The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-07-06
B. H. LEVY & BRO.

that he has lost his mind. But the truth
is that he is still sane, but in a dazed,
trance-like condition, from which he Is
seldom reused
The first time he showed any sign Of
realization of the depth to which &c
had sunk was the second day Of his Inn
prisonment, when he was put upon the
treadmill. This awful remnant OF prison
discipline in former years has wheel
which the convicts must climb for six
hours day, three hours in the forenoon,
three hours in the afternoon The speed
OF the wheel Is thirty-two feet a min
ute, and the convict who paused while the
wheel is in motion is struck and bruised
by the edges of the understanding steps.
At the end of every fifteen minutes there
is rest for five minutes.
The second day, Wilde, dazed and au-
tomato, was led out and put upon the
wheel. Mechanically he trod the steps
for fifteen minutes, took the FIVE minutes
rest, and began again. In the second fif-
teen minutes he stopped, threw up his
arms, gave vent to a horrible scream Of
anguish and fell in a swoon. The prison
surgeon examined him and said his heart
was in such a condition IL would be dan
gerous to put him on the wheel again. SO
Wilde is allowed to sit In his cell They
threw in a quantity of oalSum every morn
ing, but he need not pick II unless he
wishes to. OF late he has begun to pick
the oakum. Any occupation is better than
sitting idle and thinking. thinking, think
ing.
The second arousing came through the
gentle, earnest old chaplain, the Rev w.
Frederick Stockton. II is the duty as well
as the pleasure of Mr.. Stockton to labor
spiritually with the convicts. TO strive to
bring them to repentance and the con-
ISOLATION of religion. He was eager TO
begin with Wilde. whom he regarded as
the most hardened and desperate pervert
from Christianity that had ever come un-
der his spiritual care.
So Wilde had not been IN Pentonvilie
many days before the old clergyman
pushed timidly into his cell. Wilde, seat
ed at the table with his face buried In his
hands, glanced at the old man, saw his
occupation in the cut of his cloth and
flushed angrily.
What do you mean by intruding your
self upon me7" he demanded.
The old man looked sympathetically at
the fallen pagan, and said. in his gentlest
voice:
Il wish TO offer you the consolation of
religion and to help you to reflect upon
your condition"
II do not need the consolation of relig-
ion, and I am still capable of conducting
my own reflections" said Oscar, sneer-
ingly.
Il hope you are not impenitent. the old
clergyman next ventured.
Wilde jumped TO his feet in a rage
"Impenitent?" he said, angrily What
do you mean? How dare you insult me
in this fashion? l am innocent of the
crimes Of which l am accused. You will
kindly leave me alone"
Mr.. Stockton insisted no further. He
is waiting for Wilde now to get to work
at the Bible. He feels that sooner or
later he must read 1t, and reading, soften
to more receptive frame of mind. He
also hopes that Wilde will send for him.
For he is allowed to see no one yet from
the outside world but the chaplain or
some other minister of revealed religion.
And under the prison rules, which are
strictly enforced, even the clergyman
may not tell him any news, bring him
any messages or talk TO him on any sub
ject not directly bearing upon the saliva
tion of his soul.
Wilde still has friends who believe |
firmly in his innocence, among them sew |
eral women well known as writer's. One |
of these women, wishing to send him a I
message of trust and hope, bethought |
her that a clergyman could get In to |
see him. But the first question asked of |
this clergyman was whether he came as /
a bearer of any message. He was too /
truthful to deny that he had a message /
and was straigtway turned away.
Oscar Wildes wife is not one of these /