The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-07-08
CHAPTER yXU.
THE OLD SUGAR HOUSE


II OLD SUGAR GUS
Half conscious. as 1 soon became, / knew
only that I was being carried away. then
put into a cart that jolted horribly and
after an interminable time carried into a
building and dumped upon the floor of a
room, whether at night or in the daytime
I could not have told. as there was little or
no light then or during the whole time I
was there. So I lay on the floor, which
seemed wet. for a time: and then finding
my consciousness thoroughly L began to
take cognizance of what lay near me.
A SILVER Of horror-that same dread
rushed over me instantly as 1 felt in
stretching oct my hand the body of a man.
With a kind Of spasmodic stroke of reason
/ felt at his heart, the dread growing as l
could not find it beating. and in another
moment I turned over and found him dead
and cold. With the sort Of movement
which an insane man makes as he crouches
away from something 1 pushed myself
across the floor. cycling the body, then
whirled about in spite of the wound. for 1
touched something on the other side. Twas
another body. MOI for it spoke.
Have you a daughter, friend?" 1t asked.
mo" l whispered.
1hcH IAN htt IL cut ANA bHlOdb SOO
would keep her a virgin!"
What mean you?" 1 asked in strange
awe. and, my eyes becoming accustomed
TO the darkness. 1 saw a haggard figure
naught but bones with the dried skin drawn
tight over them-sitting Turk fashion and
looking at me with wild eyes.
AYE. cut her throat that she may liver
Where am I?' 1 asked to the air. for 1
heavy atmosphere that as it grew made me
try to stop breathing till it should pass;
but that it did never.
Don't min i'm" said a gruff voice be-
hind my head. "'E's got 'emi Els lifted,
ere! 'E's got a w'eel stuck in is upper
deck"
l sat up quickly. holding my clothes, now
dried to the wound. to keep from tearing
them away from my side. and saw dimly
a long. narrow room with walls of stone
and little Sits for windows. with every inch
of floor covered by standing or sitting men.
so close together that in many instances
they lay across one another. l had for the
moment more room than the others.
Where am II"
"In hell! In helI!" cried the lunatic.
And she is not here. Will you cut her
throat. friend?' l crawled away from him.
fascinated by his unwinking eyes, till 1
touched the dead man.
"Give that un a wide berth. mate" said
the sailor. "'E just coughed up is last
breath and 'e's got the typhus."
Where am II" 1 cried again, shrinking
from the body.
THE lunatic's about right" said the sail
or In his monotonous voice. ''Ye're in ell.
d yer mean to say yer don know the old
Sugar 'Ouse?"
God knows 1 did! And 1 hid my face in
my hands to cover my grief. Did 1 know
the Sugar House Prison. where my COM
rades OF II had lain so long, some only
leaving to go as / had seen them in the
dead carts but a few hours before? Did I
know that foul prison? Aye, WE'LL And
was like to know IL better.
What day is it?" asked a quiet voice at
my feet. 1 turned a little and heard a long
cough come from a young man pale with
the signs of death on his white brow. lying
there on his side. his quiet face resting on
his arm. his eyes looking at me with A
bravery in them that was pitiful. pitiful
beyond measure.
Thursday" said some voice out of the
foul darkness.
"Wednesday" said 1 as instictively
turned towards the wasted figure.
What month. If you please?" he asked
without taking his eyes from my face.
The 18th of October. friend" said 1
He lay still a moment. looking at me
without letting his gaze waver. Then:
What year?'
'17sO. comrade. Where do you belong"
$50" said he. ~thoughtfuny. in the same
voice. "17S0. I have been here two years
and near three months"
My God!"
A figure approached us through the thick
air. stepping carefully over those lying
down and passing among those who stood
or sat up.
Il cannot get any. John. brother said
he to the dying man.
Thank We. Jake" he answered. never
turning his gaze from my face nor chang.
ing his look or position. I looked up and
saw a face like his own. and saw. too. the
man swallow suddenly and heard him cry
In a piteous tone:
They will not give me any, not a drop
TO save him." and. turning to a grated door
through which came the little light we had,
he leaned over another sleeping figure and
spoke TO the guard standing with a musket
over his shoulder.
win you not get me a little water for
my brother?'
There amt none" said TIE man.
He is dying, and but a little water would
save him.
There amt none" said the man in pre-.
cisely the same voice as before.
IN give you a guinea for a glasswulr'
pleaded the wretched man, moving over
one or two others 10 reach the barred door.
There amt none came to him again
exactly as before as the guard walked
away.
In a moment he was back by his brothers
side. for the lad had been caught with a
sudden and terrible NJ Of coughing that
shook his whole frame. and then ne rolled
over on his back and lay with his arms