Constantine republican. [volume] (Constantine, Mich.) 1836-1838, 1838-01-24

hot, that the mercury plunged in its waters
rose 10 ITO degrees. considered that,
perhaps, the cause Of the heat now surround
ing me was no moro than the Seyerberation
Of SO great a body Of flame As that over
head on the metal, and that as the flame
diminished in volume, which it plainly did
every minute, the heat OF the copper might
be expected 10 abate. But the continually
rsin & temperature Of the air, indicated as
il too plainly was by the thermometer which
held in my hend, soon deprived me of
the vague comfort OF such a surmise. =
next underworld to form some estiniste
of the heat the metal must acquire
before the contained air would riso to $50
degrees, which supposed it possible that |
might be able 10 bear; but, what with anx-
ETY. and confusion, | could make approx
nation to an answer. These various pro.
cesses of thought had, however, restored a
certain degree of presence Of mad, as may
be judged from the fact, that, dreadful as
was the prospect before me, | was calm
enough TO make several memoranda on
my tablets, with the purpose of attaching
them to a weight to the end of my hand.
kerchiof, and flung out in the hope of letting
it be known where was. These tablets
| have now before me; have preserved
| them ever since as memorial of moments
such as | trust have fallen TO the lot of no
other human being. transfer the memo
randa verbatim. 1t will be seen that many
of the words are but half written, and that
in some places entire words have been o.
mitted: but if any one would try tho ex-
pertinent Of writing in such situation, |
dare say his composition would be scarcely
more correct.
begsa thus: -
I am DR.. - Of ST. IL Gay on, finds
this. come 70 the cspsor In the now building,
whore am burning to dNssh for wass Of lad
DIS. Hskpsa II O'clock. Haste haste
! 1.-TWO such memoranda as this l had already
flung out by weights attached to MY suspend
ers, but they soomed to have fallen into the
| hamos.)
My will is in tho upper loft hand drawer of
the bookcase Let George - have the ar
rangomcnt Of my papers. wish all the papers
relating to - business there to be burned
with several memoranda relating to my private
affairs, which omit.
l am wrapped in cloud Of steam from my
wet cloths. The thermometer stands at 100 de-
groes. 1t is now 20 minutes to o'clock. The
air is suffocatingly hot: l am drenched in pers-
piration. will note all l can.
Is m. to o'c. Therm. 1877 dog. Is IN. l39
deg. 10 M. 1853 deg! This is horrible. can
SEQ tho mercury mounting in the tube. The
moisture from my clothes has exhaled. They
are now as dry as finder, and hot and hard to the
touch.
5 minutes past I o'c. Thermometer ITO do
grecs. Have taken off both my coats and
laid thom over the hole-tho rush Of air from il
agtated the hot atmos [phere,] and made it intol-
cradle.
I'm. p. o'c. Thorm. 1T deg. My watch
burning hot. Have taken it ont of my fob. The
pencil case bogins to feel hot in my fingers
Strange to say my body is yet cold. -
theory about the rad iation Of heat must be or
fonoous.
IL m, p. o'c. Therm, 1875 deg. 16 m. pas
/. Ther,n, 200 deg. Have laid off everything bu
my boots could not boar tho touch of any thing
Breath cooler on cxhal [ationl than on inhal L.
ton.
Thermometer 2lO deg. Watch stopped on &C
count of expansion of metal. Flame over heaf
decreasing, light falling. Can SEQ part of thu
copper changing TO a dull rod. Water woul(
boil now where / hold tho pencil in my fingers
But for tho rubbish, my clothes on (which
stand] would [take] fire. I have taken of II.
boots; their mota heels have left their mark sing
ed in tho cloth.
22O deg. / am to DO roasted alive. My las
wishes arc with - and the dear ones. Oh
my God. have mercy on me, and support her !
shall suffer greater pain than any other man blu
Phal [arisl. A dead OK would be baked if hun,
[where] l stand.
22S deg TIL, solss Of nay feet arc blister ling
, One spot Of the copper is quite red-hot. My vital
are turning to sweat. Gracious God, how lonl
is this to last. must shrivol soon. God gran
that may die the hot motal touches me! Oh, fny
dearest -.
232 deg. Whoever finds this; take it to Mr.
- Of Sc, and leave it all to his discr[etIon]
ped it, and it [isl broken.
The hsnt increas [es] The smell of the meta
. is sutlocating. must SOON stop.
The heat has casod very [muchl. l ca
hold tho tablets litto longer. MY vitals are dry
ing up. Tho porsp [iraiion] is coming slowly
! am blstering all over. [Good God, wha
have done y (crased.) Have mercy on my
soul for Christ's sako--Oh! God, have mer
, cy on my soul l die forgving all my on
[emicsl.
With almost the last effort was capable
of making, | put the tablets with heavy
! piece Of mortar (bm for the mortar, Ipoulc
, haze been burned TO the knees schere stood
. into the end Of my handkerchief, and hunl
, it with all my force out of the mouth of m,
: fiery prison. The agony endured in mo
wing my naked arm so rapidly through tn
hot air was almost insupportable it wa
. like stirring boiling water with it. So grea
was the pain that had almost tainted; ant
: when felt the sickness and giddiness tina
, precede swoon, was almost grateful 70
it; as knew that if fell on the metal he
, low me, would in NIL probability be do
; prived of life during my inscnsibility. Blu
: tho symptoms of faintng left me--a pre-,
. fto only moro acute feelings Of bodily agony
I stood with blisters rising on my shoulder
and the process Of decomposition by fir
actually beginning on tho skin Of my logs
! The whole fluids Of my body had beer
, drained by secrctng pcrspiration, and il
supplying my lungs with the moisture ne
, cessary TO enable mo 10 preserve the tenn
pcraturo of the system. II is my firm be
lief thar, had fluids remained in my bod,
{ sufficient TO apply the necessary serum,
would have been a blister from lead to foot
, Excrucioting is a weak word to oxprcss m,
r agony.
4 In This state, my eye i 90 the veins o
f. my arm, where they appeared distendc.
! with their sluggish current in the rcd light
Q The deme drew bacIs and left me for
J Waefncnt in darkness made visl
~ hlo H., ,~ l., Ill .,la uo III ta <vv,pxAcr which