The Washington times., 1902-09-21

nal?' he inquired.
Political offender" the officer an
swered.
What is he charged WITH"
Trying to assassinate the emperor in
his postchaise."
| La, la, la.' the recorder grunted
Another attempt, And gunpowder put
in the street to blow the emperor UT
only last week Good luck attends him
only few windows broken and some
common people killed. Taken in the
act, was this fellow?"
with the knife in his hand
What name?" the recorder inquired
1 had thought on the answer, and told
him merely that my name was Williams
'Eh, bien, Monsieur Vee1eeum. Take
him to the east side among the political
offenders said the master jailer to an
assistant or turnkey.
But it's FULL" responded the turn
key.
Shove him in some place"
They searched me. and the turnkey
lighted another candle. The mea-
gerness of my output was
beneath remark When he had led me
up a flight of stone steps he paused and
inquired:
Have you any money!"
NO
$50 much the worse for you
What is the name of this PRISON." l
asked
"St. Pelagie," he answered 'If you
have no money. and expect to eat here,
you better give me some trlnket to sell
for you
81 have no trinkets to give you"
He laughed.
Your shirt OF breeches will do
"Are men shut up here to starve?"
The jailer shrugged.
1.-The bread is very bad, and the beans
too hard to eat. We do not furnish the
rations; it is not our fault. The rule
here is nothing buys nothing. But sleep
in your breeches while you can. You
will soon be ready enough to eat them. -
l was ready enough to eat them then.
but forbore to let him know it. The
whole place was damp and foul. We
passed along a corridor less than four
feet wide, and he unlocked cell from
which a revolving odor came. There
was no light except what strained
through a loophole under the ceiling
He turned the key upon me. and / held
my nose. Oh, for deep daught of the
wilderness,
There seemed to be an iron bed at
one side, with heap OF rags on top. 1
resolved to stand up all night before
trusting myself to that couch. The cell
was soon explored. Two strides in each
direction measured it. The stone walls
were marked or cut with names / could
dimly see.
l braced my back against the door and
watched the loophole where gray hint
of daylight told that the sun must be
still shining This faded to blotch in
the thick stone, and became obliterated.
Tired by the days march. and with a
state of clean outdoor air still in my
lungs. chose one of the two corners
not occupied by the ill-odored bed, sat
down, and fell asleep. dropping my
cares. A grating of the lock disturbed
me. The jailer pushed jug Of water
into the room, and replaced his bolts
Afterward I do not remember anything
except that the stone was not warm and
nv stomach craved. until groan in my
ear stabbed sleep. l sat up awake in
every nerve. There was nobody in the
cell with me. Perhaps the groan had
come from neighboring prisoner.
Then a faint stir OF covering could
be heard upon the bed.
/ rose and pressed as far as l could
into my corner. No beast of the wilder
ness ever had such terror for me as the
unknown thing that had been my cell
mate half night without my krowl-
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 su-
perstition.
"Who is there?" l demanded as If the
knowledge of name would cure terror
of the suffering thing naming itself
I got no answer, and taking my reso-
luton in hand. moved toward the bed,
determined to know what housed with
me. The jug of water stood in the way.
and / lifted it with instructive answer
to the groan.
The creature heard the splash, and l
knew by its mutter what it wanted.
Cropping darlSly, to poise the jug for an
unseen mouth. ! realized that some
thing helpless to the verge of extinction
Law on the bed, and l would have to find
held the water on the bed-rail with my
right hand, groped with the other, and
found a clammy, death-cold forehead, a
nose and cavernous cheeks, an open and
fever roughened mouth | poured water
on my handkerchief and bathed the
face. That would have been my first
desire in extreme moments. The poor
wretch gave reviving moan, so l felt
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
until the portfolio again
dawned, and blackness became the twi-
light of day.
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