The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-04-16
WITHIN AN INCH.


| smoke laden atmosphere Of the room. A
| glance out of doors showed tho azure sky
! and tho brilliant full moon, whose glim-
mering blush rays shone through the
| young LEAKAGE of the blossoming trees.
| which swayed gently to and fro before tho
| windows In the light breeze. But nothing
was more remote from the minds of our
| circle which met every evening at n GER
| tain table for social intercourse, than poet
| ical idons. The club, of which was one,
consisted principally OF worthy citizens,
| who had far greater liking for bright
| gaslight than for dim moonlight and who
| appreciated tho charms of u good supper
much moro than the spell of tho loyeliest
spring night. Tho topic of our converse
| ton was prosaio town gossip which, as
usual, gradually merged into foolish talk
about politics or discussions concerning
the government, tho theater, high taxes
and similar subjects. BY connection of
ideas which do not now recall the ques-
ton had arisen whether 1t was credible
that q PERSONS hnir could suddenly turn
gray from violent mental excitement
Part of tho company received the anoc-
dotcs current about such cases with slight
doubts, whilc others most pitilessly dcrid-
cd persons who were simple enough to be-
lievo such nursery tales.
Just as the conversation became most
animated II man of unusual height and
herculean frame, whom we Ind net prcvi-
ously noticed, rose from side table and
approached lis. His Intelligent features.
which bore tho stamp of resolution. seemed
spiritualizcd by the large, kindly blue
eyes. But tho most striking REGULARITY
in his appearance was tho snow white hair
and the gray beard framing his face,
which tho ntD1nSt inGicrtaI ,,f
only 35 years.
Pardon mo If enter into your CONVEX
sation,' he said, howing courtcously
You arc speaking OF /. subject which
greatly interests INC. myself am Il living
proof that terrible mental agitation really
does exert the physical influence which you
all Doubt
His words awakened tho utmost inter
est. We made room for him Mt our table.
and after no had taken his seat unnni-
mously urged him to tell us what had
caused tho whitcness of his hair
Tho stranger fcigncd no undue modcsty,
but yielded to our cntreatics and related
the following story:
If you have over paid any attention TO
American affairs, the name of Auburn
cannot be unfamiliar. 1t has about the
same Significance In the United States rs
Spielberg has in Austria. You must not
imagine Auburn as an immense gloomy
prison, single large building, but rather
whole colony OF criminals, u metropolis
Of the miserable outcasts oi society. In
closed by enormous walls. which rise men
acingly 70 n considerable height above the
plain, are o great number of single struc-
lures, houses which contain the cells of the
prisoners, the residences of the wardcns,
barracks, hospitals and workshops, oil dcs-
F.1DN a 4. l.
OF turf, row Of trees, n bed of flowers, like
an innocent memory of childhood among
the evil thoughts of q criminal.
Circumstances which l will not weary
you by recounting had led me, after com
plcting my education in my native city,
Hamburg, TO America, and after q brief
time in New York found myself prison
surgeon in Auburn, which, as perhaps you
know, is in the state of New York.
Il had charge of part of the prison
which contained the worst criminals, men,
or rather human hycnas, to whom blood
had ceased to DO II very special liquid, as
Mephistophclcs terms it, Two who were
condemned to lifelong imprisonment in
the institution and were distinguished
among the Others by great bodily strength,
crnftiness and intelligence, had, in conse-
quencc of repeated bold and cunning at
tempts 70 escape, been placed under more
rigid oversight than the rest. had in
CURED their special hate because l had
once caused the discovery of several iron
tools, which-heavcn knows how obtained
they had concealed under their clothing,
and On another occasion discovered that
they were shHmming when, on tho plea of
illness, they desired TO be placed in the
hospital, probably because they hoped to
find tho conditions there more favorable
for their plans Of escape The scoundrcls
were separated and heavily chained, but
nevertheless one morning one and a few
days later the other vanished, chains and
all, without leaving q trace. About fort
night nftcrwnrd went to Cayuga Bridge
On some private business.
1t was noon when / reached tho end of
my ride, and gazcd with delight mt the
sunlit landscape before my eyes. Cayuga
lake, ono of those which, with Lake Erie
form the network of inland lakes In New
York, lay before mo in its peculiar lowell
ness. Between rugged, rocky shores, con-
fronting each other like sullen foes the
long, narrow sheet of silver extended its
clear surface as If striving to reconcile the
two enemies who had stared defiantly at
each other for centuries. Across the lake
which is about 40 miles long, and at this
point milo wide, tho railway trains run
on an immense wooden bridge, marvel
II American enterprise, which has a sta
ton at Cayuga Bridge, an insignificant
village.
My business was soon completed, and
toward evening set out on my way homo
Arc you familiar with the pleasure Of a
ride on asummor evening? Cnyuga Bridge
is surrounded by extensive oak forests.
through which had to ride considerable
distance. Tho hwgc, lofty trunks cat
long shadows, and the tor. rustird 50 sofilY