Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-07-30

rors and the other sights of Antwerp a
writer in the Illustrated American says
the average tourist will first visit the
celebrated cathedral Then he will in
spect the great pictures of Ruhens and
finally he will visit the famous prison
A narrow street leads to a broad
archway and a porte-cOchere, through
which one enters the prison of Steen.
A very ancient castelated structure it
is, with tower at two of the corners,
and flying buttresses, embrasures, port
holes and varied rough ornamentation-
The prison of Steen is believed to have
existed from the earliest history of the
burgh, and to have been established in
the seventh century, when, perhaps, it
may have received its name to distin-
guish it from the general architecture,
or, ''s Heeren-Steen," as it was known
in the most ancient days, residence of
the seigneuH" and was the equivalent,
perhap, of our manor house" AS early
as the twelfth century a feudal edifice
is known to have existed on the spot
and to have been old at that time.
Three centuries later it had fallen into
decay and was restored, although,
doubtless, on the original foundations.
Its architecture presents features of
good deal of elegance and grace.
Here, during. the period which plunged
the low countries into condition whose
bloody souvenirs are only equaled in
horror by those of the later French
revolution. were enacted scenes of
cruelty and torture from whose dis
closure the mind shrinks in Il maze of
doubt and distrust that such things can
be possible to human nature After
passing the portal of this prison of hor-
rors, leaving the apartment of the con-
cierge on the right, the visitor being
first furnished with a lighted candle,
proceeds straight forward, and turning
to the left, begins to descend the mas
sive stone steps which lead to the cells
and underground apartments and pas
sages of the prison of Steen.
On the right, as you leave the foot of
the staircase, is a large room, now bare,
as we have said, of every article Of
furniture. Walls, floor and ceiling are
of stone, though to discover this fact
you must carry your candle to within
few feet of either, so dense and thick
and black is the darkness with which
you are surrounded The air is heavy
and oppressive. Some unseen and I'M
imagined horror appears to occupy the
place Walking with careful footsteps
it is observed that the floor declines
toward the center. blow upon it
with a cane returns a hollow echo
from beneath. In the very middle
there is a little aperture in the
stone, through which can be measured
its thickness at this point. 1t is only
a few inches. The stone floor has
been worn away by the footsteps, the
tramping march to the grave, of those
thousands who have yielded up their
lives here in this scene of terror and of
crime. Inc room in which we stand IS
the council chamber. Yonder stood
the desk, or table, raised upon its dais,
where sat the judges. Here the strug-
Cling prisoner, gasping clutching,
struggling in the hands of the men-at-
arms was piled with impossible ques-
tions, leading only to the certain SEN
tence of torture or death.
Leaving this room, with its memories
of vile hypocrisy and iendish chicanery
employed in the alleged service of God
and of religion, we enter a long pas
sageway, which, passing the staircase,
leads to another room of about the
same size at the other end of the build
ing. Here were carried to completion