The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1893-10-07
VOICE FROM PRISON.

NO one VINO mas nOU actually sur
fered can faithfully describe pain,
and am not quite certain that even
those who have can do the matter
justice. 1t is one thing TO feel, and
quite another to make Others feel.
A blind man can have no accurate
conception of distance. and 1t is
equally true that one who has ever
been a stranger TO pain can not pos
slbly conceive what suffering really
means.
There is no doubt that the capac-
ity for suffering is of relative import
ance, i. c. it varies in degree and in
tensity according to the peculiar
temperament, tastes, susceptibllities,
nature, disposition, habits, and idio-
syncrasies Of the person suffering
But we are digressing. Our purpose
is to narrate successfully our own
feelings from the time of sentence
until final incarceration. The task
simple as it may seem, is by means
an easy one. Time, the great ami
hilator of sensations and sentimen-
talities once intensely felG various
other diversions, strange and even
startling; other thoughts, hopes,
desires, and fears have since engroSsed
our constant and serious attention,
and we'll nigh erased the feelings and
sensations prevalent at the time.
But can 90 back. l again stand
before the Judge who is to pronounce
sentence upon me. Again l stand in
the crowded court room, the object
of curious eyes.
On my right stands my attorney,
his face pale, thoughtful and full Of
pity, his eyes intent upon
the expressionless face of
him who is about to pronounce my
sentence. The scene will live i'm my
memory forever. To my right stands
the prosecuting officer. His face is
neither pale nor sad. On the con-
trary it wears a pleased expression
that OF victory. 1t is hard, sinister,
merciless. 1t contains not a shade
Of softncss or Of pity. But what about
my feelings? / am wondering what
will be my fate. i search deep into
the face OF him before me, and above
me, and endeavor to see II there is
one ray Of tenderness in that cold inn
passive face. l see none. 1t is
face of marble l wonder II the
heart is made OF the impenetrable
stuff. Will he give me fine, or will
he brand me as felon?
This thought instantly surges
through my racked and tortured
brain. He is gazing intently at
a book which he has before him.
How slow he is! Will this torture
never cease? This suspense never
end? Another thought now comes
to me while l stand there. l shall
always remember 1t, because 1t was
so odd. For the moment ] forget
where / am. feel that am the
victim OF some strange hallucination.
I am dead! This is no earthly, no
terrestrial tribunal This is the
celestial scene so often pictured to
my childish fancy by my mother.
Yes There could be no mistake 1
was dead. / gazed to my right There
stood my attorney, he had not
moved; but how strange His
face had changed. Not changed
In expression, but In likeness. 1t
was still sweet sorrowful sympa-
thetic, but infinitely more tender,
more benign. 1t seemed now the
face OF Him who nearlJ two thousand
years ago suffered pain and death to
save mankind
He was here at my right He was
pleading and imploring mercy in my
behalf
Then / gazed to my left, and me-
thought the face smiling and con-
temptuous was the enemy Of man: the
angel Of darkness, who glorifled In
my downfall.
NY vision was soon dispelled by
the sound OF voice which seemed so
far away that l could scarcely hear
It; like unto voice by drowning
man. The room seemed TO me to be
whirling around. / felt dizzy and
faint / thought / was falling as ]
had often done in my dreams
Thirteen months In the peniten-
tiary"-I heard as III il were the
a moment later, IL seemed "a IL the
walls were rent asunder, so loud In
deed did the sentence echo I'm my
heart i felt sick, L was so surprised,
so astonished that my tongue, us one
Of old says 'clove TO the roof OF my
mouth" "My God. what will my
wife say? What will my mother
Think" / was with them In an in
stant / saw the agonized faces OF
them both, though they were thou.
sands OF miles apart ut Is all
~ sl ~
is some mistake here"
The Judge will soon smile and tell
me that he just wanted to give me
a thorough fright He will forgive
my first and unin:entional offense.
He will overlook this, my FIRST derelic.
tion. i was almost happy for a mo-
ment / would soon be free. / would
soon be with my wife an1 little ones.
] would soon again be holding them