Stilled him. for he
had now to act; but it burst from him
at a later time, when all was over. and
when he answered Vanscombe as one
who scarcely heard, as one who had
passed out of terrible dream-''I do
not know" Now he drove it back, and
bounding forward seized the white bird
in his right hand, crushing the life out
of it as he tore it from the chain,
and casting it from him as a
dead thing, killed by the grasp
of his powerful hand. Then he
called aloud to the priests who had fol-
lowed him. and who now stood aghast
some way behind. cowed by the anger
that is seldom known in man. And
he commanded them to undo the bonds
and release the poor feet, one of which
~, h
silently. He had come to them bearing
the command from Shan-min-yuen:
Permit and give honor to Chin-chin-
Wa" And for what else should he come
but in connection with the prisoner who
was now to be unbound? Chin-chin-wa
took him in his arms, and, thus bearing
him. passed out of the court and through
the temples until he reached the outer
gate, and there he left the priests and
went out free; for they had seen his
anger and were afraid.