The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-10-21


w. along Rue St. Antoine, the
gendarmes protecting me from
the crowd. He thought was going to
the scafold, where many a strapping
fellow had gone in the Paris Of his
youth, and fought to reach me, laying
about him with bis loaf Of bread. Skene-
donk would certainly trail me and ind
way to be Of use unless be broke
into trouble as readily as I had done.
My guards crossed the river in the
nei, hborhood Of palaces and came by
many windings to a huge pile rearing
its back near garden place, and there
/ was turned over to jailers and dark
ness. The entrance was unwholesome.
A man at a table opened tome which
might have contained ali the names in
Paris He dipped his quill and wrote
by caldlelight.
Political offender or common GRIM
inal!" he inquired.
political offender the officer an
swered.
sWhat is lie charged with:'
ssTrying to assassinate the emperor
in his post chaise."
"I.a, Ia. lar the recorder grunted.
Another attempt! And gunpowder
put in the street to blow the emperor
up only last week. Good luck attends
him-only a few windows broken and
some common people killed. Taken in
the act, was this fcllow?'
sNith the knife in his hand"
What name:" the recorder inquired.
had thought on the answer and told
him merely that my name was VIII
liams.
"Eh, bien. NJ. veeleeum. Take him
to the east side among the political Of
Tenders" said the master jailer TO an
assistant or turnkey.
But it's full" responded the turn.
key.
Shove him III some place.
They searched ne, and the turnkey
lighted another candle TIE meager.
ness of my OUTPUT was beneath re-
marx. When he had led me up a
fight Of stcEc steps lie paused and in
quired:
Have you any money!
''No."
$50 much the worse for you
what is the name Of this prison"
I asked.
"Ste. Pelagie," he answered. IF you
have no money and expect to cat here,
you better give me some trinket to sell
for you"
81 have no trinkets to give YOU
He laughed.
"Your shirt or breeches will do
care men shut up here to starve!'
The jailer shrugged.
"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"
Twas ready enough to eat them then,
but forebore to let them know it. The
whole place was damp and foul. We
passed along a corrider less than four
feet wide, ard he unlocked cell from
which a revolving odor came. There
was no light except what strained
through q loophole under the ceiling.
He turned the key upon me, and l
held my nose Oh, for a deep draught
Of the wilderness!
There seemed to be an iron bed at
one side, with a heap OF rags on top.
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
I could dimly see.
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 jailcr pushed jug Of water
into the room and replaced the bolts.
Afterward, do not remember any
thing except that the stone was not
warm and my stomach craved, until a
groan in my ear stabbed sleep. I sat
up, awake in every nerve. There was
nobody in the cell with me. Perhaps
the groan had come from neighbor-
ing prisoner
Then faint stir of covering could
be heard upon the bed.