Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1895-10-03


rs this gentleman coming with
us?" said he, pointing to my guide.
I hesitated, not knowing what to say.
No." said the latter. II will
wait"
where will you waltz"
Here"
What will you wait for7"
Tho close of the act"
Very vol. Get ready another
sleigh, select three soldiers, let one
take n crowbar, the other hammer
and the two others axes"
The man TO whom the governor
addressed these words went out i'm
mediately. Then turning to mo the
governor said, Come, and you shall
SOC"
He walked in front of me, lighting
the way. l followed him, and a
turnkey walked behind US. We pro
cOedod until We camo in front of the
prison. The governor pointed to q
door, and tho turnkey Immediately
opened it, passed in first, lighted n
lantern and carried it in front of us.
We descended ten stone steps and
found ourselves in tho first section
of tho dungeon. But wo did not stop
there. Wehad to go down ten steps
farther, and even there we did not
stop, but went down five more, and
there we stopped.
The doors were all numbered, and
the governor stopped in front of No.
IL. He made a sign to the turnkey
without speaking. One would i'm
agino that in this tomb people had
lost the faculty of speech.
The door was opened, and we de.
scendcd six more steep and damp
stone steps. Here we found our
selves in a cell about eight feet
square. In the light of the lantern
l saw human figure move In this
cell. We could hear dull and rus
Ting noise. l understood at once
what it was and whence it came. 1t
was the water OF the Nova rushing
against tho walls of the fortress.
The cell was below the level of the
river.
Get up and dress yourself" said
the governor.
l looked to see to whom the order
was given, and as the turnkey threw
the light of his lantern upon u far
corner of he cell noticed a thin
and pale man, with white hair
and long white beard No doubt no
was put into that cell with the
clothes which he wore when he was
arrested, but these garments had
worn ava. piece by piece, and he
was now only half Glad in tattered
cloak. Through the torn rags could
see his shivering and bony body,
which perhaps at one time was
dressed i'll splendid garments. Pcr-
haps the insignia of the most noble
orders wero once fastened upon that
heshless breast. Now no was O liv-
ing skeleton, without rank, without
dignity and oven without a name.
He was simply No. H."
He got up and wrapped himself up
in his tattered old cloak without
murmur. His body WAS bent, broken
down by long Imprisonment, humid
ity, darkness and perhaps hunger,
but his glance was still proud, al
most threatening.
"All right" said the governor.
Como"
The prisoner cast u final glance
around his cell For an instant his
eye rested upon his stone seat, his
water pitcher and his musty straw.
He heaved n sigh. Good heavens
Could it be possible that he could re-
greet anything there? He followed
the governor and passed in front of
me. l can never forget the look he
gave me as he moved by and the
depth of reproaoh that was In that
look.
$50 young" he seemed to say,
and already at the orders of tyran-
ny" l cast down my eyes. That
glance went to my heart like u pom
lard. How long had he been in that
cell? Perhaps he didn know him.
self Probably he had long ceased
to measure the days and the nights
in the depth of that abyss.
He passed on, and 1 walked after
him. The jailer followed US and
carefully closed the cell door. No
doubt 1t was needed for another.
Outside the two sleighs were ready.
The prisoner was placed in the one
that brought us. The governor, my
self and the old man sat down, the
governor at his side and in front
of him. The other sleigh was occu-
pied by four soldiers.
Where we were going or what we
were about to do could not imagine.
The affair itself was not my bust
ness. was to see, and that was all.
But, yes, there was something else.
had to say, II saw"
We started of. In my position
found my knees touching the knees
OF the old man. could feel him
trembling. The governor was wrap
ped up in furs, and was buttoned
mp in my military overcoat, and still
we felt the cold. The old man was
almost naked, and the governor Of
fercd him nothing to cover him. For
an instant / had an idea of taking
off my overcoat and giving it to the
poor old man, but the governor,
guessing my intention, remarked,
ut isn't worth while" So kept
on my overcoat
We had not gone far before the
storm burst upon us with all its fury.