Semi-weekly south Kentuckian., 1888-03-20
TERRIBLE TORTURE.
A Chinese Punishment Whose Cruelty
Beyond Description.

A Chinese Punishment Whose Cruelty Ia
Beyond Description.
Io was placed ut tho foot of tho
tree, and bound to it in sitting post
nre 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 could not
be moved. When they had tied him
firmly, aud fixed his feet, the attend
ant who had followed Shan-mn-yuen
approached and uncovered that which
he carried, ald that which Norris now
saw to be rou III cage with white
bird of large siz, inside. Oic of tho
priests bent and assisted the man, and
together they boun the bird by tho
chain around its leg. So they left him
thus, with tho bird ut his feet; and
Norris gradually returned TO life-to
exist through these hours which were
the most terrible of ALTO live thr II yh
that night, God knows how, n d to
greet the dawn in the mockery of his
soul. and still to wait for the time TO
come. Thus it was with him or
the morning when Vanscombo and
Chin-chin-wa set ont for the Temple OF
Confucius; and MS they were nearing
the gates dull, l1aden stupor de-
scended upon the man, who only wait
cd, alone in that courtyard, with tho
bird chained at his feet. until the last
moment of his agony should come. At
last it came, for the bird, impeled by
hunger, bent down Mt longth and
caught the flesh of Morris toe IN his
beak, half wondering. perhaps, i this
was food 10 eat The mans shrieks
rose through the air. and the bird, a
second time and more .grcedily, bont
forward to tastr his blood; and as its
overlapping bcak met in his flesh, n
last great cry came from him, and
again, rs was so often the caso, the
whole world passed away in dark
ness! ~ IL
At that moment the temple door
opened. and Chin-chin-wa looked
"o"' "P"" .i.~ aeone. The strong
mans heart filled with agoa, = IT,
which only the strong heart, Such rs
his, can feel in its fulness. and this
agony dwelling in him yet, stilled him,
for he had nOwto ac! but it burst from
him at later time, when all was over,
and when he answered Vanscombe as
one who scarcely heard, as one who
- 81 Il Ia IL
Il do not know" Now he drove 1t
back, and, bounding forward. seized
the white bird in his right hand,
crushing the life out of it MS he tore it
from the chain. and casting it from
him as a dead thing, killed by tho
grasp of his powerful hand. Then he
called aloud to the priests who had
followed him, and who now stood
aghast some way behind, cowed by an
anger that is seldom known in man.
And they commanded him to undo the
bonds and release the pooI.feet, one
of which was dripping blood. They
obeyed him silently. He had come to
them bearing the command from
Shan-min-yeun - Permit and give
honor to Chin-chin IVA" And for
what else should he come but in con-
nection with the prisoner who was now
10 be unboundP Chin-chin-wa took
him in his arms, and thus bearing
him, passed out of tho court and
through the temples until he reached
the outer gate, and there he left the
priests aud went out free; for they had
seen his anger. and were afraid. -
From Charles Hasnen'S "a SDalloDs
Wing"