Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1893-06-01
A WIFE'S DEVICE.

Tall. bold. dark and frowning was tho
outline of the old castle, as looming mp
against the gray sky Of winter twilighs It
first met the gaze OF the illustrious man
who had been condemned to fettered life
And as the drawbridge was lowered behind
his slow and weary steps and the massive
doors swung TO again when he had crossed
the threshold, he felt that he was indeed
INN forever, that 1t was idle to cherish
the painful hope of escape, that his dun
geon was living grave.
The first night spent In his lonely cell
seemed an eternity In length. In vain did
he toss upon his stonelike bed and strive
20 sleep. while his passionate PAGES between
his narrow walls only tore aud bruised his
feet and fatigued his limbs without bring
ing on aught OF that wholesome WEAKNESS
which dims the eye and benumbs the feel
ings.
Never seemed sunlight so beautiful to
him, not even when abroad of a summers
morn he had watched its golden tides flood
the broad landscape that lay like pictured
beauty before his vision, as did that first
faint ray that streamed In through the
grated window and played amid the fur
rows which anxiety had drawn upon his
brow, as with the rude touch of the tortur-
ing iron. Like the finger of Divinity writ
ing there choice and beautiful blessing
seemed that sunbeam, that one, stray, gold
colored ray from the arching sky, from the
fetterless world without.
The pride and the majesty Of his man.
hood came back to the captive More like
royalty sitting In purple robes, to be ad-
mnistered unto, than aught else, seemed
he to the jailor when few hours later he
appeared to replenish the scanty table.
He could not divine the cause Of the sud
den and mighty change He could hardly
realize that the lofty and commanding
form which now seemed so proudly to
tower above him was the same bowed and
trembling one that he had half dragged
thlther a weary burden but the night be-
fore
Well was it for the illustrious prisoner
that his soul had grown SO strong. Never
else could he have endured the severe and
rigorous treatment which was continually
imposed upon him. Never else could he
have endured the separation from his young
and beautiful wife-the fair, delicate crea-
ture that had slept In his bosom like a
flower on sunlit bank or bird In hid
den nest, filling his heart with the fragrance
and music Of summer.
But never yet did iron bolts or oaken
doors or grated windows resist forever wo-
mans will; never yet was heart so stern
bat that at some moment It would have q
kindly mood, and though months passed
on ere she gained her way her patient daily
and nightly toll was at length successful,
aud one sunny morn In springtime when
the greeting sunbeam had shown broader,
brighter light Me door of the dungeon
swung open, and the companion Of his life
and labors, pale and thin with WEAKNESS
and care, but with a spiritual loveliness
that made her seem almost angelic In ap-
pearance, appeared before his astonished
sight, and ere no could press his brow to
know whether IL were NOT the phantasy
Of rapturous dream she fell on his bosom,
wound her soft arms about him and whis-
pered; "Thine, thine They could not keep
me from thee"
Once immured beside him, the same love
that had sued so long and truly for that sad
yet blessed privilege became earnest In en-
deavors to set him free. They had friends
enough outside the castle walls to bear him
at once to place Of safety, but within
there was none but cold, callous hearted
guards, whom she dared not attempt "
bribe lest discovery should sentence them
to deeper and darker cell
But one day, when months of weary
waiting had passed, she obtained permis-
sion Of the jailer to examine large chest
of books and linen belonging to themselves
the key OF which had been intrusted to his
care. He tarried by her side as she drew
from IL one and another article, till he was
satisfied that nothing had been smuggled
into 1t that could either aid to soothe or
lberate them. and then went his wav with