Sistersville daily oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1902-1905, 1904-07-27
Night In Dungeon

It was. an old and yellow manu-
script that Jack and Arthur found
in the bottom of the little hair coy
cred trunk up in the attic. Perhaps
the reason it had escaped notice
was that the trunk was lined with
paper of nearly the same color.
However that may be, none OF US
had ever seen it before, and when
on that rainy afternoon we were
all gathered in the sitting room
Aunt Harriet opened it.
at is in your great-grandfather's
handwriting" she said, and of
course we all crowded around to see
it. "Your great-grandfather was a
Frenchman, and of course this is
written in French" This brought
forth a number of disappointed ex-
carnations, but when Aunt Har-
riet added, "And if you wish | will
translate it as l 60 along" the
faces of the group frightened, and
all settled Themselves comfortably
to hear what Great-grandfather
D'Almar had to tell:
1t was a piece of i'll luck that |
at last fell into the dukes hands.
He had long sought to do me some
harm in payment for the trick |
played him in running off with the
woman he loved, but for fifteen
wears I had avoided him and escaped
his vengeance. At last, however, |
was shared by two of the dukes re-
tainers, and, being blindfolded, was
conveyed whittier | know not, for
when the bandage was removed |
was being led through large stone
hall and my conductors were max
ing ready to thrust me into mar
row dungeon which one of them un-
locked. 1t was of no avail to reason
with the men. They were under the
dukes orders and dare not disobey
him.
So they closed the door upon me
and pushed the bolts in place with
a crash, and | was alone. The dun
geon was entirely made of stone.
with but one small and strongly
barred window near the roof. The
only piece Ct furniture in the room
was small stone bench, upon which
l seated myself to think over the
sudden circumstance which had
placed me in this strange and un'
pleasant position.
Not a bit of anything was to be
seen. In fact, the cell was bare Of
everything except the bench On
which | sat, and that was merely a
projection from the stone wall.
had always been accustomed to have
good things to eat when | wanted
them, and the thought of being
without food for any length of time
was not very pleasant. In fact,
had never been without my regu
lar three meals a day.
There seemed no possible way
of escape, and all | could hope fol
was clemency from the duke.
thought he would hardly dare xii
me in his own house. He might per
haps try to starve me to death. Bu1
at these thoughts | clinched my
hands and shut my teeth firmly to-
gether. | would not give up with
out struggle.
The moonlight commenced tt
shine in through the bars of thu
window, first in sickly little streak:
and then as the moon rose higher II
blaze of white light. There wa:
some companionship in this, and il
cheered me little, and as the feel
ing of hunger had almost passed
away | determined to make myself
as comfortable as possible with the
limited resources within reach. Re
moving my coat, | rolled it up tC
form a pillow, and then, after Of
fering up my customary prayer,
lay down upon the stone bench ant
in a few minutes, like tired school
boy, | was lost in deep and dream
less sleep.
How long I slept l cannot say
but after a time | awoke with {
sensation as if | were choking. The
sensation did not cease when | left
my improvised bed. 1t seemed
rather to increase. Why this SHOULD
be I could not discover until as
again sat on the bench l perceived
peculiar vapors issuing. as it seemed
from the stone sides of my prison
On closer examination | found IL
| H. ,,-o1l. Of o,ob or,J of NV coll 9