His face was covered with hair, and so completely
matted with dirt and made fiendish by the tufts of coarse hair that
hung over his forehead, that a thrill of horror invaded our
feelings. He had no shoes on his feet; and a pair of ragged
pantaloons, and the shreds of a striped shirt without sleeves,
secured around the waist with a string, made his only clothing. In
truth, he had scarce enough on to cover his nakedness, and that so
filthy and swarming with vermin, that he kept his shoulders and
hands busily employed; while his skin was so incrusted with dirt as
to leave no trace of its original complexion. In this manner he was
kept closely confined, and was more like a wild beast who saw none
but his keepers when they came to throw him his feed. Whether he was
kept in this manner for his dark deeds or to cover the shame of
those who speculated upon his misery, we leave to the judgment of
the reader.
We asked this poor mortal what he had done to merit such a
punishment? He held his head down, and motioned his fevered lips.
"Speak out!" said we, "perhaps we can get you out." "I had no shoes,
and I took a pair of boots from the gentleman I worked with," said
he in a low, murmuring tone,
"Gracious, man!" said we, "a pair of boots! and is that all you are
here for?"
"Yes, sir! he lives on the wharf, is very wealthy, and is a good
man: 't wasn't his fault, because he tried to get me out if I'd pay
for the boots, but they wouldn't let him.
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