Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1897-12-21

one row OF grating few feet before the
other-kevis the prisoners from any
personal contact with the out.r world,
represented by the restaurateur and
his aids. the surgeon and the chaplain
In the roori adjoining mine were con
fined Greek and young woman. who
passed portion Of their time In sing
ing TO the music OF n guitar and coca
sionally tameourine. Much of the rest
was spent In eating. drinking and sleep
ing. to judge from the long intervals Of
silence But there were noisy episodes
which conveyed strong proofs that the
lady could scold as well as sing. and
sometimes the quarrels rose to terri
BILE pitch. thump. followed by a
SCREAM. furnishing the climax Ii was
Christmas day The snow fell heavily.
deadening the sound Of the church bells,
which. through a broken pane, remind
ell me Of the holy festival | expected
10 hear my Deighbors sing hymns My
own time was devoted 70 my books
the only relief to an enforced solitude
Toward evening. while the guard
slept, l distinctly heard the voice OF the
man Greek He seemed TO be growing
rather than speaking. and in the inter
vals OF his silence | heard the female
sob Not very merry Christmas.
thought | Sometimes one voice rose
above the other The one was shrill. the
other loud and angry. Then there was
o scuffle; then all was tranquil Night
had fallen. and had hoped the parties
had gone 10 sleep But again the mur'
murs. the expostulations. the outbursts,
disturbed my quiet And now the wonl'
an became voluble. and spasmodic bursts
Of grief alone interrupted the torrent of
her eloquence. Often the man called out
what appeared to be "Silencel adding
. few words. none OF which was dis
tinct enough to be caught, IN u minatory
tone. Then came another struggle
words. bitter words. stiiied cries u heavy
fall. a scream. silence again.
could not sleep What had been the
issue Of the last quarrel? Had the
peace and good will taught by the
Redeemer. whose natal day the outer
Christian world was celebrating. ulti-
mately prevailed, and were the recent
antagonists illustrating the Horatian
maxim that the falling out Of lovers is
the renewal Of love? Or had the last
fall 50 stunned the feebler OF the two
individuals as to render the revival Of
either love or anger temporarily impos-
sible?
was not long in doubt IL was past
midnight when was awakened by dol
orous cries and heavy sobs vehement
protestations and earnest apostrophes IN
the voice Of the man. knocked loudly
Mt the wall TO suggest silence He cvi.
IDENTIFY did not heed the KIN bcking
called out In good Italian. BE quiet'
It was OF no avail reused mp y
guard and asked him what was the III;
ter with the gentleman My custodii."
suggested h. was drunk. could not
however. divest my mind OF the idea
that deed Of darkness had been perpe-
trated
The night wore away | could not
sleep no longer heard the voice ~
the woman Even the man voice ~
hushed. But instead of the usual soun'..
my ear was assailed with knockings on
the floor and a noise as Of saw or file
at work. When the restaurateur Cal.
round in the morning TO take orders for
breakfast, | told him what | had heard
and suggested that the lady might he
i'll and need medical aid He went next
door, but was sent away with the init
nation that nothing was wanted. Two
or three more days elapsed The time
had arrived for my release On the very
day indeed when ! was to be emanci-
pated my neighbors were also TO be
freed | heard the officers arrive next
door Some words were uttered. follow
ed by an alteration Then the man cried
bitterly What could be the matter:
More officers came The man was fetter-
ed and taken away. Where was the wo-
many He had stabbed her in his anger.
and under some absurd notion that her
existence would be forgotten by the au.
thorities he had taken mp two planks
and deposited the dead body Of the poor
girl beneath them This explained th,
operations which followed upon the ai-
lepce When was released. | saw my
quondam neighbor sitting in veranda
Of the place where went to reclaim my
fumigated apparel. guarded by two sol.
diers He was little old man OF ma
lignant aspect remembered having
seen him at the harbor with handsome
young Greek whom l supposed to be
his child No one knew exactly what
their relative position was 1t was
enough that he had shed her blood Oh
Christmas night
w. A. GliCRIsT