Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1901-12-18

amt passed me by and rushed into the
street straight to the market place. l
could not follow. What happened there
was told me later.
wild with agony at her husbands
fate. my gentle, loving aunt had burst
into a flood Of reproach of his murder.
In those days this was crime enough
for the heaviest punishment, and be-
fore evening she had Jared the same
fate as my uncle.
"The reign of terror had indeed be-
gun with US. The girls had fed, terri
| fed at the fate which had befallen
their protectors, and was meditating
In half stupefied way the same meas
ure when a knock came at the door,
and two men, who had often eaten and
drunk at my uncle's table, came in and
made me prisoner, confiscating all
the possessions of the family to the
| state.
'In those days a mans foes were Of
ten they of his own household. l Of
fered no resistance. The shock of the
| day had completely unnamed me.
made certain that l, too, should die
that night. But my time was not yet
| come.
I'm consequence of the lateness of
| the hour l was taken to the town pris-
on, dismal building which had new
err known to be occupied. There / was
| thrust into deep dungeon and left in
| total darkness till the morning, when
| dnUINfa6 I chnrld no ann1unfa6 RI
the same cruel fate as my poor rela-
tives had met. But morning came, as
had guessed by the sound without and
| still no summons. Worn out with sus-
pense and waiting, fell asleep. When
| awoke, hunger and thirst oppressed
me. Happily had stored some bread
and meat and small bottle of wine in
one of the pockets of my coat prepara-
tory to my intended flight OF this I
now ate and drank. No one came nigh
me, and yet l could hear sounds as If
wretched prisoners were being led forth
out of neighboring cells, doubtless to
death, for they wept and pleaded vain
ly as 1t seemed to me.
"But the third day great stiffness
fell on the prison. could not under
stand it. My senses were enfeebled for
want of food, for my small stock had
long been exhausted, and almost lack
ed strength to wonder why was left
to live so long. Presently arose an aw-
full terror lest this should be my SEN
tence-to perish miserably for want of
food in this damp dungeon. Death on
the scaffold appeared light by compari-
son. l clamored at my prison door. l
shouted as loudly as could, all to no
purpose. Then l burst into an agony
Of tears. My fate was too dreadful to
bear. With the soft nature Of my
youth | pitied and bemoaned myself
sorely. All at once words came into
my mind that had learned years ago
as text in the school, Fear thou not,
for am with thee; be not dismayed,
for am thy God
"They came like ray Of light into
my prison, and l chung to the promise
as If II had that moment been made to
me by a plying God. / felt soothed
and hopeful, and In this condition l
sank back in doze or swoon.
slow time passed ! could not tell;
day and night to me were alike in my
cell. woke up to find light and
warmth and kindly faces about me.
Slowly regained consciousness enough
to understand what they told me.
had lain five days forgotten. The still
ness had noted the third day was ac-
counted for by the fact that the news
had just reached our town of the death
OF one of the greatest leaders OF the
revolution and the consequent decline
of the party IN fear of his life, our
terrorist mayor had fed, and the old
mayor, resuming power, had ordered
the prison doors to be set open. in
my solitary cell had been forgotten, and
but that some one had been sent to ex-
anime all the cells and collect the fet-
tiers used therein might have persisted
most miserably. As it was, was car
ried out perfectly senseless and brought
to life with some difficulty.
81 am safe now, as you see, COM
rades, in my own country, but the an
guish of those few days will never be
forgotten. bear about with me In my
face the remembrance of it. Daily
thank God for light and air and food,
and yet these good gifts of his fail to
make my heart rejoice. Still those
dreadful days in the dungeon have CIV
en- me firm reliance on his mercy,
and know that | shall one day be
joyful again in the city Of which the
gates are never shut and where there
is no darkness.