Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1842-10-27

Tue oval snapped opening in the head of til,
ooilerl through which the smith had entered
to make his repairs.-lfell with my arm ,hrus
so lar INTO The aperture that received pretty
smart biow IN the face, as it came i'm contac
WIN 'he head OF the boiler, and did not hes
ita'e TO drag my body after it, the moment
recoVereu from tins stunning effect and ascer-
laiieii my Whereabouts. In a word, | crep,
INTO The boiler, resolved TO pass the rest of the
night there The place was dry and shelter
ed. Had my bed been softer, would have
had all tha' man could desire as it was, !
slept and slept soundly
II should mention, though, that, before clos
ing my eyes, several times shifted my posi-
uoh: mad gone first 10 the farther end of
the boiler, then again ] had crawled back TO
!he hianhole, to put my hand out and feel that
II was really still open. The warmest place
was al the farther end, where / finally estab-
lishcd myself, and that knew from the first
1t was foolish for me to think that the o.
pcning through which had Jus, entered could
be closed without my hearing il, and that ton
when nobody was astir but myself but the
blow on the side of my face made me little ner-
vous perhaps; besides, never could bear to
be shut up in any place-it always gives n
wild like feeling about the head. You NAV
laugh, Stranger, but believe should suflocate
IN any empty church, if | once felt that ! was
SO shut up in 1t that / could not get out.
have met men afore now just like me, or worse
rather-much worse. Men that it made sort
Oh furious to be tied down to anything. vet so
soit like and contradictory in their natures tina,
you might lead them anywhere SO long as thew
didn't feel the string. Stranger, il takes all
sorts OF people TO make a world and we have
a good many of the worst kind of white men
here out west. But have seen folks upon
The rver-quiet looking chaps, too, as ever
you see-who were SO tetotally carankterank-
ferrous that they'd shoot the doctor who'd toll
them they couldn't live when ailing. and make
die out OF 1t, just out of spite, when told thew
must get we'll Yes, fellows as fond of the
good things OF the earth as you or /, yet who'd
rush ike mad right over the plank of life.
IL once brought to believe hiatt they had to STAY
III This world whether they wanted to leave il
or not. Thunder and bees if such fellow |
as that had heard The cocks crow as did
awakened TO find darkness about him-,lark-
ness so thick you might cut 1t with knife
heard other sounds, TOO, TO tell him il WAS |
morning, and scrambling to tumble for that
manhole, found it, too, black closed-black
and even as the rest of the iron coffin around
,n'i'' closed, with moi -rivnt-hole In lei God,s
iiSnt ahd air why-why-he suounded
right down on the spot, as | did, and a:n'l
ashamed TO own ii 20 no white mano
The big drops actually stood upon the poor
iellow's brow, as he now paused for moment
IN the recital of his terrible story. He passed
ms hand over his rough features, and resumed
II win less agitation of manner.
"aow long ! may have remained there
senseless don't know. The doctors have
told M I,,o
more like an apoplexy than swoon, for the
attack finally passed olfin sleep-Yes slept,
know that, for dreamed-a heap o. things
a!ore awoke-there is but one dream. how
ever, that have ever been able to recall dis
tinctly, and that must have come on shortly
before l recovered my consciousness. NV
resting place through the night had been. as !
nave told you, at the far end of the boiler.
Well, now dreamed that the manhole was
sslil oPen-and, what seems curious, rather
than laughabe, if you take it into connection
with other things, ! lancied that my legs had
been so stretched in the long walk / had taken
the evening before, that they now reached the
whole length of the boiler and extended
through the opening.
"At first, Tin my dreaming renections) it was
comfortable thought that no one could now
smut up the manhole without awakening me-
but soon 1t seemed as though my feet, which
were on the outside, were becoming drenched
In the storm which had originally driven me
to seek this shelter. ] felt the chilling rain up-
on my extiemtics. They grew colder and
their numbness gradually extended upwards
TO other parts of my body. 1t seemed, how
ever, that it was only the under side of nv
person that was thus strangely visited laid
upon my back, and it must have been a species
OF nightmare that afflicted me, for knew at
last that was dreaming, yet felt it impossi-
Die to rouse myself A violent fit of coughing
restored, at last, my powers of voltion. The
water, which had been slowly rising around
me, had rushed into my mouth awoke to
hear the rapid strokes of the pump which was
driving 1t into the boiler.
MY whole condition-no. not all of if. not
yet-my present condition flashed with new
horror upon me. But did not again swoon.
ne choakIng sensation which had made me
la'h,' when first discovered how | was ell
'on'oed' gave way TO the livelier though less
oVerPowering emotions. | shricked even ms
started IRON my slumber The previous dis
covery OF the closed aperture, witt, the instant
OBLIVION that followed, seemed only part o!
my cream, and threw my arms about and
look eagerly for the opening by which had
entered the borrid place-yes, looked for it.
ana ielt Tor 1t, though it was the terrible con-
vicuoh mat twas closed, second time broupb
nome 70 me, which prompted my frenzied cry
Every sense seemed to have tenfold acute.
ness YET not one to act III unison with a.
noiher' shrieEed again and agan--implor.
| ing desperately. savooelv GIl.J IL, l. II -.