The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-09-17

Tired by the days march, and with a
taste Of clean outdoor air still in my
lungs, chose one Of the two corners not
occupied by the i'll odored bed. sat down.
and fell asleep, dropping my cares.
grating Of the lock disturbed me- The
jailer pushed a jug Of water into the
room, and replaced his bolts.
Afterwards I do not remember any
thing except that the stone was not
warm, and my stomach craved, until
groan in my ear stabbed sleep. Ifsat up
| awake in every nerve. There was nobody
| In the cell with me, Perhaps the groan
had come from a neighboring prisoner
| Then q faint stir of covering could be
| heard upon the bed. -, 5,-.,.
I rose and pressed as far as I could
| into my corner. No beast Of the wilder
| ness ever had such terror for me the
unknown thing that had been my cell
mate half night without my knowl
edge.
Was a vampire-a demon-a witch--a
ghost locked in there with me?
1t moaned again, so family, that COM
passion instantly got the better of super
stition.
| "Who is there?'' demanded as if the
| knowledge Of a name would cure terror
OF the suffering thing naming itself.
| got no answer. and, taking my resolu-
| ton in hand, moved toward the bed deter
mined to know what housed with me. The
jug of water stood in the way, and I lifted
1t In instructive answer to the groan.
! The creature heard the splash, and
knew by it's mutter what it wanted
| Cropping darkly, to poise the jug for un-
seen mouth, I realized that something
helpless to the verge Of extinction lay on
the bed. and I would have to find the
mouth myself or risk drowning 1t. I held
| the water on the bed-rail with my right
hand, CROPPED with the other, and found a
! ri
cavernous cheeks, an open and fever
roughened mouth. I poured water on my
handkerchief and bathed the face. That
would have been my first desire in extreme
moments. The poor wretch gave reViv-
ing moan, so I felt emboldened to steady
| the jug and let drop by drop gurgle down
its throat.
Forgetting the horror of the bed sat
there. repeating at intervals this poor
ministration until the portfolio again
dawned. and blackness became the twi-
light of day.
My cel!mate could not see me- doubt
If he ever knew that hand gave him
| water. His eyes were meaningless, and
he was so gaunt that his body scarce made
ridge on the bed.
Some beans and mouldy bread were put
| in for my rations. The turnkey asked
me how intended to wash myself without
basin or ever or towels, and inquired fur
Their If he could he of service in disposing
! Of my shirt or breeches.
what ails this man."
He shrugged, and said the prisoner had
been wasting with fever.
"You get fever in Ste. Pelagie." he add
ed, respectfully when you eat the prison
food. This man ought to be sent to the
infirmary, but the inflrmary is overflowing
now"
WHO is hep
"a journalist, or poet, or some miserable
canaille Of that sort. He will soon be out
of your way" Our guard craned over to
look at him. 'Oui-da! He is dying
mani A priest must be sent to him soon
I remember he demanded one several days
ago."
But that day and another dragged
, through before the priest appeared. j
sent out my waistcoat and got wretcheC
meal and few spoonfuls of wine that
used to mOisten the dying mans lips. His
life may or may not have been prolonged
but out of collapse he opened his mouth
repeatedly and took the drops. He was
more my blessing than was his.
For had an experience which has evel
: since given me to know the souls of pr1s
OnerS.
The first day, in spite Of the cells foul
1 ness, I laughed secretly at jailers and fel
at peace, holding the world at bay. I die
, not then know that Ste. Pelagie was tn
: tomb Of the accused, where more than on
t prisoner dragged out years without learn
ing why he was put there, was no
Il brought to any trial or examination.
But gradually an uneasiness which can
4 not be imagined by one who has not felt
grew upon me. wanted light. The alb
}. sence Of it was torture! Light, to vivif
the sitting air, which died as this ma
was dying-as I should die-in blind1n
q mrk!
Moisture broke out all over my body
. could human lungs breathe the midnigh
: of blackening walls? The place was he
e with the hell Of confinement. I said owe
y and over-"O God, Thou art Light!-i
-, Thee is no darkness at all!'
u u This anguish seemed a repetition {
II something I had endured once before. TIL
70 body and spirit remembered, though tn
IL mind had no register. clawed at til
walls If I slept, it was to wake gasplnt
- fighting upward with both hands.
The most singular phase was that l re
preached myself for not soaking up MOI
sun in the past Oh, how much light wa
going to waste over wide fields and sparl
ling seas! The green woods the gree
sc grass-they had their fill Of sun, While v
two persisted!
i I remembered creeping out of glare I'll
l. der the shadow of rocks, and wondere
e. how could have done It,. II ever can
at to the sun again I would stretch myse
On and roll from side to side, to let 1t bul
me well! How blessed was the tan we g
OF in summer from sleeping In light!
We Looking at my cell mate L could hay
q, rent the walls.
81 1--WE are robbed" I told his deaf ear
I Io 1.-The light. poured freely all over tt
~ city, the light that belongs to you ar
- me as much as to anybody, would sa'
~, you! wish could pick you up and carr
~ you out where the sun would shii
10 through your bones! But let us be gla
~ YOU and I, that there is a, woman who
H. not buried like a whitening sprout und
10 this weight of stone! She is free, to wa
p around and take the light in her gray ey
~ and the wind in her brown hair. 1 sWe
- to God If I ever come out of this / w
never pass so much as a little plant pro
- - trate in darkness without helping it to tt
no light" ..... .......----
20 It was night by the loophole when o
-, turnkey threw the door open. heard t
~ priest and his sacristan joking in the co
he ridor before they entered carrying the
~ sacred parcels The priest was dodde
Nv ing old fellow, almost deaf, for the turf
e. key shouted at his ear, and dim or slgh
Of for he stopped close to look at the dyll
NV man, who was beyond confession. ~
is Bring us something for temporal
nv altar" he commanded the turnkey, WI
re stood candle In hand. So -~.''
ed The turnkey gave his light to the sacri
ad TAM ana taxing care TO lock US ILL., Au
Id ried to obey. ~~ 5,-4 s-s'~-s Is ,5e.