The Portland daily press., 1891-12-28


fate, my gentle, loving aunt had burst
into food of reproach of his murder.
in these days this was crime enough fol
the heaviest punishment, and before
evening she had Jared the same fate as
my uncle.
1.-THE Reign of Terror had indeed begun
with us. The girls had fled, terrified at
the fate which had befallen their pro
tectors, and l was meditating in halt
stupefed way the same measure, when a
knock came at the door, and two men,
who had often eaten and drunk at my
uncle's table, came in and made me a
prisoner, confscating all the possessions
of the family to the state.
SIN those days mans foes were often
they of his own household / offered no
resistance; the shock of the day had
completely unnamed me. made GER
tain that /, too, should die that night.
But my time was not yet come.
Sin consequence of the lateness of the
hour was taken to the town prison,
dismal building, which I had never
known to be occupied. There I was
total darkness till the morning, when !
doubted not I should be conducted to
the same cruel fate as my poor relatives
had met. But morning came, as had
guessed by the sound without, and still
no summons. Worn out with suspense
and waiting. I fell asleep. When /
awoke hunger and thirst oppressed me.
Happily l had stored some bread and
meat and small bottle of wine in one
of the pockets of my coat preparatory to
my intended flight. Of this I now ate
and drank. No one came nigh me, and
yet could hear sounds as if wretched
prisoners were being led forth out of
neighboring cells, doubtless to death;
for they wept and pleaded vainly as it
seemed to me.
''But the third day great stiffness fell
on the prison. could not understand
it; my senses were enfeebled for want
of food, for my small stock had long
been exhausted and I almost lacked
strength to wonder why was left to
live SO long. Presently arose an awful
terror, lest this should be my sentence,
to perish miserably for want of food in
this damp dungeon. Death on the scat
fold appeared light by comparison. I
clamored at my prison door. I shouted
as loudly as I could-all to no purpose.
Then I burst into an agony of tears; my
fate was too dreadful to bear. With the
soft nature of my youth pitied and be-
moaned myself sorely. All at once
words came into my mind that I had
learned years ago as a text in the school,
Fear thou not, for am with thee; be
not dismayed, for I am thy Cod
''They came like ray of light into
my prison, and / chung to the promise
as if it had that moment been made to
me by plying God. l felt soothed
and hopeful, and in this condition I
sank back in doze or swoon.
"How time passed could not tell:
day and night to me were alike in my
cell. woke up to find light and warmth
and kindly faces about me. Slowly l
regained consciousness enough to under
stand what they told me. I had lain
five days forgotten, the stiffness I had
noted the third day was accounted for
by the fact that the news had Just
reached our town of the death of one of
the greatest leaders of the revolution.
and the consequent decline of the party
In fear of his life, our terrorist mayor
had fed, and the old mayor, resuming
power, had ordered the prison doors to
be set open. I, in my solitary cell, had
been forgotten, and but that some one
had been sent to examine all the cells
and collect the letters used therein,
might have persisted most miserably.
As it was, I was carried out perfectly
senseless and brought to life with some
difficulty.
81 am safe now, as you see, comrades.
in my own country, but the anguish of
those few days will never be forgotten.
I bear about with me in my face the re-
membrance of it. Daily / thank God
for light and air and food, and yet these
good gifts of his fail to make my heart
rejoice. Still those dreadful days in the
dungeon have given me firm reliance
on his mercy, and I know that I shall
one day be Joyful again in the city of
which the gates are never shut and
where there is no darkness. New York
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