M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1856-06-26

child when thought Of the sunshine and
blue skies and fresh air which | should never
more enjoy-how living beings thronged the
streets and thousands round me were joyous
or busy, while was doomed to perish in tor.
lures. Why was my fate differently mark
ed out TO that Of Others? had no monstrous
crimes to repent Of Hundreds OF criminal
men were in the full revelry Of life. fan
cied l heard the toll ofa bell. Breathless.-
| listened. 1t was clock striking the hour,
The sound was new life TO me.
II am not inferred, at leastp such were
my thoughts. lnterment will take place
my coffin will be moved. l shall easily make
myself heard them"
Men may fancy how they would find them
selves under similar circumstances and on
the like trying occasions, but II Is seldom a
correct Judgment can be previously formed
on such matters. 1t was only at intervals
that | was so fearfully maddened by my dread
lul situation as to lose the power Of rational
reflection, or so overcome as to be debarred
the faculty ofmemory. Stretched in posi-
ton were my changes consisted only of a
turn upon my side upon hard boards, the
soreness Of my limbs was eIcrutiatingly
painful. When drew my feet up a few
inches, my knees pressed the cover, 80 that
the slight shift of my position brought no
relief. My impatience at the restraint in
which | was kept began at length TO drive
me well nigh TO madness. | was vered.
My temples burned aud throbbed, my tongue
became dry, light flashed across my eyes, and
my brain whirled around.
am certain that my existence was preser-
we'd solely by the diminished strength and
subsequent ieebleness which ! experienced,
and which from its rendering me insensible
10 the increasing exacerbation Of my brains
heat allowed nature 10 resume her wonted
temperature. But alas, this was only that
might revive to encounter once more ire.
mediable horror, Who could depict the frenzy
the unspeakable anguish Of my situation2-.
! thought my eyes would tart from my head
Burning tears flowed down my cheeks. -
My heart was swollen to bursting. be-
came restless in feeling aud not finding
space for fancied reiefin new change Of
position. In my mental languish, at times
however, forgot my motionless bodily suf-
fering, my rack Of immoveable agony.
How many hours have lay in this &C.
tive and passive torture, cannot tell. My
thirst, however, became intolerable. My
mouth seemed full of hot ashes. l heard
the hollow sound Of clock bell, OF no small
magnitude Judging from its deep intonation.
No Granny which had hitherto observed in
my prison let in light-though we'll knew
there must be some fissure for fresh air, for
the continuance of life SO far. How else, had
! existed'
1t was night perhaps, when first came to
myself inmy prison Of "six dark boards. -
l CROPPED in vain every part Of their wooded
surface which could reach. could find
no chink, sould see no ray. Again heard
the hollow knell which tended to increase
my fearful agony. o, what were my feelings
For long time after this lay stepped in my
suffering-or at least for long time as it seem
ed to me. My head was bruised all over
my limbs were excessively sore the skin
rubbed off in many places with my strug-
gling-my eyes aching with pain-l sought
relief by turning on my right side-l had
never before turned but on my lelt-when |
felt under me hard substance, which had
not before preceived gasped it with much
difficulty, and soon found it was knot, from
the coffin plank which had been forced in
wards, i'm all probability after was put there
| saw also dim light through hole, abou
as large as half crown piece, just below
where my chin came. Iput my hand 10 il
and found it covered with coarse cloth
which easily imagined was the lining o.
the coffin. soon contrived to force my fin
ger though this cloth, though not with ou
some difficulty. Faint enough was the ligh
it revealed, but it was MONDAY sun JOY t
me. BY an uneasy strain Of my neck | coul
see obliquely through the opening, but ever
thing was confused in my brain, My sigh
was cloudy, heavy, and thick but could dis
tinguish no object.
My senses, however, began to sharpen
as new hopes arose. | closed my eyes fol
a minute together, and then to restore thei
almost worn out power Of vision. At length
could distinguish that Immediately opposite
to me there was small window, crossed BY
massive iron bars, through which the light
| saw streamed in upon me like joy into tht
soul of misery. l now cried with delight
thought was among men again, for the
pitchy darkness around me was dispersed. -
forgot for a moment my sufferings. Ever
the fearful question, how should l get fre
| from my durance before famine destroyed m
was long time absent from my mind, an,
did not occur until could look through th
fssure no longer.from the giddingess cause
by too earnest fixedness Of gaze.
| soon concluded from the. massive stone
on each side Of the opening and the FtIengt
of the bars, that was in church vaut;an
this was confirmed W hen | came to distin
guish the ends Of tow or three cofins whic
partly interposed between me and the ligh
began TO grow dim, with feelings no langua
ge can describe, no tongue tell. AS tn
gloom OF night approached my, heart began t
beat fainter, and my former agonies returned
with ten.fold weight, notwithstanding whic
imagine must have slept some. wa
sensible Of noise like the grating ofa heav
doorupo its hinges when revived or awok
Il cannot say which and saw the light o
candle stream across the fssure of my col
fin, called out-"For,the love of your sou
release me lam buried alive"
The sight vanished in a moment; fes
seemed to have palsled the hand that held j
for heard a rough voice desire the holder {
it to return.
j "If there's any one here, he soldered uI
Tom hand me the light. The dead neve
speak. Jim the Snatcher is not to be scare
by rotton flesh"
| Again | called as long as / could-I ar
buried live save me
"Tom, the axe cried the undaunted bod
\ snat cher; the voice comes frvm his box
/ The mdeitakers make too great haste, ! think
In few minutes was sitting upright i